Research/Article/Manuscript Transfers: Finding a Suitable Journal for Your Research Paper

An author gets to the point of submitting their research manuscript paper to a journal for publication after working for months or even years. In the academic world not a single journal has a 100 percent acceptance rate. This means that it is quite possible that your research paper may get rejected or transferred by the editor to a more suitable journal. Rejection damages the author’s confidence, and of course no author welcomes it. However, almost all academics face rejections during their career. Hence, it should be considered a part of the research publication process.

There can be many reasons behind the manuscript rejections, but this definitely does not mean that the work is not worth to be published. One common factor is relevance. On many occasions, the paper is not considered relevant for the scope of the journal. In such conditions the journal editorial board recommends the manuscript automatic transfer to a more suitable journal. So, if you come across such a situation then it is your option to select the editor’s manuscript transfer recommendation to other journals or to reject it. In case you decide to reject their journal suggestion for your manuscript then you need to find other suitable journals yourself.

Following are the most important events that one may face during Article Transfer Process by Journal’s editorial board:

What is an article transfer?

This process is devised for papers that are considered convincing, but not suitable for the journal which was initially requested. Hence, one or more suitable journals are suggested to the author. In this condition you can either choose any of the suggested journals or quit the process.

Why should you transfer an article?

Eventually, most of the papers find a journal. However, the process of article transfer allows the editor to find a more suitable place for your paper. Besides, the paper can have too broad implications, and can also be irrelevant for the journal which it was originally submitted to. Therefore, it might be fit for another journal. More importantly, this helps the journals with finding the type of articles they want. Furthermore, benefiting newly launched journals.

What are the benefits of using an article transfer?

The primary advantage of this service is that it saves the author’s time. You don’t have to follow all the formalities again to submit your paper to another journal. Also, you don’t need to edit or re-format your paper. All the reviewer reports (if any) will be sent with your paper. This can be extremely beneficial, as the new editor might not take too long to take any decision. As he can base his judgment on previous reviewer reports.

How does the process of article transfer work?

You receive an E-mail if your article is considered qualified for transfer. The E-mail introduces the most suitable journals to the author. It is suggested that you should take your time, and decide the fate of your paper after proper research. When you finally select a journal, the original journal moves all the relevant information to the new journal. Another E-mail is then sent to you to confirm and validate the submission.

Are previous reviewer comments also transferred to the new journal?

If available, reviewer comments are also transferred to the new journal along with the manuscript. This helps the editor of the new journal, as he can make immediate decisions based on the previous reviewer comments.

Does the process allow revising the manuscript before transfer?

Yes the process allows revision. It is generally recommended that you should revise your manuscript according to the suggestions mentioned in the reviewer’s comments. Also, don’t forget to replace the revised manuscript with the original version. You can also submit an additional note, explaining how you have revised the manuscript based on the suggestions written in reviewer comments.

Is the immediate decision made on the transferred article?

The process does not guarantee an immediate decision. As the editor of the new journal will examine the paper comprehensively. The editor can also initiate a new course of peer review. However, the editor can also make the process fast by considering the previous reviewer’s comments.

Can the article be transferred to more than one journal?

The editor may give you 1-5 journal suggestions for your manuscript submission. However, you need to select any one of those for the submission of the manuscript. You can only select one journal from the given options. The article can only be under the consideration of one journal. The selection of the journal is a critical decision. Proper research should be done before making the final call.

Is the article transfer a paid service?

No, the author is not required to pay for the transfer service. However, you will have to pay if the new journal is fully open access. The money charged by such journals is known as article publishing charge (APC). Every journal has its own parameters of charging the articles. APC also depends on the category your article belongs to.