Cuadernos de Trabajo Social

Introduction

The journal Cuadernos de Trabajo Social (ISSN: 0214-0314 / ISSN-e: 1988-8295) is a six-monthly scientific publication that has been published since 1987, promoted by Ediciones Complutense and the Faculty of Social Work at the Complutense University of Madrid.

Cuadernos de Trabajo Social responds to the search for the exchange of scientific knowledge and promotes the processes of theoretical elaboration based on the practices of Social Work professionals. It supports independence of mind and critical function, as well as unity between the scientific and humanistic cultures. It combines rigorous intellectual work with thinking about how to build social transformations through social intervention. It generates networks and connects worlds (professional, academic, activist, etc.). It is aimed at specialists and those involved in social work. Its publications deal with issues related to Social Work, Social Services, Social Policy and Social Intervention from a multidisciplinary perspective. It publishes works of various types: empirical research articles, literature reviews, theoretical articles and critical text reviews.

1.  Management bodies

The management bodies responsible for the scientific coordination and publication of the journal are the Editorial Board and the Advisory Board. All members of these boards undertake to respect the principles of the Code of Ethics established for scientific journals by the Complutense University of Madrid.

1.1. Editorial Board: structure and composition

The Editorial Board will be made up of the Director(s), the Secretary and eight to ten members. The position of Director can be individual or joint, allowing for joint management by a maximum of two people. This position must be filled by at least one active lecturer with a contractual relationship with the UCM.

At least one third of its members must belong to institutions other than the Complutense University of Madrid.

The Editorial Board will carry out the handling of the papers (receipt, review and acceptance) and the definition of the contents and style of the journal (writing of guidelines for the submission of originals, creation and orientation of sections, etc.).

Procedure to elect the Director(s)

The Board of the Faculty of Social Work at the Complutense University of Madrid will hold a vote to select a candidate from among all those nominated. If there is a single nomination, this appointment must be approved by the Faculty Board.

The project will be presented by the candidate for Director of the Journal, who will elect the members of the Editorial Board. A team’s project will be chosen by a vote, with prior information on who will form that team.

All members will be elected for a period of four years and may be renewed.

1.1.0. Duties of the Director

- The Director will be responsible for the coordination and representation of the journal and for relations with the Editorial Board, Advisory Board and Ediciones Complutense. Similarly, they will be responsible for relations with other institutions for any matters related to the journal.

- The Director will appoint the Secretary.

- The Director will convene the meetings of the Editorial Board.

- The Director will be obliged to inform the Board of the Faculty of Social Work about the operation of the journal, as well as its needs.

- The Director(s) will be responsible for ensuring that the highest possible scientific quality of the journal is maintained, as well as for its recognition and inclusion in national and international databases and its evaluation to obtain quality seals, in which area they will have the support of the other members of the Editorial Board.

- The Director(s) will have a casting vote in the event of a tie in the deliberations of the Editorial Board.

1.1.1. Duties of the Secretary

- The Secretary will be responsible for receiving the originals and managing them throughout the review and publication process.

- The Secretary will be responsible for communication with the authors, the members of the Editorial Board, the Advisory Board and Ediciones Complutense.

- The Secretary will confirm the receipt of all papers received with the authors.

- The Secretary will organise the process for checking the originals received by the Editorial Board so that a decision can be made on which papers to review and which to return, once compliance with the journal’s requirements has been verified.

- The Secretary will be responsible for reporting on the procedure for posting the originals on the OJS platform, as well as the location of the guidelines document and the review template.

- Once the decision on whether to publish the originals has been made, the Secretary will be responsible for sending notification of the decision to the authors, justifying the decision.

- The Secretary will be responsible for monitoring the complete publishing process for the journal’s issues (preparation and delivery of originals, including the first pages and statistics, layout process, sending proofs to authors, reviewing the version prior to printing, notification to the authors of the publication).

- The Secretary will prepare the meetings with the Director and will draw up the minutes of the meetings of the Editorial Board. Similarly, they will be responsible for the safeguarding of the minutes and will certify the work carried out by the members, scientific advisers and reviewers.

- The Secretary will collaborate with the Director in the publicising of the journal, institutional relations, exchanges, indexing and any other tasks that result in an improvement in the quality and recognition of the journal.

1.1.3. Duties of the Members of the Editorial Board

- The members of the Editorial Board will be obliged to attend any meetings that are convened. [If members are from other provinces or other countries, the Board may establish a procedure for their effective participation even if they are not present at the meetings.]

- The Members, under the coordination of the Secretary, will take part in the initial reading of the originals to allow a decision to be made about which will be reviewed and which will be returned to the authors.

- The Members will help with the search for external reviewers for the papers and will not under any circumstances be reviewers.

- The Members will advise and collaborate with the journal’s management in any tasks deemed necessary for the smooth running of the journal, including ensuring compliance with punctuality and timeliness.

1.2. Advisory Board

- The Advisory Board will be made up of national and international specialists of recognised prestige in the field of research in Social Work and other related areas. They will be proposed by the Director and approved by the Editorial Board of the journal. If there are more candidates than vacancies available, those with the most votes will be elected. All members will be elected for a period of four years and may be renewed.

- The Advisory Board must have members who are professionals and researchers from foreign institutions. At least two thirds of the members of the Advisory Board will belong to institutions other than the publishing body.

- The process of electing its members will be as follows: the members of the Editorial Board will propose a maximum of three candidates each for this position. This vote will result in the election of as many members of the Advisory Board as there are members present. Next, in the same way more members of the Advisory Board will be elected to serve in this role.

- The members of the Advisory Board may participate in the processes for reviewing originals as external peers, taking into account that at least one of the reviews must always be issued by a reviewer who is not a member of the Advisory Board.