Nature journals and other journals published by Springer Nature aim to provide the highest levels of service to authors in the manuscript submission and review process. If the journal editors decide they cannot publish the author’s manuscript, the redesigned manuscript transfer facility allows authors to easily resubmit their current manuscript materials to a select group of other journals published by Springer Nature. What are the benefits of manuscript transfer?
Identifying an Alternative Journal for Publication
In addition to the transfer facility that suggests alternative journals for transferring the manuscript, Springer Nature has a publications directory that can help authors identify which journal their manuscript can be transferred to. Additionally, authors can browse or search the subject areas page to find journals that publish articles similar to their own.
Journals Included in This Service
The highest level of service is provided to authors who submit and transfer between journals bearing the Nature name (Nature, Nature Portfolio Journals, and Nature Communications) and communication journals. A selected range of partner academic journals, including the npj series, provides authors with access to our manuscript transfer facility. Scientific Reports is available as a potential receiving journal for all authors using the transfer facility.
How Does Manuscript Transfer Work?
Negative decision letters contain a link to our transfer facility at the bottom of the email. By clicking on this link, a webpage will open displaying a list of suggested journals, which are determined based on the field of the original journal and the subject terms you assigned to your manuscript. If the editor handling your manuscript has recommended transferring it to a specific journal in the decision letter, that journal will be highlighted at the top of the list. Authors can also view the full list of journals available for selection from alternative journals that are not listed by default. Journal metrics and other information are provided to assist in the decision about where to transfer the manuscript. The manuscript transfer process involves the following steps:
- Select a journal.
- Select the manuscript type.
- Review your options.
- Choose whether you want to edit the manuscript before resubmitting it to the new journal.
- Transfer the manuscript materials to the new journal.
Am I Required to Transfer My Manuscript When Clicking the Transfer Link and Selecting a Journal?
No. No information is transferred until you complete the process outlined above. Even after this process is completed, you have the option to contact the receiving journal and withdraw your manuscript. Will the editor handling my manuscript discuss it with editors of other journals? It depends. In an effort to provide a more creative and prompt way to publish, all authors submitting to Nature journals are asked to agree to their manuscript being presented to another editor in the event it is determined that the manuscript is unsuitable for that journal. The editor may consult another Nature journal to see if they are interested in the manuscript. If the manuscript has been peer-reviewed, this consultation may often include discussion of concerns raised by the reviewers. When appropriate, the editor will frequently use this information to inform you of concerns that should be addressed before resubmission to the new journal. Consultations are confidential and at the discretion of the editor; the sole aim is to provide an alternative recommendation and facilitate a swift publication in an appropriate Nature journal.
Do I Have to Follow the Editor’s Recommendation on Where to Transfer the Manuscript?
No. Although the editor may recommend another journal, and in the case of Nature journals may also consult an editor at the recommended journal, the sole aim is to provide you with the best recommendation. The recommendation is never mandatory; you can transfer the manuscript to any journal regardless of the editorial recommendation. The decision on where to resubmit the manuscript is always the author’s.
Do
Are negative comments from reviewers prohibited from being transferred to the manuscript in the receiving journal?
No. Editors expect to see critiques, even for works suitable for publication. Critiques can often be addressed easily or a serious criticism in one journal may be less of an issue in another due to differences in the journal’s scope or the perceived significance of the work.
Can I address reviewers’ negative comments during the transfer process?
Perhaps. Although you have the option to transfer all materials without changes, you can instead choose to modify and replace your manuscript files and update the manuscript information. Generally, it is not advisable to add new data or make significant changes to the manuscript during the transfer. However, the decision process in the receiving journal can be significantly expedited if you provide a point-by-point response to reviewer comments and explain what will or will not be changed, and/or highlight what effort will be required to address the various points.
Should I revise the manuscript even if it has not been reviewed by reviewers?
Perhaps. Since journals have different editorial scopes or differing expectations regarding perceived significance, it may sometimes be beneficial to revise your materials to better reflect the expectations of the new journal. Alternatively, the transfer facility provides a comments box in the final step where you can add comments for the new journal’s editors or paste new cover letter text. Please remove any confidential information from the original cover letter that you do not wish to communicate to a different journal. Additionally, if you want to join In Review at the receiving journal, you can only do so if you choose to revise the manuscript during the transfer. No decision to join In Review at the original journal is transferred to the new journal.
How can I edit my manuscript files after the transfer?
The transfer facility allows you to indicate that you wish to edit your files after the transfer to the new journal. If you choose this option, you will receive a confirmation message at the end of the transfer process informing you that you can now edit your files. A link in that message will allow you to access your submission in the new journal and replace any of your files before officially submitting them to the new journal.
How can I join In Review when transferring my manuscript?
Joining In Review at Nature journals offers an integrated pre-deposit in the journal on the Research Square platform. No decision to join In Review at the original journal is transferred to the receiving journal upon transfer. To join In Review at the receiving journal, you must choose to modify the manuscript during the transfer. You will receive a confirmation message with a link that allows you to access your submission in the new journal where you can join In Review before officially submitting it to the new journal.
Will the receiving journal request comments from new reviewers?
Perhaps. If the identities of the reviewers are transferred, every effort is made to trust the reviewers who have already assessed the work. A new reviewer will only be assigned if the original reviewers are unavailable or if there is a strong editorial need.
Does transferring my manuscript allow me to retain my original submission date?
No. All journals are editorially independent; if published in the receiving journal, the “received date” published will be the date the journal receives the transferred manuscript.
Can I transfer my manuscript while also appealing the decision in the original journal?
No. A manuscript can be under consideration in only one journal at a time. Authors may not be able to appeal decisions or enter into correspondence with the journal that rejected their manuscript while the manuscript is being transferred for consideration by another journal.
If
My manuscript was rejected after the transfer; can I use the original transfer link to submit it to another journal?
No. The transfer link to the manuscript transfer facility ends once the transfer to another journal is completed. You must use the new transfer link from the second journal to transfer it to a third journal. Multiple transfers will not affect the editorial consideration in the receiving journal.
Do I have to use the transfer system to submit it to another journal?
No. If you do not wish to convey information about a previous review process, you can instead submit the manuscript directly to the second journal using the normal submission procedure. If you use the normal submission procedure, the editors will not have automatic knowledge of any previous submissions to other journals.
Source: https://www.nature.com/nature-research/for-authors/transfer
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