Discover how to manage manuscript invitations effectively, including responding promptly, ensuring alignment with your expertise, and avoiding conflicts of interest.

Your invitations to handle manuscripts will be sent via email. Each invitation includes essential details to help you decide whether to agree or decline. Occasionally, we may send personal invitations for manuscripts requiring special attention.

How invitations work

Manuscript invitations are sent primarily based on PLOS taxonomy classification terms in your Editorial Manager (EM) profile. Having at least 10 Classification terms—ranging from broad to specific—ensures better alignment of invitations with your expertise.

Invitations are sent in queues, meaning multiple editors may receive the same request. Occasionally, another editor may accept the invitation before you have a chance to respond.

Responding to invitations

Agree to an invitation if:

• You have time to handle the manuscript through to a final decision.
• It falls within your area of expertise.
• You do not have any real or perceived competing interests.

If a manuscript is not suitable for peer review but within your expertise, please agree to the invitation and issue a reject decision. Your decision letter must provide clear reasoning for the authors.

Decline an invitation if:

• You are too busy with external commitments or other PLOS assignments.
• The manuscript is outside your expertise and you are unable to select appropriate reviewers.
• You have a real or perceived competing interest.

Due to interdisciplinary submissions, you may receive invitations outside your core expertise. If you feel confident in selecting reviewers and interpreting their feedback, we encourage you to accept.