IEEE TMI Guidelines for Special Issue Proposals

IEEE TMI Advisory Committee

December 1, 2025

Rationale

The IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging (TMI) Advisory Committee has developed these guidelines to ensure that special issue proposals meet the journal’s high standards for scientific rigour, editorial coherence, and community impact. These guidelines address recurring issues identified in proposal evaluations, including scope definition, literature contextualisation, and editorial qualifications. By providing clear expectations and requirements, we aim to streamline the review process whilst supporting proposers in developing compelling, well-structured submissions that advance the field of medical imaging.

Essential Requirements Checklist

  1. Scope and Focus
    • Clear Problem Statement: Begin with a high-level introductory paragraph that clearly articulates the technical or clinical challenge being addressed
    • Well-Defined Scope: Ensure the topic is sufficiently focused to produce a coherent special issue whilst being broad enough to attract quality submissions
    • Avoid Overly Broad Themes: Proposals attempting to cover entire research domains (e.g., “all AI efforts in medical imaging”) will not be supported
    • Clinical Relevance: Demonstrate the impact that addressing this challenge will have on real-world clinical applications and patient care
  2. Literature Review and Contextualisation
    • Comprehensive Literature Review: Include substantial references to recent, peer-reviewed scientific literature (minimum 20-30 relevant citations)
    • Avoid Non-Peer-Reviewed Sources: Do not rely primarily on arXiv preprints or conference abstracts
    • Position Within Existing Work: Clearly articulate how the proposed topic relates to:
      • Previous TMI special issues
      • Related special issues in other journals
      • Major conference workshops and proceedings
      • Current state-of-the-art in the field
    • Gap Analysis: Explicitly identify what gaps the special issue will address
  3. Guest Editor Qualifications
    • Demonstrated Expertise: Guest editors must provide detailed descriptions of their qualifications and experience in the proposed topic area
    • Publication Record: Include relevant publication history demonstrating leadership in the field
    • Editorial Experience: Previous editorial experience (associate editor, guest editor, reviewer) should be highlighted
    • Complementary Expertise: Ensure the editorial team covers the breadth of the proposed topic
    • Editorial Team Size: The number of guest editors must be between 2 and 4 (inclusive)
    • Balanced Representation: The editorial team should demonstrate balance across:
      • Geographical distribution
      • Ethnic and cultural diversity
      • Technical expertise areas
      • Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) considerations
  4. Community Engagement and Impact Assessment
    • Potential Contributors List: Provide a preliminary list of researchers likely to submit high-quality contributions
    • Outreach Strategy: Detail plans for targeted outreach to key researchers and institutions
    • Expected Submission Volume: Provide realistic estimates of submission numbers based on community size and engagement
    • International Representation: Demonstrate efforts to engage global research community
  5. Technical Content and Innovation
    • State-of-the-Art Analysis: Clearly articulate the current state of research in the proposed area
    • Innovation Potential: Explain how the special issue will advance the field beyond current capabilities
    • Methodological Diversity: Encourage diverse approaches and methodologies within the scope
    • Validation Requirements: Specify expectations for experimental validation and clinical relevance, data sharing and reproducible research efforts
  6. Diversity and Inclusion
    • Broad Representation: Actively encourage submissions from:
      • Underrepresented countries and regions
      • Early-career researchers
      • Diverse gender representation
      • Interdisciplinary teams
    • Inclusive Language: Use language that welcomes diverse perspectives and approaches
    • Accessibility: Consider barriers to the widest participation both in terms of submissions and reviewers, and propose mitigation strategies
  7. Writing Quality and Presentation
    • Professional Academic Tone: Maintain scholarly, objective language throughout
    • Avoid Commercial Bias: Do not mention specific company names, products, or proprietary technologies
    • Clear Structure: Organise content logically with appropriate headings and formatting
    • Parallel Structure: Use consistent formatting for lists and bullet points
  8. Timeline and Logistics
    • Realistic Timeline: Provide achievable deadlines for submission, review, and publication
    • Review Process: Outline the peer review strategy and reviewer recruitment plan
    • Contingency Planning: Address potential challenges and mitigation strategies
    • Resource Requirements: Specify any special requirements or support needed

Proposal Structure Template

  1. Executive Summary (200-300 words)
  2. Medical Need and Clinical Context (300-400 words)
  3. Literature Review and State-of-the-Art (500-700 words)
  4. Scope and Topics of Interest (400-500 words)
  5. Guest Editor Qualifications (300-400 words per editor)
  6. Community Engagement Strategy (200-300 words)
  7. Diversity and Inclusion Plan (150-200 words)
  8. Timeline and Logistics (200-300 words)
  9. References (minimum 25-30 peer-reviewed sources)

Review Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

  • Scientific Merit (30%): Novelty, significance, and technical soundness
  • Editorial Quality (25%): Guest editor qualifications and experience
  • Community Impact (20%): Potential to attract high-quality submissions and advance the field
  • Scope Appropriateness (15%): Balance between focus and breadth
  • Presentation Quality (10%): Clarity, organisation, and professional presentation

Management of Conflicts of Interest

Each guest editor can be involved in no more than 2 submissions. The review process for such papers will be handled by AEs/SAEs outside the guest editor team.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Proposing topics that are too broad or unfocused
  • Insufficient engagement with existing literature
  • Lack of clear differentiation from previous special issues
  • Overreliance on non-peer-reviewed sources
  • Inadequate demonstration of guest editor expertise
  • Missing diversity and inclusion considerations
  • Unrealistic timelines or expectations
  • Commercial bias or promotional language
  • Editorial teams with fewer than 2 or more than 4 members
  • Lack of diversity in editorial team composition (e.g. all European, or all American, or all Asian editorial board, or all male, etc.)

These guidelines are designed to support the development of high-quality special issue proposals that advance medical imaging research whilst meeting IEEE TMI’s editorial standards. For additional guidance, please consult the IEEE Author Guidelines and contact the TMI Editorial Office.