The SSP EPIC Awards is a prestigious celebration of excellence in scholarly publishing, information technology, and communications. This program honors outstanding achievements across publications, marketing, media, tools and products, and innovative initiatives within the scholarly community. Open to both member and non-member organizations, the awards program highlights the dedication and innovation driving the industry forward.
A panel of industry professionals evaluates submissions to determine the top two contributions in each category. Winning entries represent the pinnacle of scholarly publishing and communications, showcasing the exceptional work shaping the field today. Additionally, we’re proud to recognize student-led publications, emphasizing the future voices of the industry.
Join us at the SSP Annual Meeting, where winners will be announced and celebrated. The SSP EPIC Awards is dedicated to spotlighting the invaluable contributions of scholarly communications professionals and providing a platform for well-deserved recognition.
CATEGORIES | ENTRY GUIDELINES | BECOME A JUDGE
Categories, Eligibility Requirements, and Judging Criteria
Questions? Email info@sspnet.org
TOOLS/PRODUCTS
These awards recognize an outstanding product/service/feature launch or substantial relaunch of an existing product/service/feature that provides a service or adds value at any point in the publication lifecycle. Tools and products in the scholarly publishing workflow refer to the software, platforms, applications, and technological solutions that facilitate and enhance various stages of the publishing process.
Categories
Submission System Feature
Specific functionalities or components within manuscript or abstract management systems that significantly enhance the submission process and improve the experience for authors, editors, publishers, and staff. Examples: accessibility features, business intelligence tools, and tools that simplify the submission process.
Hosting Platforms Feature
Key features within platforms that improve the accessibility, reliability, and user experience of hosting and managing scholarly content. Examples: tools that will enhance readability or visualization, dashboards, and AI features that create value through summary or aggregation.
Author Tools Feature
Standalone tools are designed to assist authors in preparing, formatting, submitting, and promoting their manuscripts. Examples: manuscript preparation services, editing tools, formatting checks, journal finder tools, and post-publication promotional services.
Integrity Tools Feature
Tools to assist publishers, editorial boards, or reviewers in identifying unethical research and publication problems, such as papermill papers, citation cartels, peer review rings, AI-generated content, fake papers, and other emerging threats. Examples: standalone products or tools integrated into submission platforms, natively or via API.
Other Tools/Products Feature
Innovative tools or product features that do not fit into the other specific subcategories but significantly contribute to the publishing process. Examples: standalone tools/products/features and those designed to integrate into other systems in areas such as citations, usage data, related content, accessibility, supplementary materials, code/data repositories, preprints, user activity tracking, advertising management, and user alert management.
Eligibility
- Open to all developers, companies, and organizations that have created tools or products that benefit the pursuit of scholarly communications.
- Eligible tools or products must have been launched or relaunched with substantial changes between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024 .
- Products/Features can be submitted in multiple years as long as they are within the eligibility timeframe.
- Winners can not resubmit for the same product/feature in subsequent years.
Submission Materials
- Entry Overview
- Provide information about the functionality, target market, benefits, and expected business value or impact of the product/tool/feature. Explain how the offering provides new and continuing benefits and how the product/tool/feature enhances a tool portfolio.
- Engagement & Evaluation
Include qualitative and quantitative data and metrics highlighting user experience and the impact of the product/tool/feature on their workflow. - Samples
A short video (maximum 5 minutes) demonstrating the tool or product in action or screenshots and links to a reviewable example. - Optional Supporting Materials
Supporting materials for the new product or service launch may include web pages/micro-sites, print and digital promotion pieces, social media, video, apps, and other materials.
Judgment Criteria
- Innovation & Creativity
The innovation and creativity in the tool or product’s approach, format, or content. - Usability & Accessibility
How user-friendly and accessible the tool or product is for its intended audience. - Scalability & Sustainability
The ability of the tool or product to be scaled or adapted for broader use within the industry and the potential for long-term success. - Impact
The measurable impact of the tool or product on improving the efficiency and quality of the publishing process or industry.
PUBLICATIONS
These awards recognize outstanding writing, content, design, consistency, reader experience, and overall packaging of print or digital journals, books, short-form content, magazines, and reports. These publications are intended to share original research, review existing knowledge, or provide critical analysis on specific topics written by experts in academic or professional fields and evaluated by other experts before publication to ensure quality and credibility. The audience includes those who understand specialized knowledge of the profession or industry or teach the material to students or the interested public.
Categories
Journals
Peer-reviewed periodicals (one or more issues from a volume or a particular issue) that contain original research, reviews, or scholarly articles.
Books
Comprehensive, in-depth works of scholarship that provide detailed exploration and analysis of specific topics. Books in scholarly publishing include monographs, edited volumes, and reference works that contribute significantly to their fields. New editions should include at least 50% new content or at least ten years since the previous edition.
Short Form Content
Scholarly short-form content includes concise, focused pieces such as newsletters and blogs that aim to quickly disseminate specific findings, insights, and original commentary on issues, events, and people. These provide timely updates and contribute to ongoing discussions within academic or professional fields, allowing researchers and professionals to share information without the extensive format of full-length articles or books. Submissions must include original content from the organization.
Magazines
Scholarly magazines are periodical publications that feature articles, commentary, news, and reviews on various topics related to a specific academic or professional field. While they may include contributions from experts, they are generally less formal than scholarly journals yet more in-depth than newsletters or blogs. Magazines in this context may not always be peer-reviewed but are edited for quality and relevance. They aim to inform, engage, and provide insights on current trends, issues, and developments within the field.
Reports
Scholarly reports are detailed documents like toolkits, standards, guidelines, and conference proceedings published separately from a magazine, newsletter, newspaper, or journal. These reports present research findings, data analysis, or an investigation on a specific topic, issued on a one-time or annual basis. Authored by experts, reports may undergo peer review or editorial oversight to ensure accuracy and credibility. They aim to provide comprehensive insights, recommendations, and conclusions based on systematic research and analysis.
Student Journal – Research
Student-run research journals that publish original research, reviews, and scholarly articles across various academic disciplines. These journals disseminate new research findings and advance knowledge within specific fields.
Student Journal – Literary
Student-run literary journals that publish creative writing, poetry, essays, and other scholarly works. These journals provide a platform for student writers to showcase their talents and contribute to the literary community.
Eligibility
- Open to publishers, institutions, and organizations that produce scholarly publications.
- Eligible publications must have been published (or had at least one issue published) between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
- English language editions of textbooks or scholarly books first published in another language are not eligible.
- Student Category: Open to student organizations, student-run publications, and student editorial staff involved in scholarly publishing.
Submission Materials
- Entry Overview
Provide information about the the publication’s purpose, target audience, and critical features. Explain how the publication contributes to the academic community and its field. - Engagement & Evaluation
Include qualitative and quantitative data and metrics showcasing reach, citations, readership, and overall impact of the publication. - Samples
Digital copies of the publication or links to representative samples. - Optional Supporting Materials
Supporting materials for marketing, promotional activities, and outreach efforts to engage the target audience.
Judgment Criteria
- Innovation & Creativity
The innovation and creativity in the publication’s approach, format, or content. - Quality
The overall quality of the publication’s design, production, content, and appropriate levels of informativeness and execution. - Usability & Accessibility
How user-friendly and accessible the publication is for its intended audience. - Impact
The measurable influence of the publication on its field, including impact analytics (sales, downloads, citations, reviews, views, engagement, etc.) and readership reception.
MARKETING
These awards recognize strategic, well-coordinated efforts and outstanding writing, content, design, and social media for digital and print sales, marketing, and communication materials and campaigns. This includes social presence, branding, and content marketing in the scholarly publishing field across single or multiple channels intended to promote scholarly communication effectively. These awards highlight strategic, well-coordinated efforts that effectively promote scholarly communication.
Categories
Campaigns
Marketing campaigns are strategic, coordinated efforts that can include online and offline activities. Examples: advertising, promotional events, email marketing, content marketing, web pages/micro-sites, print promotion pieces, social media, video, and other supporting materials.
Social Presence
The use of social media platforms to promote scholarly publications or services, engage with the academic or publishing community, and build a solid online presence. Examples: original content, campaigns, influencer partnerships, series-type posts, and community engagement initiatives.
Branding
Efforts to create and maintain a recognizable brand identity for scholarly publications or services. Examples: logo design, visual identity, messaging, rebranding initiatives, brand awareness campaigns, and overall brand strategy.
Media Kit/Collateral
Substantial supporting materials designed to promote scholarly publications or services to various stakeholders, including media, potential authors, readers, or users. These materials provide essential information and showcase the publication’s or service’s strengths and unique aspects. Examples: Media kits and collateral include organized, designed, and packaged printed or digital directories, buyers’ guides, advertising kits, or catalogs for a target audience to use.
Student Publication Marketing Campaign
Marketing campaigns designed and executed by students to promote scholarly publications, events, or initiatives. These campaigns can include online and offline activities, such as social media campaigns, email marketing, and event promotions.
Eligibility
- Open to publishers, institutions, and organizations that market scholarly publications or services within the scholarly publishing industry.
- Marketing efforts must be related to scholarly publications or publishing services and have been executed January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
- Student Category: Open to student organizations, student-run publications, and student editorial staff involved in scholarly publishing.
Submission Materials
- Entry Overview
Provide information describing the marketing initiative’s purpose, target audience, the strategies and tactics used in the campaign, and any promotional activities and outreach efforts. Explain how the initiative contributed to the visibility of the product or service and increased audience engagement. - Engagement & Evaluation
Include qualitative and quantitative data and metrics showcasing the marketing initiative’s reach, engagement, and overall impact. - Samples
Digital copies of the marketing material or links to up to 3 representative samples.
Judgment Criteria
- Innovation & Creativity
The innovation and creativity in the marketing initiative’s approach, format, or content. - Clarity & Effectiveness
The clarity and coherence of the marketing initiative’s strategy, implementation, messaging, and outcomes, including audience appropriateness. - Impact
The measurable impact of the marketing initiative on increasing the visibility, engagement, reach, or feedback and satisfaction levels from the target audience and stakeholders. Success metrics can include increases in membership recruitment, retention or engagement, revenue, industry visibility, testimonials, and reviews.
MEDIA
These awards recognize outstanding original promotional or informative audiovisual content, whether standalone or supporting a more significant publication or service in the scholarly publishing field, intended to illustrate a concept. The goal is to celebrate creativity, technical skill, and the effectiveness of these media projects in engaging audiences and enhancing the dissemination of scholarly knowledge.
Categories
Video/Film
Video projects that promote scholarly publications or services or disseminate scholarly publishing content. This can include documentaries, promotional videos, instructional videos, and interviews. Examples: short films, author interviews, video abstracts, promotional trailers, video series, and social video content.
Podcast
Audio programs that discuss, promote, or disseminate scholarly publishing content or services. Podcasts can cover various topics and formats, including interviews, panel discussions, and storytelling. Examples: episodic series, one-off episodes, and special podcast projects.
Data Visualization
Visual representations of data are designed to promote scholarly publishing content or services or enhance the understanding of complex information. Examples: Data visualizations can include interactive graphics, infographics, visual analytics tools, interactive dashboards, static infographics, and data-driven web applications.
Narrative/Multidisciplinary Digital Projects
Digital projects that use multiple forms of media to tell a story or explore a scholarly topic. These projects often integrate text, video, audio, data visualization, and interactive elements to create a comprehensive and engaging experience. Examples: multimedia narratives, digital exhibitions, and interdisciplinary digital projects, digital humanities resources.
Student Publication Media Project
Media projects created by students to promote scholarly content or engage with the academic community. This includes videos, short films, podcasts, and other multimedia initiatives.
Eligibility
- Open to publishers, institutions, and organizations that produce media related to scholarly publications.
- Media projects must be related to scholarly content and have been produced or released between January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024
- Video recordings of live events, such as sessions at association/industry meetings or webinars, are not appropriate.
- Student Category: Open to student organizations, student-run publications, and student editorial staff involved in scholarly publishing.
Submission Materials
- Entry Overview
Provide information describing the media project’s purpose, target audience, key features, and goals. Describe the project budget amount, the technologies used, any challenges overcome, and how the project contributed to the visibility and engagement of the scholarly content. - Engagement & Evaluation
Include qualitative and quantitative data and metrics showcasing the media piece’s reach, engagement, and overall impact. - Samples
Digital copies of the media or links to up to 3 representative samples with timestamps of key highlights where appropriate. - Optional Supporting Materials
Supporting materials such as transcripts
Judgment Criteria
- Innovation & Creativity
The innovation and creativity in the media’s approach, format, or content. - Quality
The overall quality of the media’s design, production, content, and appropriate levels of informativeness and execution. - Clarity & Effectiveness
The clarity and coherence of the media’s strategy, implementation, messaging, and outcomes, including audience appropriateness. - Impact
The measurable impact of the media on increasing the visibility, engagement, reach, or feedback and satisfaction levels from the target audience and stakeholders. Success metrics can include increases in acquisition, retention or engagement, revenue, industry visibility, testimonials and reviews, followers, fans, views, links, videos, photos, etc.
INITIATIVES
These awards recognize outstanding efforts in implementing social initiatives and providing training programs within scholarly publishing and adjacent communities. These initiatives are designed to create a positive impact, foster inclusive environments, and equip individuals with skills and knowledge about scholarly publishing or the publishing process. The goal is to celebrate impactful, innovative, and practical initiatives that contribute to improving the scholarly publishing community and society.
Categories
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Implementation
Programs that align with and support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the context of scholarly publishing. Entries must demonstrate a commitment to achieving specific SDGs through scholarly publishing activities. While entries align with particular SDGs, the program and its effectiveness will be evaluated. Examples: promoting environmental sustainability, reducing inequality, enhancing education, etc.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, or Accessibility (DEIA) Initiatives
Programs designed to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, or accessibility (DEIA) within the scholarly publishing community. These can include programs that support historically excluded groups, improve accessibility of content, and create equitable opportunities for all. Examples: training programs, policy changes, outreach efforts, inclusive hiring practices, accessibility enhancements for digital content, and support networks that advance DEIA goals.
Publishing Education and Training Initiatives
Programs that provide education and training opportunities related to scholarly publishing. These educational activities are designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals working in publishing or interacting with scholarly publishers. Examples: courses, workshops, informational materials, certification programs, and mentorship initiatives.
Student Publication Continuity Plan
Plans developed by student organizations to ensure the continuity and sustainability of their publications or projects. These plans can include strategies for leadership transitions, funding, and long-term goals.
Eligibility
- Open to publishers, institutions, and organizations working within the scholarly publishing ecosystem.
- Initiatives must have been launched or actively ongoing within the last three years January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024. Initiatives can be submitted in multiple years if they are within the eligibility time frame.
- Winners can not resubmit for the same initiative in subsequent years.
- Student Category: Open to student organizations, student-run publications, and student editorial staff involved in scholarly publishing.
Submission Materials
- Entry Overview
Provide information describing the initiative’s purpose, target audience, key features, and goals. Explain how the initiative was implemented, including strategies, timelines, and resources used, and how the initiative contributes to the objectives of the organization or industry. - Engagement & Evaluation
Include qualitative and quantitative data and metrics showcasing the participation rates, feedback from participants, improvements in key metrics, and the overall impact of the initiatives. - Samples
Digital copies of the planning documents, implementation strategies, and reports that provide insight into the initiative. - Optional Supporting Materials
Supporting materials such as videos, photos, promotional pieces
Judgment Criteria
- Innovation & Creativity
The innovation and creativity in the initiative’s approach, format, or content. - Clarity & Effectiveness
The clarity and coherence of the initiative’s strategy, implementation, messaging, and outcomes, including audience appropriateness. - Scalability & Sustainability
The initiative’s ability to be scaled or adapted for broader use within the industry and the potential for long-term success. - Impact
The measurable impact of the initiative in achieving its goals and creating positive change. Success metrics can include participation rates, participant feedback, key metrics improvements, and more.
Entry Guidelines
Deadlines & Notification
- Entries will be accepted through January 15, 2025.
- Finalists in each category will be notified of their status in mid-April. Award winner ranking will be announced at the EPIC Awards Gala May 29, 2025.
- Finalists will receive a media kit (approx. May 1) to help promote their award once winners are publicly announced. Finalists are asked to keep their finalist status confidential until publicly announced by SSP.
- Non-winning entries will be notified by the end of April.
Eligibility Period
For the 2025 EPIC Awards, the eligibility time period for entries are as follows:
- Publications, Marketing, and Media: January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024
- Tools/Products and Initiatives: January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024
User Account
Submitters are required to have a SSP user account. If you need to create an account, you can do so on the Create Profile page or during the submission process. If your organization is a member, your account must be correctly affiliated with your Organization in order for the discounted entry fee to apply. If you need assistance with your user account, contact info@sspnet.org. If you have an account, but forgot your username or password, use the forgot username or forgot password links on the log in page.
Number of Entries
There is no limit to the number of entries submitted by an organization and organizations may submit more than one entry per category.
Fees
- Organizational Members
$175/entry/category - Non-Members
$225/entry/category - Students (applies to Student Categories only)
$0/entry/category - Entry fees are payable via credit card at time of submission.
- In order to receive the Organizational Member discounted rate, Organization must have a current SSP organizational membership. Individual membership status does not qualify for the discounted rate. You can check if your organization is a member on the Organizational Members webpage.
- Refunds will not be issued for any reason after the entry deadline.
Entry Form Completion
- Please read the instructions carefully for each category in the entry form to avoid errors. All required questions must be completed to validate your submission.
- You can save an entry and return before the deadline to make additional edits.
- Where possible, entry assets (samples) should be in the form of active URLs for ease of judging. Low-resolution web-ready PDFs can also be accepted. Entries for registration-restricted (gated content) websites must include login/password information for the judges. Links or passwords that are not working during the judging period will not be judged.
- All entries must be accompanied with a single representative image that will represent your entry in the awards presentation and in online promotions about the award winners.
Language
All entry materials must be in English. If the original work was not in English, a translation should be provided for the text in material(s).
Rights and Permissions
All winners will be posted on the SSP website. For any winning entry to be posted we first need you to warrant that you own the rights in the content and images we will post on the site and for you to grant SSP the authority to post the content and images. Therefore, you must check the rights and permissions agreement box on your entry form for your submission to be considered valid.
Decision of Judges
Decisions of the judges are final in all matters pertaining to the EPIC Awards. Refunds will not be issued for any reason after the entry deadline.
Awards Gala
The EPIC Awards Gala is a ticketed event held during the SSP Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD on May 29, 2025. Finalists receive one complimentary ticket for the Gala. Organizations may purchase tables at a discounted rate. For more information, contact partnerships@sspnet.org.
Judging Information
Judges play a critical role in the success of the awards program. The peer-review judging process ensures the high quality and caliber of the work selected to win an award.
Judging is a significant responsibility that can have lasting impacts on both the scholarly community and society at large. Judging allows you to recognize and reward high-quality work, helping to set standards for excellence in the scholarly publishing industry.
SSP seeks judges from across the scholarly publishing ecosystem. Members and non-members are welcome. We invite diverse perspectives and expertise to thoughtfully examine and evaluate entries to ensure the integrity of the program. Submissions and judging are in English.
Judges will be invited to apply after December 1, 2024.
Timeline
| Mid-January | Judges will participate in a training webinar in mid-January (recording available). |
| February | The judging timeline will be February 1 – March 1. Judges will read and score online at their own pace. |
| March | If needed, final determination meetings via Zoom will be held the first week of March. |
| Mid-April | Winners notified by email. |
| May | Winners honored at Awards Gala at SSP Annual Meeting, May 29, 2024. |
Judging FAQ’s
I am only interested in judging certain categories, how do I specify that?
Please select the categories you are interested in judging; we will try our best to align your expertise with category assignments.
Someone from my company is already judging, can I participate too?
Yes! Multiple people from the same company are eligible to judge. They will likely be assigned to different categories.
Can I judge a category that my organization has entered?
No, to eliminate conflict of interest, individuals whose organization have entered a specific category are not eligible as judge for that category.
Can I judge multiple categories?
Yes, select all categories you are interested in judging on the application form.
What is the expected time commitment of a judge?
Judge and entry matching are determined based on how many entries are received and how many judges sign up. As this is the first year for the award, our goal is to limit assignments to no more than 10 entries per judge. It is anticipated each entry will take X minutes to review and score. These numbers are subject to change based on entries submitted and confirmed judges.
