Whom should I contact?
- Any administrative issue (payments, refunds, manuscript numbers, current paper status, web site issues) should be directed to the Managing Editor.
- Any questions regarding the editorial process (questions about a report, Editor’s letter) should go to the Editor of your paper.
- Questions about the journal itself, or questions about the Editors, should go to the Executive Editor.
How do I obtain a receipt?
The system will automatically send an email receipt. If you need a specifically detailed invoice/receipt, contact the Managing Editor.
Can I ask that you not send my article to a particular referee?
Yes. Our goal is to find papers that will interest our readership, not reject articles due to idiosyncratic biases. If you know somebody is predisposed to dislike your article, let us know. We appreciate such help and will take your concerns into consideration. However, this is not a guarantee that the people you wish to see dropped from your potential referee pool will not receive your paper to referee.
My paper was rejected. Can I change it and resubmit it?
No. If you want to appeal the decision, visit Appeals Process.
My paper was rejected. Since then I have written what I believe to be a new paper that uses material from the old paper. Can I submit the new paper?
Whether or not an article that incorporates material from a prior paper is “new” or an “extensive revision” is a matter of opinion. It is better to be safe than sorry in a case like that. Before you submit the paper, ask an Editor for permission to do so. Tell the Editor the paper’s history and why you think the article should be considered a “new” paper. The Editor will likely tell you to submit the paper with a cover letter explaining the paper’s history. At that point an Editor will look over the files and determine if the new submission should go forward. Whatever the decision at this point, your general standing with RCFS will remain unchanged. If you do not follow these guidelines and get caught, RCFS will take action to discourage you from ever doing it again. Please, when in doubt about whether an article can be submitted as new, ask!
My paper was rejected but the Editor said I could send back a “new” paper on the same topic. Is it the same as an offer to revise and resubmit? If not, what exactly does it mean?
While this means the Editor is likely interested in your topic, it is not the same as an offer to revise and resubmit your paper. This is much closer to the Editor offering you the option to work on your paper and submit it anew. Ultimately, your revision’s unconditional chances of publication in RCFS are not much better than they would be for any other brand new submission. Your paper will likely only proceed toward publication if you can convince the Editor, as well as the assigned referee, of its merits. The assigned referee may change, and his or her views on acceptability may be different from the feedback you received on the initial round. In a case like this, if you take up the Editor’s offer, you should do so understanding that your paper faces approximately the same chance of acceptance as a new RCFS submission.
Why do appeals cost several times more than a regular submission?
Appeals impose a very high cost on the editorial system. Each appeal goes to at least two new reviewers. Furthermore, for papers that are eventually published by RCFS, the fee is refunded in full. For additional details, see Appeals Process.
How do I submit an appeal?
Please see Appeals Process.