1. Post-submission Outcomes The review black box Editorial rejection
Post-review rejection
Reject with resubmission
Major revisions
Minor revisions
Accepted
The review black box
Submission
Outcomes
My awesome
paper Me
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Submission
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

2. Unlocking the review black box

3. The cost of peer review is time
Authors, editors, reviewers, journals all invest time in each submission.
Everybody wants it to have been worth your (and their) time– even if they reject your paper.
#RejectionIsTheRule
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

4. #RejectionIsTheRule 80% rejection rate #RejectionIsTheRule
- Got editorially rejected?
- Got rejected post reviews?
- Got rejected with possibility for resubmission?
- Got major revisions?
- Got minor revisions?
- Got accepted?
#RejectionIsTheRule
80% rejection rate
(in BES journals)
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

5. Editorially rejected? Editorial/desk reject = rejected without review
Read decision letter (may have useful feedback on fatal flaws or suggested target journal)…
…and then step aside and don’t touch it for 1-2 days
Then:
Consider rebuttal?
Consider or going down in IF?
Consider up-stream submission?
Consider going back to the field/lab/greenhouse/computer?
Go and celebrate at the pub: your paper has been read by a very exclusive number of academics!
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

6. Rejected post-review?
Read response letter … and then step aside and don’t touch it for 1-2 days
Then:
Think objectively about feedback
Consider rebuttal?
Consider or going down in IF?
Consider up-stream submission?
Consider going back to the field/lab/greenhouse/computer?
Go and celebrate at the pub: your paper has been read by a very exclusive number of academics!
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

7. Rejected, with resubmission allowed?
Your paper shows good promise, but needs too much revision to know if it can or cannot be accepted in the end
Resubmission does not mean rejection
Resubmission does mean lots of work to do
Do not get comfy! Re-analyse, re-write, etc.
Consider submitting elsewhere – resubmission does not mean rejection, but it does not mean acceptance either.
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

8. Not rejected at all! Got major revision? Got minor revision?
Percentage of rejection post-revision declines a lot, but:
A major revision is not a guarantee of publication
A minor revision means a greater likelihood… but no guarantee
You still have work to do!
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

9. Carefully draft the letter of responses to the editor and reviewers
Remember, they couldn't accept your paper as it was.
You must make changes or justify why not.
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

10. In your response letter…
Be polite and appreciative of the effort involved in reviewing a paper.
Highlight strengths & address main concerns in your opening paragraph
Respond point by point to comments
Make it easy to tell your responses from the reviewers’ comments
Make it easy to find your changes
Show evidence of the points you are making (reference lines in manuscript, provide citations, etc.)
Do not refer to reviewers as “he”
Do not refer to the reviewers as “you”
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

11. What’s the most common track of a paper?
- Post-review rejection
- Rejected (resubmission invited)
- Major revisions
- Minor revisions
- Accepted
- Editorial rejection
My awesome
paper Me
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Submission
Submission
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

12. Usually linear… - Editorial rejection - Post-review rejection
My awesome
paper Me
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Post-review rejection
- Rejected (resubmission invited)
- Major revisions
- Minor revisions
- Accepted
- Editorial rejection
Submission
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

13. Rejection can happen at any point
…But not always!
My awesome
paper Me
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Post-review rejection
- Rejected (resubmission invited)
- Major revisions
- Minor revisions
- Accepted
- Editorial rejection
Submission
Rejection can happen at any point
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc

14. Accepted! Job isn’t finished!
Quick turn-around for proofing of print version
Authorship copyright transfer agreement
Promote your paper (Twitter, Facebook, blogs, send to your collaborators – but do not mass- folks)
britishecologicalsociety.org
@BritishEcolSoc
- Go celebrate to the pub, like for reals