Manuscript Transfer Service
Partnering with you to find the right home for your research – quickly and easily
Choosing the right journal is one of the most important decisions you can make to give your work the maximum attention and impact it deserves. As your partner in publishing, we’re here to provide you with the best platform and tools to help you on your publishing journey. Through our transfer service, be confident that your work will have a home with us within our diverse range of journals in scope and rigor.
How Transfers Benefit Our Authors and Reviewers
Saves Time and Effort – Authors do not need to resubmit their manuscript when using our transfer service. Reviews are also passed along with the manuscript so the peer-review process doesn’t start over, which helps both authors and reviewers!
Faster Publication – Manuscripts can move more quickly through the review and publication process since they may already be fully or partially reviewed.
Better Fit – Authors can find a more suitable journal for their work so that it is read, cited, and shared by the most relevant audience.
How It Works
If it is determined by the reviewers and/or editors that your article is not suitable for the journal that you initially submitted your work to, our team of expert editors will work collaboratively to help you find that perfect home for your research through a transfer recommendation. This saves you the time and hassle of having to find another journal and begin the submission process over again.
If your article is eligible for transfer, you’ll receive an email from an editor which includes a recommendation to transfer your paper to a journal that may be more suitable. In the email, there will be a link for you to follow and accept the recommendation – your manuscript is then seamlessly transferred to the recommended journal along with all of the related files and reviewer comments. You do not need to resubmit your manuscript or restart the process. And we will never transfer your manuscript to another journal without your approval—we simply make the recommendation, then you make the choice.
Important to know…
- Your article will always go through our constructive and fair peer-review process, either through the original journal or the journal your article was transferred to.
- The offer of a manuscript transfer is not a guarantee that your article will be accepted by the new journal. Your article will be evaluated by the journal your article is transferred to—ensuring quality, validity, and relevance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any fees associated with manuscript transfer?
There are no fees for the transfer service, itself. If your article is recommended to publish in one of our open access journals, there will be an Article Processing Charge (APC) which may be covered by an institutional Read & Publish agreement with AIP Publishing or paid directly by the author or funder. APC waivers and discounts may also be available depending on the corresponding author’s country of residence.
Do I have to make changes to my manuscript for a transfer?
If recommended to transfer to AIP Advances as is, no manuscript changes are necessary – the article will typically publish within 2 weeks after the author accepts the transfer. In all other cases, you will have the opportunity to revise your manuscript to address reviewer or editor comments, or to meet the scope and guidelines of the recommended journal.
Can I choose which journal my manuscript is transferred to?
An editor from the first journal you submit to may recommend a suitable journal for transfer, depending on the manuscript’s alignment with other journals within our publishing group. You can accept or decline this recommendation. If you would prefer to transfer your manuscript to a different journal than the one that was recommended to you, you may email the editorial office of your preferred journal (you’ll find contact information in the About section of the journal site on pubs.aip.org).
Is there a limit to how many times I can transfer my manuscript?
No, though we hope that the first transfer recommendation will result in your article finding its publication home. A transfer recommendation does not guarantee publication in the recommended journal, so you are welcome to transfer the article again if needed.
What happens to the peer review process during a manuscript transfer?
Peer review may continue in the recommended journal, but the extent of review required may vary according to the initial editor’s recommendation. Reviews from the initial journal will be shared with the recommended journal’s editors and reviewers.
Can I transfer my manuscript to a journal outside of AIP Publishing?
Manuscript transfers are only possible between journals within the AIP Publishing portfolio, which includes AIP Publishing and partner journals. If you would like to transfer your manuscript to a journal outside of the AIP Publishing portfolio, you must submit to that publisher separately.
How long does the manuscript transfer process take?
Transfer of your article will typically take as little as a day to complete. You will be asked to verify the files as part of the submission to the new journal and will have the opportunity to make any changes to the documents at this stage.
What if I don’t want to transfer my manuscript?
You are not obligated to accept a transfer – the choice is always yours. If you don’t want your manuscript to be transferred, no action is required on your part and we wish you all the best publishing with the journal and publisher of your choosing.
Can I transfer my manuscript if it’s already been accepted by another journal?
Typically, manuscript transfer occurs after a manuscript has been rejected. If your manuscript has already been accepted elsewhere, you would not use the transfer service.
We’re Here to Help!
From start to finish, we’re here for you along every step of your publishing journey. Contact us to find out more information about how our transfer service can help you, or for any other questions.
Find the Right Journal: Check out our journal finder for an overview of our expansive journal collection spanning the physical sciences.
Explore More Author Services: We offer a range of services for authors, including English language editing, translation, and figure creation and editing.