Scope
The scope of the paper is worldwide, accepting original contributions from any academic center regardless of where it is based. The goal of the journal is to provide a Poland-based venue for sharing the outcomes of high-quality and up-to-date research in any field of Japanology in the area of humanities and social studies, in particular, although not limited to, linguistics, literature, cultural, social and political studies. One key area of the Silva Iaponicarum activity is fostering the dissemination of research results by young researchers, for which reason submissions from promising M.A. and Ph.D. students are actively encouraged.
History
The journal was founded in 2004 at the Department of Japanese Studies of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland, by Arkadiusz Jabłoński, who remained its editor-in-chief until 2020. During these initial 16 years Silva was being issued as a quarterly, and 64 numbers (fascicles) altogether were released in that mode. Starting in 2021 (Fascicle 64/65, Spring/Summer 2021), the current editorial board took over, and the publishing mode was changed to biannual.
Ethics
All academic papers sent to Silva Iaponicarum undergo a two-step qualification process. First, the paper is evaluated by the editorial board for its overall compliance with academic standards and compatibility with Silva Iaponicarum Guidelines. Second, on condition of successful completion of step one, the paper undergoes anonymous peer-reviewing.
1. Evaluation by the Silva Iaponicarum editorial board
In order to be positively evaluated for further editorial procedures, the manuscripts need to meet the following criteria:
The content needs to reflect original and previously unpublished academic achievements in any field of humanities or social studies focused on Japan and/or Japanology.
The length of the paper should be from 3,000 to 10,000 words, excluding the abstract and references.
The manuscript should follow the editorial Guidelines.
2. Peer-reviewing
External peer-reviewing in Silva Iaponicarum is conducted by a minimum of two anonymous reviewers whose field of expertise is concurrent with that of the evaluated manuscript.
In principle, reviewers are selected from among academics who hold a Ph.D. degree in Japanese studies or a related discipline. Concessions may, however, be made in the case of renowned specialists concerning the specific content of the evaluated paper.
Throughout the reviewing process, the principle of double-blind review is strictly observed. Before the transfer to a prospective reviewer, all papers are carefully anonymized – any suggestions of the author’s identity, along with the meta-data of the file, are removed from the text.
Reviews are written with the use of Silva Iaponicarum review forms (available below).
The language of the reviews and the review forms may be either English or Japanese, and it should accord with the language of the manuscript.
The review form includes an obligatory section with four yes-no questions and a four-scale grade, and an optional section for the reviewer’s comments/feedback.
Within the four-scale grade, grades “a” and “b” indicate a positive assessment, grade “c” a conditionally positive assesment, and grade “d”– rejection. Grades “a” – “c” are therefore considered positive or “pass” reviews.
As a rule, the paper needs a minimum of two positive reviews in order to be published. The editorial board, however, reserves the right to make case-by-case decisions in borderline circumstances, such as ultimately rejecting a paper which received grades “c” and “d”.
A list of reviewers who have cooperated with Silva on the fascicles issued in the passing calendar year is published at the end of the final fascicle of each year.
Before proceeding with the peer-review process, each submitted research paper thus undergoes verification process conducted by at least one of the editorial board members who has expertise in the pertinent research field. Usually the same board member later becomes an individual supervisor of the paper, overseeing the publication process of the paper until its eventual release.
The task of the individual supervisor is to oversee the content and structure of the paper as well as to ensure comments and improvements suggested by the peer-reviewers and the proofreader have been implemented by the author. In case the author declines to implement a suggestion, they are obliged to justify the decision to their individual supervisor.
In case an infringement of publication ethics is detected, one or more of the following may be implemented, depending on the severity of the infringement, its effect on the entire text, and the author's response:
1) the author is requested to adequately modify or remove the problematic fragment(s) of the text;
2) the editorial board makes a collective decision concerning the future of the text;
3) the text is disqualified from publication.
Step 3) is effected unconditionally in case of plagiarism or if the author refuses to cooperate in step 1).
Following a successful peer-review process, the author is required to sign the following Declaration of Authorship, which at the same time stands for Silva's current Licence Agreement:
"I/we hereby declare that I/we am/are familiar with rules of avoiding plagiarism and ghostwriting. I/we declare that this paper represents my/our own work, except where due acknowledgment is made. I/we also acknowledge the right of the Editorial Board to implement in the paper editorial changes compliant with the standards adopted at Silva Iaponicarum".
In case of a potential conflict of interest, a "Conflict of interest declaration" note clarifying the situation is included at the beginning of the text.
Peer-reviewers receive a completely anonimized pdf file with the reviewed paper. Following a meticulous reading of the paper by the assigned member of the editorial board, the file has had all personal information removed, including both explicit and implicit references to the identity of the author. Reviewers are obliged to observe the double-blind peer-review standard. Before the reviews are passed on to the author, the assigned member of the editorial board verifies the reviews to ensure their complete anonymity.
Peer review
External peer-reviewing in Silva Iaponicarum is conducted by a minimum of two anonymous reviewers whose field of expertise is concurrent with that of the evaluated manuscript.
In principle, reviewers are selected from among academics who hold a Ph.D. degree in Japanese studies or a related discipline. Concessions may, however, be made in the case of renowned specialists concerning the specific content of the evaluated paper.
Throughout the reviewing process, the principle of double-blind review is strictly observed. Before the transfer to a prospective reviewer, all papers are carefully anonymized – any suggestions of the author’s identity, along with the meta-data of the file, are removed from the text.
Reviews are written with the use of Silva Iaponicarum review forms (available below).
The language of the reviews and the review forms may be either English or Japanese, and it should accord with the language of the manuscript.
The review form includes an obligatory section with four yes-no questions and a four-scale grade, and an optional section for the reviewer’s comments/feedback.
Within the four-scale grade, grades “a” and “b” indicate a positive assessment, grade “c” a conditionally positive assessment, and grade “d”– rejection. Grades “a” – “c” are therefore considered positive or “pass” reviews.
As a rule, the paper needs a minimum of two positive reviews in order to be published. The editorial board, however, reserves the right to make case-by-case decisions in borderline circumstances, such as ultimately rejecting a paper which received grades “c” and “d”.
A list of reviewers who have cooperated with Silva on the fascicles issued in the passing calendar year will be published at the end of the final fascicle of each year.
Information for authors
The requirements are presented in the paper file template (https://silvajp.web.amu.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Silva-template-ver.-2-20220721.docx) and in Editorial Guidelines on the homepage (https://silvajp.web.amu.edu.pl/index.php/editorial-guidelines-for-silva-iaponicarum-authors/).