3 field-notes posts in Behind the scenes

Behind the scenes

28 Apr 2026

Common mistakes in publishing: copyrighted materials

Submitting a research paper can feel like the final step in a long research journey. After months or years of work, the manuscript is finally ready for submission. But during the production stage of publishing, many manuscripts encounter the same avoidable problem: the incorrect use of images, figures, or other copyrighted materials. For early-career researchers in particular, copyright rules can be confusing. Many mistakes happen because authors assume that materials found online are free to reuse.

Behind the scenes

16 Mar 2026

What do journal editors do? A guide for researchers

When you submit a manuscript to an academic journal, its scientific evaluation is controlled almost entirely by other researchers. Publisher workflows and industry standards govern peer review, but the people assessing your work are working scientists. They volunteer their expertise to evaluate, improve, and ultimately decide what gets published. Understanding who these people are and how they work can change the way you approach the submission and peer review process. It can help you interpret decisions, respond more effectively to feedback, and see where editorial work fits within the broader research ecosystem.

Behind the scenes

11 Feb 2026

Ten years of Frontiers in Education: What have we learned about teaching, learning, and leadership?

To mark the 10-year anniversary of Frontiers in Education, we spoke to members of the journal’s editorial board about what has changed in education and what must come next. Across different countries, disciplines, and research traditions, three shared themes emerged: the human foundations of learning, the need for stronger bridges between research and practice, and the growing importance of openness and collaboration. Here is what they told us.