I’m in. Now What? – A JEPS Editor Testimony
It was October 2024 when I came across an open call for EFPSA, a federation I had heard plenty about and longed to be a part of for quite some time. Submitting my application for the JEPS Editor position felt like a small leap into the unknown (because it was). What I didn’t consider was what happens after the acceptance email arrives. I’ve never gotten this far and, just like Carrie Bradshaw, I couldn’t help but wonder: now what?
In hopes of easing your worries and, hopefully, exciting you into joining this wonderful team, I will summarily dive into JEPS, as a project, as a process, and as an experience. Let’s give Carrie a break and, if only for once, stop wondering.
What is JEPS?
The Journal of European Psychology Students (JEPS) is an open-access, double-blind, peer-reviewed scientific journal for psychology students worldwide. It is a teaching journal, from students to students, where everyone involved has the possibility to gain experience in scientific publishing.
JEPS’ goal is to offer opportunities for students to publish and be part of an editorial process while also motivating them to engage in psychological research and improve their scientific skills. Being an open-access journal means JEPS also strives to make research transparent, credible and accessible, meaning equal opportunity.
What is the Process Like?
At first, the process is not that easy to understand. I think the last time I was this confused was probably that math class where all of a sudden, there were letters instead of numbers. Therefore, although I realize that might just be a me problem, I’ll try to make this explanation as smooth as possible. In short, there are three main phases in the JEPS publication process, in this order: technical review, content review, and final editing, each of them consisting of multiple phases.
Technical Review (TR) is where article submissions are screened for approval, by the Editor-In-Chief and Senior Editor in place or by an editor assigned the task, usually with some experience already under the belt. Approved manuscripts are then made available for editors to pick up, get in contact with the author and move along with a more in depth review of the paper. After the first review of the manuscript, the manuscript is assigned to another editor who acts as the second editor. Only after this the manuscript is sent back to the author for corrections. Once the corrected version is returned, the first editor reviews it again to make sure everything is according to APA guidelines. If so, the manuscript can move on to Content Review, if not, the manuscript is reviewed once more by both editors and sent back to the author for further correction. There is usually some back and forth until the manuscript is fully ready for the next phase.
After TR is settled, Content Review (CR) can begin, a phase where the so dreaded peer review takes place. During this phase the editor must reach out to an Associate Editor (AE) and assign them to the manuscript, for them to contact reviewers and coordinate CR. After this, the editors’ job is mostly communicating with the AE and making sure everything is moving along as it should, helping if needed.
Last but not least, when all the previous steps are complete, we can move on to Final Editing. This is the phase where the manuscript goes through copyediting, one last revision to ensure there are no errors that might have been missed, as well as ensuring consistency and readability. After this, the manuscript can then go to layout editing where it will take its JEPS article shape, in the format you’ll find it published. After some more proofreading, to make sure nothing was lost or misplaced during layout editing, the paper is ready to be published.
And that, kids, is how you publish a paper. Tired yet?
Carries might still be wondering, what does the editor do and what doesn’t he do after all? Do we do it all?
Well, not exactly. Although the editor follows the full journey of each of their manuscripts, it doesn’t mean they’re necessarily the main character (because I’d argue that this is and should always be the author(s)). Actually, editors do most of the editorial work in the first stage, the TR. Editors are responsible for reaching out to authors, making sure all the requisites are in order, doing the actual TR of the manuscript, that is basically making sure it is following APA guidelines, and then getting back to the authors with the necessary corrections. Although the editor role is more dormant during CR, it comes back into play for layout editing in the Final Editing phase. In summary, most of the JEPS Editors role is communicating with both authors and AEs and doing the TR, as well as the layout editing, for their manuscripts.
My Experience
From the start, I found myself in an environment where I was welcomed and appreciated. Where people don’t just expect you to know everything and are more than willing to help you learn, so you strive to do the best job possible. I found JEPS when I was in between the end of my Bachelors and beginning of a Masters I was hoping to attend. This was a very new place for me. For the first time since I was two years old I didn’t have a plan or a schedule or any idea of what to do each day. Not only did JEPS give me scientific and editorial knowledge, it gave me much more than I ever expected, a place in the incredible EFPSA community, in which I met amazing people from all over, made friends, visited places and, most of all, gave me something to be proud of. Also, as someone who is very fond of late night focus sessions, I’ve found that reviewing papers is a very intellectually stimulating as well as soothing process. Especially while listening to jazz, lo-fi beats, metal rock, whatever your heart desires, or also silence for when you want to enjoy the peace of a quiet world.
Why I Think you Should Give it a Try
Applying for a position at JEPS is an opportunity to learn far more than how a journal functions. It offers hands-on experience with peer-review, academic writing, and an in-depth knowledge of the APA guidelines—skills you’ll undoubtedly appreciate throughout your studies—all within a supportive student-led environment. Beyond that, JEPS operates within EFPSA, meaning that editors become part of a wider European network of psychology students and initiatives. This connection provides opportunities far greater than the journal itself, like becoming a trainer and growing within EFPSA. Overall, I’d say that if you’re someone who’s curious about publishing, collaboration, academic service, and being part of a project bigger than yourself, JEPS is a great place to start.
Looking back, applying to JEPS did not feel like a life-changing decision at the time, but slowly, it became one. What started as curiosity turned into learning, community, and a sense of purpose during a moment of uncertainty. If you find yourself wondering whether to apply, unsure of what comes next, or simply looking for a place to grow beyond grades and deadlines, JEPS might just be the answer to a question you have not fully formed yet. Sometimes, the best way to shut your inner wondering Carrie, is to simply take the leap.
About the Author
Francisca Oliveira is a JEPS Editor and a Master’s student in Clinical Psychology, at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Lisbon. During her bachelors she did an Erasmus programme in Barcelona at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Barcelona, which helped her broaden her horizons and encouraged her to join EFPSA. Since then, she is passionate about helping to create a safe and open community for students.