Editorial Assistant

Responsibilities for the graduate assistant for The Mailer Review, spring 2026.

January 9, 2026 Teaching

The Editorial Assistant supports the technical and archival operations of The Mailer Review . This role focuses on production, metadata, and long-term access rather than editorial judgment or peer review.

Primary Semester Goal

To post and complete archived issues of The Mailer Review in Open Journal Systems (OJS). By the end of the semester, priority back issues should be fully entered into OJS with correct files, metadata, and issue structure so they are stable, searchable, and publicly accessible.

Core Responsibilities

Archive Issue Setup

Create back-issue records in OJS
Enter volume, issue number, year, and issue title
Assign articles to the correct sections within each issue

Galley Management

Upload PDF and HTML galleys for archived articles
Confirm files display correctly and completely
Ensure consistent file naming and placement

Metadata Entry and Verification

Enter or verify: Author names and affiliations; Abstracts; Keywords
Check capitalization, punctuation, and consistency
Correct obvious metadata errors

DOI and Issue Consistency Checks

Confirm DOI fields are present and properly formatted
Verify issue numbering and article order
Flag missing or duplicated identifiers

Quality Control

Spot-check archived articles for: Missing files; Incorrect section placement; Incomplete metadata
Report problems or uncertainties to the Editor

What This Role Does Not Include

The Editorial Assistant does not:

Evaluate submissions for quality or suitability
Participate in peer review
Assign or communicate with reviewers
Make editorial recommendations
Accept or reject submissions
Publish issues independently

All editorial decisions remain with the Editor.

OJS Access Summary

Role: Editorial Assistant
Authorized to edit submission metadata
Authorized to upload and manage galleys
Not authorized to manage peer review or decisions

Communication & Workflow

Work is coordinated directly with the Editor
Workload is 6–8 hours per week
Questions and uncertainties should be raised early
Accuracy and consistency matter more than speed

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the semester, the Editorial Assistant will have hands-on experience with:

Scholarly journal infrastructure
Digital archiving practices
Metadata standards in humanities publishing
Open-access journal platforms (OJS)

ENGL 5106