If you are successful in winning the PRism Prize, you will be issued with a contract to produce a special issue on a topic of your choice.  The contract will specify that:

1. The prize description and instructions on how to enter form part of these terms and conditions.
2. Your role as guest editor/s involves: publicising your special issue CFP to appropriate lists and contacts; recruiting suitable authors and contributions on your chosen topic for your issue; locating appropriate referees in the specialist field of your issue and obtaining reports from them on contributions; making decisions about revisions and publication; communicating those decisions to authors in a way that is supportive and encouraging; and (with assistance from PRism staff) performing any final copy editing necessary to get the materials to a publication standard that you are proud to put your name to as editor/s. PRism staff will be responsible for formatting, reference checking, and IT matters, and will be happy to provide guidance on and assistance with any aspect of the guest editor role as requested.
3. The PRism Prize is offered on the condition that you supply the unformatted but otherwise publication-ready materials for your entire special issue to the PRism general editor by the end of the calendar year in which the prize is awarded to you.
4. It is expected that a 'special issue' would contain a selection of thematically linked items across the spectrum of refereed, non-refereed, review, and opinion articles and case studies, but at very least would contain a minimum of four contributions of any kind, plus an editorial overview written by the guest editor/s. For a sample of what a special issue might look like, please see Tom Watson's excellent special issue on Evaluation (click here). 
5. Authors publishing in your special issue must do so in accordance with PRism's standard submission guidelines (click here). PRism's standard author contracts will be supplied to you for your use and all authors must complete one prior to publication.
6. Refereeing for your special issue must be conducted in accordance with PRism's standard refereeing procedures (click here). In particular, care must be taken to ensure that all refereeing is 'double blind', meaning authors do not know the identity of referees and vice versa. Refereeing templates, support, and guidance in achieving this will be supplied to you.
7. It is expected that you will recognise that, for the duration of your tenure as a guest editor, PRism's good reputation is in your hands, and that you will therefore make every effort at all times to communicate with authors, referees, and any other stakeholders in a way that is prompt, professional, and constructive.
8. PRism will not provide the final payment of the prize until you have supplied the completed materials for your special issue, and may require that your initial payment be refunded if for any reason you are unable to provide sufficient materials for your special issue to enable it to be published. This is to ensure the viability and continuity of the prize for other guest editors in the future.
9. PRism may amend these terms and conditions at any time without notice, but will post all amendments on this page.

10. PRism may, at its discretion, also award the Professor George H. Hines Memorial Award in years when the quality of entries is such that it would be disadvantageous to the advancement of public relations and communication scholarship not to support a second meritorious proposal.  Prize money, terms, and conditions for the George Hines award are identical to those for the PRism Prize.

If you have any queries, please feel free to contact PRism general editor Dr Elspeth Tilley to discuss. (Click here to email.)

Return to PRism Prize Announcement Page

Click here to download the PRism Prize Entry Form (a Word document).