Three and Out

One decade. So long and, at the same time, so short. This issue of the Journal of Geography marks the end of my third and final term as Editor. In that time, I have only written two editorials, one to set the journal’s direction (Mitchell 2011) and another that lightly admonished authors to work hard early in the process to improve a manuscript’s publication chances (Mitchell 2013). Here is my third.

I entered into this position¹ with really only one over-arching goal: to make the Journal of Geography the first-choice outlet for scholarship on teaching and learning in geography. This type of work can be, and is, published in general geography journals, in science education journals, and so on. New geography education journals, both traditional and online, also have appeared during my tenure. In other words, authors have choices.

So why publish, then, in the Journal of Geography? Editors can only publish what is submitted, and outside of special issues and other topic specific invitations, there is very little control over what appears in the inbox. Prospective authors hopefully look at past issues to discern the type of work typically published; those that do not are often jarred by the gatekeeping role of the editor. But an editor should be more than a front-end filter. The editor is your partner and colleague in this project, and should help you to refine your message for maximum impact. This is done with the help of reviewers (authors rarely want this “help,” if they even call it that), and ultimately the product is better at the end because of this process. It is my wish that those successfully published authors over the past ten years felt so, and that all – including those not published – believed that their review was expeditious, fair, and of substance.

The end result of our collective work has been this: 57 issues assembled and more than 285 items published. How did we get there? More than 1,300 original and revised manuscripts were submitted. That is a lot to review, and hundreds of reviewers did so. I hope that the end result has been worth reading and using in your own work.

With that past behind us, what is next? The very capable Meredith Marsh will be fully taking over as Editor with the next issue. Meri has been an Associate Editor for several years, and has my utmost confidence; our transition over the past year has been smooth, and I am excited – as you too should be – to see where she takes the journal next.

And now for proper recognition. Authors, reviewers, readers: you are at the front of the line. Patience was given by the first, good counsel by the second, and compliments – usually – by the third. These gifts were much appreciated.

The journal management team at Taylor & Francis has always provided useful and timely support when needed. I am particularly thankful for the assistance of Lea Cutler and Rebecca Corpier for many years. Though the National Council for Geographic Education’s leadership structure has changed considerably over my tenure, all involved have been extraordinarily responsive.

To my Associate Editors (Andrew Milson, Jennifer Speights-Binet, Owen Dwyer, Meredith Marsh, Timothy Hawthorne, and Alex Oberle), Technical Editor (Mark Micozzi), Cartographic Editor (Sarah Battersby), Book Review Editors (James Petersen, Eui-kyung Shin, and Virginia Thompson), and Editorial Assistants (Larianne Collins, Christopher King, and Christopher Krause): thank you all.

Beginning with Volume 109, Issue 4, spend some time looking inside the front cover. There, you will see the names of the 20-plus member Editorial Board who provided me with expert guidance on journal direction and also many, many manuscript reviews. Thank you to each of you.

Many thanks also are extended to my colleagues at the University of South Carolina for their support, especially Will Graf who as department chair championed my application for this position. One final and very important nod goes out to my friend, Sarah Bednarz. If not for her pulling me aside at a meeting in February 2009 and whispering encouragement, this editorship would not have happened.

Enlightening. Maddening. Stimulating. Head-scratching. Rewarding. Frustrating. All of these describe what it is like to edit an academic journal, but I would not change any of it. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Jerry T. Mitchell

Editor-in-Chief

Jerry T. Mitchell
Editor-in-Chief

Notes

1 “I entered into this position…” Some readers might rightly ask, “Why?” While a mix of bravado and insanity might be partly true, I confess that other rewards – a role in refining the discipline, growing personal and academic networks, others – were stronger incentives. See Hay (2016) for a nice summation on journal editing challenges and ironies.