How to handle reassignments
How to handle reassignments
Editor Center > Reviews and decisions > Handling reassignments
Handle reassigned manuscripts confidently by checking the current status, reviewing past actions, and taking the appropriate next steps.
In addition to handling new manuscripts, your responsibility as an Academic Editor includes handling reassignments. When this occurs, you will receive an invitation to handle a reassignment in the same way as a new manuscript, which you may accept or decline.
What is a reassignment?
A reassignment happens when an Academic Editor is unable to take a manuscript through to a final decision. This can happen at any stage of the editorial process. When you agree to handle a reassignment, please follow our step-by-step guidance.
To ensure that you have the information needed to take action, determine where the manuscript is in the process in Editorial Manager (EM).
What stage of the process is the manuscript at?
If the manuscript ID ends in “R1”, “R2”, or higher, it is a revised version. If there is no “R”, this means it is the original submission with no revisions.
What is the review status?
You can find details on the following EM pages:
- The Overview page. See the reviews that may be complete, agreed, and declined.
- View Reviews and Comments page. Read all past reviews, decisions, and author responses.
- You may see “PLOS Manuscript Reassignment” listed as a past editor. This is the shared system account used to send Academic Editor invitations.
- Invite Reviewers page. See who was invited, who declined, and who submitted reviews.
If you would like to view a complete record of all manuscript actions, messages, and updates, visit the History page.
Once you know the stage and review status of the manuscript, you can move on to the next step.
Your decision depends on the manuscript’s current state. In EM, the manuscript status will be categorized as R0 or R1+.
R0 – No reviews
Please conduct an initial evaluation as if the submission were newly assigned. Then, decide whether to:
- Send the manuscript out for peer review.
- Or, reject without peer review.
Please do not reject a manuscript solely because the previous editor had difficulty securing reviewers. Take a look at our guidance on finding and securing reviewers for useful tips and additional support.
R0 – One or more reviews received
The manuscript has been peer reviewed. Please read the reviews and determine whether more are needed. You can visit the assessing reviews and making decisions page for detailed guidance.
Check:
- The reviewer expertise—these should be aligned with the subject area.
- For any potential conflicts of interest—reviewers should be unbiased.
- That there is at least one external reviewer (this is required for acceptance).
R1+ – Revised submission
The manuscript has been revised following guidance from the previous Academic Editor. Please read the manuscript and any reviews and determine whether the authors addressed the recommended changes.
Three elements for review:
- The revised manuscript
- Author responses
- Previous reviews and decisions
Now that you have determined the status of the manuscript, you can proceed to:
- Make a final decision or request revisions.
- Re-invite previous reviewers to comment on the current version.
- Invite new reviewers (only if absolutely necessary, as this can cause delays for you and the author).
If a reassignment occurs when a revision has been submitted, we will automatically re-invite the previous reviewers.
If you need further help
If you are unsure what to do, email us. Your journal team is here to support you. Find out how to contact your journal office on our dedicated information page.
What is next:
Training and guidance: how to guides
Related editorial resources
Guide to Editorial Manager
Frequently asked questions
