Vadose Zone Journal Rapid Communications Guidelines

Rapid Communications manuscripts are intended to highlight time-sensitive research results that have far-reaching impacts across the vadose zone community. These manuscripts undergo the same rigorous peer-review process as any other submittal, but the process will be accelerated, with a goal of on-line access within 32 days of original submission. Examples of manuscripts could include results derived from a National Science Foundation RAPID grant, manuscripts related to recently available data (e.g., impact of an extreme climate event on vadose zone processes), a new technique that allows better ways of calculating fluxes in soil, etc. All requests will be determined by the editor of Vadose Zone Journal (VZJ) and will be managed by the co-editors and associate editors, with a goal of a 2-week review turnaround (~20 days from submission). If review comments are not "accept as is" or "accept with minor revision," then the paper is released to the authors or converted to a standard article or technical note at the discretion of the editor. All Rapid Communications will be highlighted by the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) through social media, press releases, or similar tools.

Elements of Rapid Communications

Relevant topics for this section need to meet one or more of the following criteria:

• New results in a rapidly growing field of research
• New results that will probably have an impact on a large number of ongoing studies
• Important groundbreaking results of interest to a broad community

Length and writing style

• Manuscripts must be concise (no longer than four published pages).
• Manuscripts must be written in language that is easily accessible to a wider audience.

Workflow process

• Authors request consideration by (a) checking the appropriate paper type box on the submission website (b) providing a short written justification for why the paper should be considered as a rapid communication, and (c) agreeing to return minor revisions rapidly or accept release.
• The editor decides whether the paper meets the criteria. 
• The editor secures a co-editor AE who is willing to handle the manuscript in the accelerated process (1–2 additional reviewers could be used for rapid review).
• The editor notifies the author (the above three steps done in 5 days from submission).
• The review process is completed and decision sent to the authors 20 days from submission.
• Authors respond to comments rapidly (5 days from receipt of comments).
• The editor assesses the response within 5 days of manuscript return.
• If accepted, the manuscript is assigned a doi number, copyedited, formatted professionally, and posted online (14 days from date of upload of accepted manuscript).