The Managing Editor’s Role: Style Matters

Colleagues often ask me what the Managing Editor of Hispania does. The position of Managing Editor of Hispania requires that I wear many hats. I manage the online submission system, ScholarOne. I operate the quarterly production of the journal. I also take on additional tasks as needed. Here, I would like to offer a glimpse into my role in the path to the publication of each issue.

The Managing Editor manages all steps of production from acceptance to publication. In 2015, I directed the production of 51 articles, 74 book and media reviews, and 22 additional features (e.g., editorials, the state-of-the-state articles, MLA convention essays). Each article and review undergoes four stages, which take about six months to complete: formatting, copyediting, pre-proofreading, and proofreading. We begin by formatting articles. In this stage, my team and I make sure that all contributions in an issue comply with the journal’s style standards, and we add formatting codes for publishing. During this time, I also work with authors on readying figures and tables for publication. Three or four months prior to publication, articles are then copyedited by myself, by Hispania’s Assistant Managing Editor Dr. Conxita Domènech (University of Wyoming), or by one of the members of our team of Production Assistants (PAs). Most of the corrections made as this stage ensure that language (English, Spanish, and Portuguese) is clear and that our readers are supplied with accurate and current information. Editor Domènech then works with authors to make final revisions and corrections to their articles. Not only is she meticulous and detail-oriented, but she is also a critical link between Hispania authors and their copyedited articles.

After articles are pre-proofread by our team, I work closely with our publisher as the issue is converted to a PDF proof. I proofread the issue several times, making changes along the way. Book/Media Review Editor Dr. Domnita Dumitrescu (California State University–Los Angeles, Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española) compiles, edits, and proofreads the book/ media review section for each issue. In the last stage, articles are proofread again by Editor Domènech, our PAs, and myself. After several passes of proofreading, which take between four and six weeks, I send each contribution to Hispania’s authors and reviewers for their final approval. If there are final corrections at the last stage of proofreading, we make them, but my hope is that last stage edits are minimal.

Hispania’s Editorial Staff is supported by a group of editing experts. Our PAs, a group that includes formatters, copyeditors, and proofreaders, support us at all stages of production. All of our copyeditors and proofreaders are academic scholars and most of them are university professors. Because of their full-time professional commitments, PAs are invited to participate in tasks as they are able. Their help is indispensible. I would like to acknowledge one of our seasoned PAs. Please join me in thanking Dr. Douglas J. Weatherford (Brigham Young University), who has been copyediting and proofreading for Hispania for over five years. We value his sharp eye, keen sense of humor, and prompt work. Please see a list of our Production Assistants on page 6 of this current issue and thank them for their commitment. I also invite you to consider applying to become part of our PA team since it is one of the best ways to accustom yourself to the ins and outs of scholarly publishing (see page 5 for more information).

At every step in production, my main concern as Managing Editor is that readers receive accessible and easy-to-parse, top-notch scholarship. During the production of each issue, I make sure reference lists in Works Cited sections and tables and figures provide accurate and complete information. My team and I fix the grammatical errors in three languages that are not caught during the authors’ drafts or during the editorial review process, assuring that the language in Hispania delivers clear messages all of the time. I also make certain that each issue is coherent and uniform while preserving the unique voice...