I’ve received a transfer email: what should I do next?

A growing number of journals are part of our article transfers scheme. If your article is rejected because it is unsuitable or out of scope you may receive an email inviting you to transfer your submission to another journal. Please don’t ignore this message.

The transfer scheme saves you time by giving you a handy shortlist of relevant journals to consider. For many journals we can also transfer the details of your article to the submission system of a new journal, which speeds up the process. Find out more about article transfers.

If you’ve already received a transfer email, read on to find out what to do next.

Vector illustration showing a checklist, person with a magnifying glass, mug of hot drink to show the different elements of peer review.

1. Carefully assess all the suggested journals

We may offer up to six different journals or platforms to consider, although please remember that you can only choose one. It will save you time in the long run if you spend a while investigating each of them, to make sure that the journal or platform you choose is right for your article:

  • Read the journals’ aims & scope statements
    Selecting ‘Find out more’ in the email will take you through to their aims & scope. These tell you the subjects covered (and not covered), the types of article published, and may indicate the journals’ readership.

  • Read previous issues
    Take a look at the articles already published in the suggested journals. Would your paper be a good fit alongside them and add to the conversation in any of these journals?

  • Consider any feedback you’ve received
    The journal that has rejected your article may have given you some guidance; either about other titles to consider or the type of journal to look for. (You won’t always receive this advice, especially if your article is outside the editor’s field.)

  • Use the range of journal metrics available
    While you should never make a submission decision based solely on metrics, they can be a useful tool to help you decide whether a journal is right for your paper.

  • Do you want to choose open access?
    Some of the journals we recommend may be fully open access (OA), meaning that your article will be freely and permanently available online for everyone. There will usually be an OA article publishing charge (APC) if your manuscript is accepted for publication. However, you might be able to publish your article OA at no cost to yourself via a range of different funding options.

How do article transfers work?

For their transfer suggestions, our editorial teams have selected closely related journals to the one you previously submitted to. However, these will not usually be tailored to your specific article, so sometimes none of the suggested journals will be suitable.

If none of the transfer suggestions are right for your article, our guide to choosing a journal has a range of top tips to help you. Please also try our Journal Suggester: paste your article abstract into the Suggester to receive a list of related journals to consider.

2. Prepare your submission

Once you’ve selected one of the suggested journals to transfer your article to, you may need to make several updates.

  • Read the Instructions for Authors
    These will include important details specific to that journal, such as the article word limit or its referencing style. Please make sure you update your article accordingly, so that style or formatting issues don’t slow down the process.

  • Address any editor or reviewer comments
    Your rejection email may have included feedback on your submission, especially if it was peer reviewed. You might therefore want to change your article or any figures before submitting them to the next journal.

  • Follow any data policies
    The F1000Research platform requires all cited research data to be made open and many journals now have a data sharing policy. Check whether you need to deposit your data in a repository and add a data availability statement to your article.

  • Update your cover letter
    If your submission includes a letter to the journal’s editor, make sure you’ve updated it so that you’re using the correct editor and journal names. Our guide to writing a cover letter has suggestions for what to include and a template to follow.

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3. Transfer your submission

  • Select the ‘Transfer’ button for your chosen journal in the offer email
    This will begin the transfer process. For many journals we’re then able to move over information about your article to the new journal’s system, so it’s ready for you to review before submitting to your new journal.

  • Complete any missing information
    Add any details required by the new journal and replace the manuscript file with your revised version, along with any corrected figures and new cover letter.

  • Submit
    When you’re ready, approve and formalize your submission.

  • Your submission will go through the receiving journal’s standard editorial processes
    The offer of an article transfer is not a guarantee that your article will be accepted by the new journal. Your article will therefore be carefully evaluated by the new journal, ensuring quality, validity, and relevance.

If you encounter any problems using the Taylor & Francis transfer process, please contact: [email protected]