FAQ

1) What is a preprint?

It is a manuscript either not evaluated by a journal or already evaluated but in process of publication. Preprints are considered as the beginning of the research articles' communication flow. Curriculum Theologiae is a preprint web server that obeys basic selection quality criteria and evaluation, moderated by the Curriculum Theologiae Editorial Committee. Thus, manuscripts will only be accepted in Curriculum Theologiae if they obey basic criteria regarding the text structure and type of document and fit into the scope of our collection.  

2) What is the Curriculum Theologiae server?

It is an open-access preprint server with attribution CC-BY-SA operated by the Institute of Missiology in Aachen using the open-source Open Preprint Systems (OPS), developed by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP), also responsible for the Open Journal Systems (OJS). The server has been developed in cooperation with Index Theologicus of the University Library in Tübingen, Germany. All submissions in Curriculum Theologiae are indexed and retrieved by Google Scholar, and other scientific systems and indexers. The copyright of the preprints belongs to the authors.

3) What are the main features of Curriculum Theologiae?

(a) Managed and operated by the Institute of Missiology, Mikado Library, and Index Theologicus; (b) Operates on the Open Preprint Systems (OPS) software; (c) Apply basic criteria for the selection of manuscripts regarding the type of document and the text structure; (d) The editorial management and the development and application of the basic selection criteria are conducted by the Curriculum Theologiae Editorial Committee; (e) Preprints are subject to versioning; (f) Preprints can be withdrawn from the server at the initiative of the authors or by Curriculum Theologiae and are subject to retraction. However, the metadata and the reason for retraction remain on the server; (g) All preprints have a DOI identifier, which ensures interoperability and visibility in the global scientific information flow; (h) Preprints will be digitally preserved by Index Theologicus; (i) Preprints are indexed and retrieved by Index Theologicus, Google Scholar and are available for wide indexing; and (j) When published in a journal, the preprint is linked to the respective final article.

4) Who can submit manuscripts to Curriculum Theologiae?

Curriculum Theologiae accepts submissions from authors and journals in areas of theological and philosophical education. Authors submit manuscripts before or in parallel to submission to a journal. This type of manuscript does not have a peer review formalized by a journal. In such cases, the manuscript is automatically uploaded when it meets the basic selection criteria or if approved after basic assessment by editors of the manuscript’s area and will receive a DOI assigned by Curriculum Theologiae.

5) What types of submissions are included in Curriculum Theologiae?

Submissions fall under two major categories:

a) Prepublication versions of manuscripts (i.e., preprints) that have been submitted or are in the final stages of submission to a peer-reviewed academic journal.
b) Previously published research that you wish to make Open Access. Please note that we do not accept the publisher's typeset Version of Record (though exceptions exist), but rather the pre- (Author’s Original Version) and post-(Accepted Manuscript) print versions. If you are unsure, please email us and we will be happy to help.

We accept the following article types: original research, current opinions, commentaries, review articles, conference papers, case studies, technical reports, and short communications. However, we do not accept blog posts or other communications that do not adhere to academic publishing standards. Before sharing your work, we suggest you check your target journal’s policy on the posting of preprints.

6) Who is responsible for the preprints?

The authors and journals who submit manuscripts are. The basic selection criteria and the basic evaluation by the editors are instruments that Curriculum Theologiae uses to ensure the highest quality level of the preprints. However, Curriculum Theologiae does not validate and is not to be held responsible for the preprints’ content.

7) Do all preprints have a DOI?

Yes. When the manuscript is submitted by the authors, Curriculum Theologiae assigns a DOI to the preprint.

8) Can preprints be modified to new versions? What is versioning?

Yes. The possibility of improving a manuscript is one of the main characteristics and advantages of using preprints. The preprint gives authors more control over the communication of their research. Journals can use preprint to improve and disseminate manuscripts already approved before the publication of the final article or version of the record. There is no limitation on the number of modifications. OPS always operates with the latest preprint version, but each version keeps a connection with the previous one so that all versions are kept on the server. This feature is called versioning and is one of the properties of trusted servers.

9) What are the basic criteria for selecting manuscripts regarding text structure?

The text structure and format of the manuscript submitted to Curriculum Theologiae must contain the following bibliographic elements: title, author(s), detailed institutional affiliation of the author(s) with preferably ORCID identifier, abstract, keywords, full text and bibliographic references.

10) Which manuscript languages are accepted?

Manuscripts in English, German, French and Spanish will be accepted. When the manuscript is written simultaneously in more than one language, both versions can be submitted separately. Each will receive a specific DOI.

11) Can a manuscript under evaluation by a journal be submitted by the authors to Curriculum Theologiae?

It can when the journal allows or even when the journal suggests it. When in doubt, authors should ask the journal before submission to Curriculum Theologiae. Manuscripts being evaluated by journals when submitted and approved either by automatic acceptance criteria or by the area editors receive a DOI assigned by Curriculum Theologiae. 

12) Can a preprint submitted to a journal be updated with the improvements recommended by reviewers and editors?

It can, when the journal allows or even when the journal suggests it. When in doubt, authors should ask the journal before proceeding with the adjustments. The journal publishes the final article or version of the record. On Curriculum Theologiae, the preprint is redirected to the article’s version of the record.   

13) What happens when a preprint is published by a journal?

The preprint remains forever in Curriculum Theologiae, but when it is retrieved there is a link that points to the final article or the journal’s version of record.

14) When accepted by a journal, does the article receive a new DOI, or does the journal use the same DOI as the preprint version?

The preprints always have a DOI that is registered by Curriculum Theologiae. When submitted by the authors, the DOI of the preprint is assigned by Curriculum Theologiae with the prefix 10.48604 followed by a sequential number. In case the preprint is accepted for publication in a journal, it is up to the journal to use the same DOI as the preprint or to use a different DOI, assigned by the journal.

15) Is there a "preprint editor" to moderate each category?

The preprints submitted to Curriculum Theologiae go through up to three quality controls. The first, which applies to all, refers to compliance with norms regarding authorship, approval by an ethics committee, when necessary, and the structure of the document. The second control verifies if it is an original research with authors with academic background for automatic approval. The third control is the moderation done by a Curriculum Theologiae editor, who evaluates if the manuscript fits into the scope of the collection.