Creating a Successful Online Graduate Journal: Mentoring was the Key

Abstract

This article shares the establishment and journey of a Canadian student-driven academic journal. The publication is peer-reviewed and openly accessible, and is delivered online through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) developed by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP). The article outlines the journal’s vision, history, processes, performance, challenges, and most important, mentoring practices. Created to connect and support new scholars in the field of education, the foundation of the journal was based entirely on mentoring by volunteer graduate students experienced at composing academic publications. It was thought that if students chose to pursue the onerous task of publishing, they would need support as graduate work by itself is challenging and time consuming; additionally, the publication process was considered daunting (Pasco, 2009).