Appeals and complaints

If you would like to request that the Editor or Editorial Board reconsider the rejection of your manuscript, you should initially follow the instructions provided on the journal's website to contact the Editor.

These requests, known as appeals, are prioritized after the regular workload. As a result, decisions on appeals can take several weeks.

Each manuscript is allowed only one appeal. The final decision on an appeal will be made by the Editorial Board Member handling the paper or the Editor. Generally, an appeal against a manuscript rejection will only be considered if: The authors can show that a significant error influenced the final decision, made either by a referee or the Editors during the review process. Important new data can be provided. There is a convincing demonstration of bias in the review process. Authors wishing to appeal an editorial decision should submit a formal letter of appeal to the journal by contacting the editorial office.

The manuscript tracking number should be included in the email subject line along with the appeal letter. If an appeal is successful, authors will receive further instructions on how to proceed. If an appeal warrants further consideration, the Editor may send the authors' response and the revised manuscript out for another peer review.