Manuscript Transfer Policy
Optional, consent-based manuscript transfer mechanisms between platform journal titles.
Our Journal is hosted on Casjournals platform with a collection of journals across related fields. From time to time, a manuscript submitted to one journal may be better suited to another journal on the platform because of its subject, scope or approach. This policy explains how manuscripts may be transferred between Journals titles, always with the author’s knowledge and consent.
Why a Manuscript May Be Transferred
An editor may suggest transferring a manuscript when:
- The work falls outside the scope of the journal it was submitted to, but fits another Journal on the platform.
- The manuscript’s subject or approach aligns more closely with a different journal on the platform.
- A journal’s editor believes the author’s work would reach a more suitable readership elsewhere on the platform.
A transfer offer is not a judgement that the work lacks merit. In many cases it is a way to keep sound scholarship within our platform and direct it to the right audience, rather than rejecting it outright.
How Transfers Work
- Editorial recommendation: If an editor identifies a manuscript as a better fit for another Journal, either before or after review, they may recommend a transfer.
- Author consent: No manuscript is transferred without the corresponding author’s agreement. The author is informed of the recommendation and the reason for it and may accept or decline.
- Transfer of materials: If the author agrees, the manuscript and its accompanying files are transferred to the receiving journal. Where review has already taken place, any reviewer reports may be transferred with it, at the editors’ discretion, to support an efficient decision.
- Independent decision: The receiving journal’s editors assess the manuscript against their own scope and standards. A transfer does not guarantee acceptance; the receiving journal reaches its own independent editorial decision, and may carry out further review.
- Declining a transfer: An author who declines a transfer is free to submit their work elsewhere. Declining does not affect how they are treated by our Journal in future.
Author Rights and Transparency
- Transfers are always optional and consent-based. Authors are never moved between journals without being asked.
- Authors may withdraw their manuscript at any point in the transfer process rather than proceed.
- A transferred manuscript keeps its original submission history, and the author is kept informed at each stage.
- Only one journal considers the manuscript at a time; transferring does not mean the work is under review at two journals simultaneously.
Peer Review and Transferred Manuscripts
Where a manuscript is transferred after peer review, the receiving journal may use the existing reviewer reports to reach a decision more quickly, request additional review, or review the manuscript afresh, depending on its requirements. Reviewer confidentiality is maintained throughout, in line with our Peer Review Policy.
Processing Charges
A manuscript transfer does not create any additional charge. The standard article processing charge applies only once, to the journal that ultimately accepts and publishes the article, and only after acceptance, as set out in our Processing Charges policy.