As Editor of the Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering (JWPCOE), I am pleased to announce that ASCE's journals have adopted a Web-based system for manuscript submission. Editorial Manager enables ASCE to alert Editors and Associate Editors that manuscripts are awaiting their action; to invite reviewers who may then electronically accept or decline to review a manuscript; to easily track manuscripts through the entire peer-review process; and to send regular reminders. The various participants can upload original and revised manuscripts, reviews and responses to reviews, editorial comments, and so forth as appropriate. Editorial Manager is used by a number of international journals, notably those published by Elsevier (such as Ocean Engineering and Coastal Engineering). The adoption of this system allows more rapid processing of manuscripts while they progress through the review process and to eventual publication. ASCE introduced this system in March 2008 for the JWPCOE, and to date about 90 manuscripts have been managed through it.
Editorial Manager informs authors immediately about any action taken concerning their papers, allows them to check the status of their manuscripts that are in the queue, and retrieve any comments of editors or reviewers, as needed. Authors can contact the ASCE Publications Department with questions or if they encounter problems. Each system user receives personal login information, and all information in Editorial Manager is kept confidential. The system has decreased overall turnaround time for the review of manuscripts by at least 50 percent.
The JWPCOE is introducing a new section dedicated to case studies. Although case studies are published at present, what distinguishes them from a regular manuscript or a technical note in the JWPCOE, is merely an appendage to the title. The creation of a separate section will benefit prospective case study authors by enabling them to review comparable studies in one consolidated section. The JWPCOE welcomes such manuscripts (which are, of course, peer-reviewed with the same rigor as all papers published in the JWPCOE), particularly those that highlight lessons learned that can benefit other engineering practitioners and researchers.
This year, ASCE launched a new initiative, Preview Manuscripts, which reduces the time to publication by several months. Accepted papers for ASCE journals submitted through Editorial Manager are posted online in manuscript form before the final, copyedited issue is published online and in print. Early posting of accepted manuscripts disseminates the literature as quickly as possible. Each ASCE journal has an online section called "Preview Manuscripts" dedicated to these posted-ahead-of-print manuscripts in the Research Library. Participation by authors is optional.
Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Nick Dodd (University of Nottingham) and Dr. Terry Hodges (University of Liverpool) for their yeoman service as associate editors of the JWPCOE. They have provided timely and professional assistance and have been most cooperative. They have chosen to step down after many years of service. I am pleased to welcome Dr. Dominic Reeve (University of Plymouth) as a recent addition to the Editorial Board.
