Appeals Policy

Terminology

An “appeal” is an author’s request for reconsideration of an editorial decision.

A “rebuttal” is a resubmitted manuscript that Angewandte Chemie has previously declined to publish.

Policy

At Angewandte Chemie, we publish high-quality, original research across all fields of chemistry that is of interest to a general, multidisciplinary readership. Competition for publication in Angewandte Chemie is extremely high and journal space is limited. When a manuscript is submitted to Angewandte Chemie, it is carefully assessed by our in-house editorial team whose expertise covers a broad range of chemistry-related topics.

The majority of manuscripts we receive are not accepted for publication in Angewandte Chemie. This decision is made by the editor either during editorial triage or after peer review. Editorial triage plays a crucial role in maintaining the high standard expected by our readers. At Angewandte Chemie, we aim to decide whether to send a manuscript to peer review within 48-72 hours of receiving the manuscript. The decision to reject a manuscript during editorial triage is not necessarily a judgement of the scientific correctness or relevance of that manuscript. It does, however, ensure that authors can submit their findings to a journal that caters to the anticipated target audience of the manuscript without delay and the efficient use of our reviewers’ time.

We discourage authors from appealing against a decision not to accept a manuscript for publication at Angewandte Chemie. If a paper has not been accepted for publication by Angewandte Chemie, the case will only be reopened under exceptional circumstances. Nevertheless, everyone has the right to appeal a decision. Appeals will only be considered when the decision to reject a manuscript was based on a serious scientific misunderstanding of a core aspect of the manuscript. Differences in opinion regarding the novelty or significance of the reported findings are not considered as grounds for appeal. Manuscripts that were rejected due to violations of our ethical guidelines will not be reconsidered. In accordance with our editorial policy, new submissions and those currently under consideration take priority over appeals, which could lead to delays. The editor’s decision following an appeal is final.

Should you deem an appeal the appropriate course of action for your manuscript, please follow the procedure outlined below.

Procedure

1. Appeals will only be considered, and the case reopened, when the decision to reject a manuscript was based on a serious scientific misunderstanding of a core aspect of the manuscript. Differences in opinion regarding the novelty or significance of the reported findings are not considered as grounds for appeal.
2. Appeals must be sent by email by the submitting corresponding author to Angewandte Chemie and addressed to the editor who handled the manuscript.
3. An appeal must be approved by the handling editor before a manuscript can be resubmitted (a rebuttal). Previously rejected manuscripts that are resubmitted without the approval of the handling editor will not be considered.
4. Appeals for manuscripts rejected during editorial triage should describe a key scientific aspect of the work that was not highlighted sufficiently in the initial submission and explain the novelty of the findings and why they are of interest to our broad readership. Appeals for manuscripts rejected after peer review should address a serious scientific misunderstanding, by the reviewer(s), of a key aspect of the manuscript. A point-by-point response to the reviewers' comments must be provided.
5. Once the handling editor has received your appeal by email, they will reconsider your manuscript and, if necessary, discuss it with additional members of the editorial team and an Executive Editor. Please note that, in accordance with our editorial policy, new submissions and those currently under consideration take priority over appeals; therefore, this process can take up to two weeks.
6. Each manuscript is evaluated on its own merits. When considering whether to allow resubmission, factors other than the scientific content of the manuscript are not considered. This includes, but is not limited to, the publication record of the author, previous publications in Angewandte Chemie on a similar topic, and statements of support from other scientists.
7. Appeals that do not maintain a professional tone towards the reviewer(s) and/or the editor will not be considered.
8. After an appeal has been sent, the manuscript should not be submitted to another journal before you receive the final decision from the handling editor.
9. The editor's decision following an appeal is final.