Overview

United Press, an academic open access publisher based in Kolkata, India, was founded in 2023. Active working in the academics for scientific publishing services for book and journal.

Open Access

Open Access allows readers to access published material for free, eliminating subscription charges. United Press ensures that articles are freely available immediately after publication, providing global access to the latest research. All United Press content is licensed under Creative Commons.

United Press finances publication through article processing charges (APC), paid by authors or their institutions, covering peer review management, professional copy-editing, and research promotion. United Press has no other income sources.

For authors, open access can lead to a wider readership and potentially higher citation rates. United Press offers a cost-effective publishing option compared to traditional subscription models, providing transparency for funding bodies and taxpayers by making research widely accessible.

Journals Published by United Press

United Press publishes over 30 journals, all available online in open access format at website under publication section. The publisher continuously launches new journals to meet the evolving needs of academic communities.

United Press Editorial Offices

Headquartered in Kolkata, India, United Press employs a diverse in-house team including Managing Editors, Assistant Editors, Production Editors, English Editors, Copyeditors, Data Specialists, Software Engineers, and Administrative Specialists. Except for most English Editors, all staff are employed by United Press and its subsidiaries, working from United Press offices. Collaborating editors on the Editorial Boards typically work at academic or corporate research institutions globally. The primary communication with in-house editorial staff is via email and telephone. Editors typically manage multiple journals related to their academic background.

Editorial Process, Peer-Review, and Production

Articles submitted to United Press journals undergo a rigorous peer-review process, typically single blind (reviewers know the authors’ identities, but authors do not know the reviewers') or double blind (both parties are anonymous until publication). The online submission system, facilitates manuscript submission, peer-review, and editorial decisions without requiring reviewers and external editors to have accounts, as they are recognized through unique IDs in URLs. 

The Instructions for Authors page on each journal's website guides authors through manuscript preparation and submission.

Upon submission, the manuscript is handled by an in-house Managing Editor who oversees the entire editorial process: peer review, decision making, revisions, acceptance, copyediting, English editing, proofreading, and final publication. An Assistant Editor is assigned to manage review invitations.

Each manuscript is reviewed by at least two experts (three if the first two disagree significantly). Reviewers must have a PhD, no recent collaborations with the authors, and relevant recent publications.

The final acceptance or rejection of a manuscript is decided by the Editor-in-Chief, Guest Editor, or a suitable Editorial Board member, typically after revisions. Usually, no more than two rounds of major revisions are allowed.

Post-acceptance, the in-house editorial staff manages the production process, including copyediting, English editing, and final formatting for publication. Journals are organized into yearly volumes and either monthly or quarterly issues, but articles are published online immediately after acceptance and production.

In many United Press journals, Academic Editors who accept manuscripts after peer review can choose to have their names included on the published articles. Guest Editors of Special Issues are required to have their names included on accepted manuscripts.

Editorial Board Responsibilities

Responsibilities vary by journal type; society-owned journal roles may differ.

Editor-in-Chief The Editor-in-Chief oversees journal activities, ensuring scientific quality and development, maintaining connections with the Editorial Board, and supporting the Editorial Office. The initial term is 1 years, involving:

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal and open access publishing.

• Making scientific decisions about the journal's scope.

• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board.

• Suggesting Special Issue topics.

• Supporting Section Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, and Editorial Staff.

• Overseeing the editorial process and making final publication decisions.

• Upholding peer review and ethics guidelines.

• Chairing the annual Editorial Board Meeting.

Section Editor-in-Chief Responsible for the scientific quality of a specific journal section, overseeing its growth and development. The initial term is 2 years, involving:

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal and open access publishing.

• Making scientific decisions about the section's scope.

• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board.

• Suggesting Special Issue topics.

• Supporting Editorial Board Members and Editorial Staff.

• Overseeing the editorial process and making final publication decisions.

Co-Section Editor-in-Chief Assists the Section Editor-in-Chief in overseeing a journal section. The initial term is 2 years, involving:

• Advising on strategic section development.

• Overseeing the editorial process and making pre-check editorial decisions.

• Supervising Special Issues.

• Proposing Editorial Board candidates.

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal and open access publishing.

Associate Editors Support the Editor-in-Chief and Section Editor-in-Chief, advising on journal development and scope, supporting Editorial Board Members, and overseeing the editorial process. They suggest Special Issues and invite Guest Editors.

Advisory Board Members Guide the Editor-in-Chief on journal development strategies and policies, prescreen new submissions, suggest Special Issue topics, promote the journal, attend Board Meetings, and assist with appeal cases or ethical disputes.

Editorial Board Members Make final decisions on manuscripts, edit Special Issues, review manuscripts, and promote the journal. The initial term is 2 years, with responsibilities including prescreening submissions, setting up Special Issues, attracting expert authors, providing policy feedback, promoting the journal, and attending Board Meetings.

Section Board Members Similar to Editorial Board Members but focused on a specific journal section, with responsibilities including prescreening submissions, editing Special Issues, providing policy feedback, promoting the journal, and attending Board Meetings.

Supporting Editor Responsibilities

Guest Editors Manage Special Issues, inviting colleagues to contribute, supervising the peer-review process, and promoting the Special Issue.

Subject Editors Develop and promote Topics, invite scientists to lead Topics, suggest themes and journals for Topics, and join the Topics Award Committee.

Topic Editors Manage Topics, inviting contributors, supervising peer-review, and promoting Topics.

Collection Editors Manage permanent Topical Collections, inviting contributors, supervising peer-review, and promoting Collections.

Topical Advisory Panel Comprising established and early career researchers, the panel supports Guest Editors, Topic Editors, and Section Board Members. Responsibilities include reviewing manuscripts, setting up Special Issues, promoting the journal, and collaborating with Editorial Board Members.

Launching New Open Access Journals with United Press For publishing proposals, including transferring existing journals, launching new titles, or converting subscription journals to open access, contact the New Journal Committee.

Comments and Questions For general inquiries or support, use the Contact Form on the United Press website. For journal-specific inquiries, visit the respective journal's page for Editorial Office contact information. For a list of United Press offices and contact details, visit www.upress.site/about/contact/.