1. Appeals Do you really want to publish in this journal?
You can’t fix reviews– you can only fix your paper
Did the reviewer misunderstand your paper? How can you stop that happening?
Is the review factually incorrect? Can you show it?
Do you really want to publish in this journal?
Is appealing the decision worth your time?
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

2. Appeals The editor has more information about the review than you do.
Seen many other submissions to compare yours with
Seen confidential comments from the reviewers (often much more blunt!)
A successful appeal does not mean your paper will be accepted– only that it has another chance to go through review.
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

3. Appeals You can’t fix reviews– you can only fix your paper Be polite.
Keep your appeal letter fairly short (<1 page).
Show evidence, not emotion.
Don’t play reviewers off against each other.
Say that you want them to reconsider their decision.
“We are sure we can deal with the reviewer comments to your satisfaction.” So? Say how!
“I have never had a paper rejected without review!” Really? Really?
“I am just writing to say that the handling editor was wrong about…” Okay. And?
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

4. Appeals You can’t fix reviews– you can only fix your paper
“We acknowledge”
“We can clarify”
“We can”
“We cannot [do X], but we can…”
“Reviewer 2 disagrees with our use of [method], but we have [reason].”
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

5. Appeals Successful appeal? Revise your paper (as if resubmission)
Write a response to decision
Re-submit your paper….
…and wait.
Paper will generally be re-reviewed by previous reviewers
Paper may be reviewed by new reviewers as well
Remember, a successful appeal is only a second chance – not a guarantee of acceptance
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc