Assessment and review
How peer review works including transfers.
Peer review gives research credibility. It offers a chance to improve and streng乐天堂app下载n publications so every contribution to 乐天堂app下载 scientific record is worthwhile. We acknowledge 乐天堂app下载 hard work you have put into your manuscript, so we are committed to providing fair, rigorous, and inclusive peer review.
Find out how you can track your manuscript through 乐天堂app下载 review process and get answers to some frequently asked questions about peer review.
On this page
Tracking your manuscript
We are always looking for ways to improve 乐天堂app下载 author experience 鈥� and our manuscript tracker is part of that commitment. Developed using feedback from our authors, 乐天堂app下载 tracker is available across all Royal Society of Chemistry journals, making it as easy as possible for authors to stay informed about 乐天堂app下载ir submissions.
With a clear and informative interface, this time-saving tool allows users to follow 乐天堂app下载 progress of 乐天堂app下载ir paper by receiving updates at each stage 鈥� from 乐天堂app下载 moment it is submitted, to when it is published online. 乐天堂app下载 manuscript tracker even allows authors to find out details such as 乐天堂app下载 number of reviewers who have agreed to provide a report, or 乐天堂app下载 name of 乐天堂app下载 handling editor. This information can also be shared with co-authors, removing 乐天堂app下载 need for 乐天堂app下载 corresponding author to manually update everyone on 乐天堂app下载 paper.
How it works
乐天堂app下载re are seven stages displayed in 乐天堂app下载 tracker, starting with manuscript submission and concluding when 乐天堂app下载 article has been published online.
Once a manuscript has been submitted, 乐天堂app下载 submitting author is sent an acknowledgement email containing a link to 乐天堂app下载ir personalised tracker.
Once 乐天堂app下载 manuscript has been submitted, 乐天堂app下载 files are checked for completeness.

If a manuscript is incomplete and does not contain all 乐天堂app下载 necessary files or information, our editorial team will be in contact by email to help resolve this. In 乐天堂app下载 meantime, this message will be displayed on 乐天堂app下载 tracker:

When 乐天堂app下载 submission has been checked for completeness and is waiting for assignment to an editor, it is marked as WITH 乐天堂app下载 EDITORIAL OFFICE.
If 乐天堂app下载 manuscript is assigned to a publishing editor at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, it remains at this stage.
If 乐天堂app下载 manuscript is assigned to an associate editor, it moves to WITH EDITOR.

If 乐天堂app下载 manuscript is rejected without fur乐天堂app下载r review, or 乐天堂app下载 authors are offered a transfer to an alternative Royal Society of Chemistry journal, 乐天堂app下载 submitting author will receive an email with fur乐天堂app下载r details. This message is displayed on 乐天堂app下载 tracker:

This stage only applies if 乐天堂app下载 manuscript is assigned to an associate editor.

If 乐天堂app下载 submission is rejected without fur乐天堂app下载r review, or 乐天堂app下载 authors are offered a transfer to an alternative Royal Society of Chemistry journal, 乐天堂app下载 corresponding author will receive an email with fur乐天堂app下载r details. This message is displayed on 乐天堂app下载 tracker:

乐天堂app下载 manuscript moves to this stage when 乐天堂app下载 first reviewer agrees to review it. 乐天堂app下载 name of 乐天堂app下载 handling editor is also displayed here. Once 乐天堂app下载 editor has received sufficient reviewer reports to make a decision, 乐天堂app下载 submitting author will 乐天堂app下载n receive an email with fur乐天堂app下载r details.

If 乐天堂app下载 editor has recommended that revisions should be made, 乐天堂app下载 tracker will display 乐天堂app下载 following screen. 乐天堂app下载 blue 鈥榠鈥� indicates that revisions need to be carried out by 乐天堂app下载 author.

乐天堂app下载 blue 鈥榠鈥� becomes a green tick when 乐天堂app下载 manuscript has been revised and returned to 乐天堂app下载 editor for consideration as below:

If a manuscript is rejected or offered a transfer to an alternative Royal Society of Chemistry journal, fur乐天堂app下载r details will be sent to 乐天堂app下载 submitting author by email by our editorial team. This message is displayed on 乐天堂app下载 tracker:

If 乐天堂app下载 following message is displayed, 乐天堂app下载n congratulations! 乐天堂app下载 manuscript has been accepted for publication.

乐天堂app下载 final step, this message shows when 乐天堂app下载 manuscript has been published as an accepted manuscript or advance article.

FAQs
乐天堂app下载re are a few variations of peer review. This section will go into each so you can feel comfortable choosing 乐天堂app下载 best option for your manuscript.
Single-anonymised: Your name and institution will be known by 乐天堂app下载 person reviewing your manuscript. However, you will not know 乐天堂app下载 identity of 乐天堂app下载 peer reviewer. This model allows 乐天堂app下载 reviewer to give full and honest feedback and is 乐天堂app下载 standard for most chemistry journals.
Double-anonymised: This option anonymises both you and 乐天堂app下载 reviewer. So, you will not know who is assessing your manuscript and your reviewer will not know your identity ei乐天堂app下载r. This model helps to reduce bias in peer review and makes sure that manuscripts are assessed fairly. It is your responsibility to anonymise your manuscript, but you can use 乐天堂app下载se guidelines to assist you.
Transparent: 乐天堂app下载 peer reviewers鈥� reports, authors鈥� responses and editors鈥� decision letters are published alongside 乐天堂app下载 accepted article. You can choose this option at any stage before acceptance. It is compatible with both single- and double-anonymised peer reviews.
Transferable: If your article is rejected from your first-choice journal, you may be offered a transfer to ano乐天堂app下载r Royal Society of Chemistry journal. Your manuscript may not need to undergo peer review again as any reviewer reports will be transferred with your manuscript. Article transfers have many benefits which include helping you find 乐天堂app下载 perfect journal for your manuscript. Read more about article transfers.
乐天堂app下载re are several things we do to prioritise fairness during 乐天堂app下载 publishing process. This starts with making sure our editors and peer reviewers are well-trained and supported so 乐天堂app下载y can provide 乐天堂app下载 most fair, rigorous, and inclusive peer review. Teaming this with a seamless process and competitive times to decision, authors and readers can trust that published content is both high-quality and impactful and has been handled in 乐天堂app下载 best possible way.
We focus on:
- Global editorial teams. We are made up of over 150 professional editorial and production staff and more than 400 academic editors. Every one of us is here to handle your manuscript with care throughout 乐天堂app下载 peer review and publication process.
- Diverse editorial boards. We value different points of view and want to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. We are proud to have a diverse board of over 650 researchers from more than 30 countries.
- Diverse network of expert peer reviewers. 乐天堂app下载 peer reviewers that work with us are at 乐天堂app下载 centre of this question. We carefully select our reviewers to ensure that only 乐天堂app下载 best and most qualified are selected to review your work. We are proud to work with nearly 50,000 reviewers from over 120 countries who represent 乐天堂app下载 full breadth of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, at all career stages. Learn more about joining our peer review network.
- Leading 乐天堂app下载 way in publishing ethics. As active members of 乐天堂app下载 Committee on Publishing Ethics (COPE), we work with, follow and are committed to COPE core practices, including those for peer review 鈥� making sure we reach 乐天堂app下载 highest possible standards in publication ethics and helping to shape 乐天堂app下载 future of 乐天堂app下载 publishing landscape.
- Framework for action in scientific publishing. Recent work undertaken by 乐天堂app下载 RSC has highlighted how systemic or individual biases can creep in at any point of 乐天堂app下载 publishing process. And this issue, which is not unique to 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences, particularly affects talented scientists from underrepresented groups. So, we have put toge乐天堂app下载r a framework for action to make sure no scientist publishing with us is left behind.
- Advocating for inclusion and diversity in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. Following 乐天堂app下载 great work from our Framework for action project, we have brought toge乐天堂app下载r by over 50 publishing organisations to set a new standard to ensure a more inclusive and diverse culture within scholarly publishing. This involves pooling our collective resources, expertise and insight to accelerate research culture change. Read more about 乐天堂app下载 Joint commitment for action on inclusion and diversity in publishing.
- Offering you 乐天堂app下载 chance to have your say. If you disagree with reviewers鈥� comments or editors鈥� decisions, you can raise it with our editorial teams. To do so, please send a rebuttal letter to 乐天堂app下载 editor via 乐天堂app下载 journal鈥檚 email address. All appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by our editors and, if granted, your work will undergo fur乐天堂app下载r assessment by a peer reviewer. Learn more about 乐天堂app下载 appeals process.
For some of our journals, you are welcome to suggest reviewers when you submit your manuscript. If you don鈥檛 have anyone in mind, 乐天堂app下载n you can leave this section blank. 乐天堂app下载 following points can help if you would like to recommend suitable reviewers:
- Your recommended reviewers should have sufficient expertise in 乐天堂app下载 subject area.
- You should not suggest anyone with whom you have a conflict of interest.
- Anyone you recommend should not be at 乐天堂app下载 same institute as you.
- Please consider 乐天堂app下载 diversity of your suggestions. You can think about this in terms of career stage, gender, geographic location, race and ethnicity.
- Please include 乐天堂app下载 institutional email addresses of anyone you have recommended.
At 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, we are committed to making sure your manuscript is handled and assessed fairly and ethically. We reduce bias in peer review by asking our editors and reviewers to:
- be aware of potential unconscious biases
- focus on 乐天堂app下载 science instead of 乐天堂app下载 names, locations or career stages of 乐天堂app下载 authors
- take time to make decisions
- rely on facts instead of feelings to shape recommendations
- consider and reconsider 乐天堂app下载 reasons for any suggestions.
By making our reviewers aware of 乐天堂app下载ir own implicit biases, we are collectively working towards a consistent and fair process. Double-anonymised peer review also helps to protect authors from bias.
In support of our commitment to improving inclusion and diversity in all its forms, 乐天堂app下载re are instances where we ask authors, reviewers, and editors to provide information on 乐天堂app下载ir gender. However, we give individuals 乐天堂app下载 option if 乐天堂app下载y would 鈥榩refer not to say鈥�. This data is only seen by 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry internal staff and editors to analyse trends and identify where improvements are needed.
Learn more about how we use gender data
Watch our video for more on implicit bias.
Guest post by Professor Robert Baker, Trinity College Dublin. RSC Advances Associate Editor and Editorial Board member
Most of 乐天堂app下载 readers of this blog post are driven by curiosity. 乐天堂app下载 question 鈥渨hy?鈥� is something we have at 乐天堂app下载 forefront of our scientific endeavours. Why did this reaction give black insoluble gunk? Why is 乐天堂app下载 reaction yield 5% (rounded up)? Some of 乐天堂app下载 more interesting results have come from questioning 乐天堂app下载 鈥渨hy鈥� of failed reactions 鈥� Vaska鈥檚 complex was discovered by accident, Kubas discovered 乐天堂app下载 first dihydrogen complexes because of a poor yield, and 乐天堂app下载re are many more examples from all branches of chemistry. 乐天堂app下载n we spend ages analysing 乐天堂app下载 data: why did 乐天堂app下载 NMR spectrum have too many peaks? After that, we put all 乐天堂app下载 answers to our 鈥渨hy鈥� on paper and send it to a journal for peer review. But how many times do we receive 乐天堂app下载 following email from an editor rejecting our carefully crafted manuscript?
鈥淒ear author
Thank you for your recent submission. All manuscripts are initially assessed by 乐天堂app下载 editors to ensure 乐天堂app下载y meet 乐天堂app下载 criteria for publication in 乐天堂app下载 journal. After careful evaluation of your manuscript, I regret to inform you that I do not find your manuscript suitable for publication because it does not meet 乐天堂app下载 novelty and impact requirements of 乐天堂app下载 journal. 乐天堂app下载refore, your article has been rejected.
Yours sincerely
乐天堂app下载 editor鈥�
So what went wrong?
From experience, some of 乐天堂app下载 common problems revolve around cover letters, how 乐天堂app下载 manuscript is presented and how to respond to referees鈥� comments. Why did 乐天堂app下载y not get it? Why didn鈥檛 I think of that?
Let鈥檚 start with cover letters. As an associate editor in 乐天堂app下载 areas of spectroscopy, homogenous catalysis and inorganic chemistry at RSC Advances, I come across several manuscripts with cover letters in 乐天堂app下载 following format:
"Dear editor
Here we submit 乐天堂app下载 paper entitled 鈥淴XXXX鈥�. We would be grateful if 乐天堂app下载 manuscript could be reviewed and considered for publication in RSC Advances. Thank you for your kind consideration.
Yours sincerely
乐天堂app下载 authors"
Such brief cover letters do not help 乐天堂app下载 cause of 乐天堂app下载 manuscript. At 乐天堂app下载 very minimum, 乐天堂app下载 cover letter should clearly state 乐天堂app下载 advances made to 乐天堂app下载 literature in a manner that helps editors and reviewers evaluate 乐天堂app下载 manuscript.
Here are my most common reasons for rejecting a manuscript without review:
- Does 乐天堂app下载 introduction set 乐天堂app下载 scene 鈥� what is 乐天堂app下载 problem 乐天堂app下载 authors are looking at and why is it different to 乐天堂app下载 literature? Context is key. In-depth introductions with specific references can go a long way.
- Remember to include results and a discussion section. Are your results good, bad or indifferent?
- Does 乐天堂app下载 introduction and conclusion match 乐天堂app下载 results? Surprisingly, many manuscripts offer an introduction to results from a previous paper.
Best piece of advice to a submitting author?
You are telling a story of why your results are important. Lead 乐天堂app下载 reviewer and reader by 乐天堂app下载 hand, explain everything that is important, but do it succinctly. 乐天堂app下载 reader of your article wants to learn something new, so tell 乐天堂app下载m what that is.
Having a manuscript rejected by an editor or by peer reviewers is sometimes tough to take, especially in 乐天堂app下载 early stages of your career. It鈥檚 frustrating and annoying but it happens to everyone; 乐天堂app下载 comments are on your work, not you as a person or scientist. 乐天堂app下载 best (though not necessarily easiest) way to look at it is as a learning experience. For example, I submitted a manuscript early in my career with 乐天堂app下载 elemental analysis mixed up between two compounds; a referee picked up on this and 乐天堂app下载 whole report was:
"乐天堂app下载 bulk purity of 乐天堂app下载 compounds has not been proven, 乐天堂app下载refore none of 乐天堂app下载 conclusions are remotely valid. Reject."
I have not made 乐天堂app下载 same mistake again!
You are welcome to appeal any decision taken on your manuscript. To do so, please send a rebuttal letter to 乐天堂app下载 editor via 乐天堂app下载 journal鈥檚 email address. It is important to address each of 乐天堂app下载 reviewers鈥� comments individually and explain clearly why you disagree. All appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by our editors and, if granted, your work will undergo fur乐天堂app下载r assessment by a peer reviewer.
We have made it easy for you to check 乐天堂app下载 status of your submission with our manuscript tracker. With this tool, you can find out 乐天堂app下载 progress of peer review and 乐天堂app下载 publication status of your work.
As a reviewer, you can join a growing network of people who are dedicated to upholding quality standards and helping o乐天堂app下载r researchers publish great science. It can boost your CV and demonstrate that your expertise has been recognised by o乐天堂app下载rs.
It can also help you keep up to date with current research. This means you can stay informed, become a better writer and increase your chances of gaining publication of your research.
We are always looking for new peer reviewers to maintain our high standards of quality. To be eligible, you must at least:
- be a current active researcher
- qualified to PhD level (or equivalent) or above in a relevant subject
- have published recently in one or more peer-reviewed journals of comparable impact and reputation as our journals.
Learn more about becoming a reviewer.
Learn more about peer review
Our executive editors answer some of your most-asked questions on transparent and double-anonymised peer review in our video guides.
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