About the ōbex project

the ōbex project is a free language editing service for operational researchers whose native language is not English.

the ōbex project believes that every operational researcher who is a non-native English speaker seeking publication in an English language journal should have access to free language editing support that will improve the quality of their manuscript and help them to get published.

Dr James Bleach, founder and managing editor of the ōbex project, provides the following background to the project:

I consider myself lucky to have English as my native language, given its status as the dominant language of science and technology in my time. Of course many others have not been so fortunate, and with this in mind I have spent many years providing voluntary editorial support to projects that help scientists who are not native English speakers.

In 2016 I undertook the role of managing editor for the Keynote Papers Handbook of the UK Operational Research Society Annual Conference OR58. In this role I received positive feedback from a number of contributing authors on the benefit of the language editing provided by the editorial team during the publication process. I also discussed with the authors their challenges more generally with publishing in English. As a result of this feedback and discussion, I decided it was time to apply my editorial experience more extensively within the field of operational research.

And so, with the support of a high calibre editorial team, the ōbex project was officially launched in October 2016.

The name the ōbex project was chosen because ōbex is Latin for barrier (obstacle, hurdle, etc.) – and so is used to represent the barrier to publication that the English language can be for some operational researchers. The use of a Latin word also reflects the fact that much of the English language has its roots in Latin, and particularly the vocabulary of science and technology.



Guidance for authors

Submissions should be emailed in Microsoft Word format to Dr James Bleach, the managing editor of the ōbex project, at the following address:

managingeditor@theobexproject.co.uk

Submissions should also be cc'd to the project Gmail address:

theobexproject@gmail.com

If your manuscript is not prepared in Word, you may want to consider using a free pdf to Word converter to generate a version of the manuscript for the purposes of language editing (there are many tools available).

The service will only review manuscripts relating to the field of operational research.

Priority will be given to manuscripts to be submitted for journal publication; other manuscripts such as submissions for conference proceedings will be considered. Details of where the manuscript is to be submitted should therefore be provided at the time of submission to our service.

Best efforts must be made by authors to make the English as good as possible before it is submitted to our service.

We hope to review manuscripts within a two to three week time frame, with some potential dependency on the length of document and the extent of revision required (all the language editors provide their support on a voluntary basis and therefore reviews need to be scheduled around their existing work commitments).

Authors are asked to indicate the date by which the review is required to be completed – bearing in mind the target response time above.

the ōbex project is a free language editing service and does not provide technical review. The language editors are all suitably qualified to undertake language editing but in some instances may not be experienced operational researchers.

Whilst the ōbex project is a pro bono service, our aim is to always deliver editing of the very highest quality – and we have a proven record of helping researchers to get their manuscripts published.

Please note that authors submit their manuscripts entirely at their own risk; neither the ōbex project nor members of the editorial team accept any responsibility or liability arising from the unauthorised release of submitted manuscripts howsoever caused (for example, as a result of a cyber attack).



Contact the ōbex project

For further information on the ōbex project please email Dr James Bleach, the managing editor, at the following address:

managingeditor@theobexproject.co.uk

And also cc the project Gmail address:

theobexproject@gmail.com


Dr James Bleach on LinkedIn





the ōbex project would like to thank The Operational Research (OR) Society's Pro Bono OR scheme for funding this website.

The OR Society Logo The OR Society's Pro Bono OR scheme Logo

Visit The OR Society’s website to learn more about their membership offering.

More information on the Pro Bono OR scheme, including how to get involved, can be found on The OR Society's website here.