Most of the information you need is at your Associate Editor (AE) Center at the ScholarOne site. Always check the top of the screen first.
How do I know which manuscripts need my attention?
How can I view a file after I’ve made my recommendation to the Editor?
How can I speed up the review process?
How can I add a reviewer? How can I check to see if a reviewer is already in the database?
A reviewer can’t get to the manuscript. What can an AE do?
I don’t have enough reviewer leads for a manuscript.
The system won’t let me invite more than 10 reviewers, but I still don’t have 3 who have agreed to review. What can I do?
Are revisions always reviewed by the same reviewers?
The reviewer’s email address is incorrect. How can I fix it so the email goes to the right place?
How can a reviewer be removed from the list of potential reviewers?
How can I stop reminders from going to reviewers?
How can I make a MS Word document available to reviewers, instead of only a PDF?
How can I make comments or track changes on a MS Word document anonymous?
What should I do when the reviewer mails a marked-up paper copy?
What can an AE do if the reviewer put comments in the wrong box?
How do I rate the reviewers, and why?
How can I change a reviewer rating? I goofed and don’t want to besmirch the record.
How can I indicate that a paper should be considered for a paper award?
Why use revision cycles? Why involve the Editor in intermediate versions?
Can I be removed from the list of potential reviewers, but still be available as an AE?
How can I upload a changed or corrected file?
Who sees what files?
The title on the manuscript does not match what is in the Manuscript Information area. Which title is right?
How can I keep my account information up to date?
Where is training material?
May I make a suggestion?
What are the typical steps in the ASABE journal review and publication process?
How do I know which manuscripts need my attention?
Routinely check the list on the left side of the screen at your AE center. This acts as your inbox and lists all manuscripts that need your attention. You also get an automatic email when a manuscript comes your way. However, sometimes email goes astray so, please, check your lists.
How can I view a file after I’ve made my recommendation to the Editor?
Use the Search function —it’s to the right on your dashboard, which is the first screen you see after you go to your AE Center. You can find any manuscript for which you were AE. You can search by various criteria or leave all fields blank and you’ll get a list of all the manuscripts you have handled. Hit "Take Action" for full information.
The list on the left side has links to show manuscripts that need various kinds of attention, so the ones that you have sent on to the Editor are no longer listed there.
How can I speed up the review process?
Our mutual goal is to shorten the time from submission to decision, while having quality reviews. Here are some ways that AEs can help reduce the time.
- Try to find enough qualified reviewers to invite at least 5 rather than the usual 3 reviewers. Some may not agree to review, and some may be late or submit an incomplete review.
- Log into the system regularly to check your to-do lists in the event that an email alerting you that action on your part is needed has gone astray.
- You might find that more reviewers need to be invited if some reviewers aren’t responding to your invitation to review.
- Perhaps go without a third review, or do it yourself, if this is allowed in your Community.
- Be sure that you don’t create a new reviewer account unless you are completely sure that the reviewer has no account. When a reviewer goes to his/her usual account and doesn’t see a manuscript there (because the manuscript is at a new, second account the AE mistakenly made), then the review doesn’t get done.
How can I add a reviewer? How can I check to see if a reviewer is already in the database?
If you have a name in mind, simply put the first or last name in the Quick Search, then checkmark the one you want from the list of results and hit "Add." If that doesn’t work, thoroughly check the database to see if the potential reviewer is listed. Search using part of the name with * for the rest, instead of trying to match a whole name (Kris or Christine? Try *ris*). Try name variants (Bob as well as Robert). Use the Advanced Search using all of the email addresses you have for the reviewer, or the person’s institution, using * where you aren’t sure.
Making a new reviewer account when the reviewer is already in the database means that the reviewer won’t be able to get to the manuscript until ASABE administration notices the problem and merges the accounts. This adds to the review time.
When you are sure the potential reviewer is not in the database, use the "Create Reviewer Account" on the right side of the screen.
A reviewer can’t get to the manuscript. What can an AE do?
There are two likely possibilities.
(1) The reviewer has not followed the "agree to review" link in the invitation email you sent. In this case, you could resend the email (from the Audit Trail tab) so that the reviewer can hit the link. Or, go to the Reviewer's tab and indicate the reviewer has agreed and then you assign the review.
(2) The second possibility is that the reviewer has two accounts, and the manuscript is tied to only one of them. To fix this problem, email ManuscriptCentral@asabe.org, and we can fix it. If you are in a hurry, search and find the reviewer’s other account, and assign the review to this other account. Please notify admin so we can merge the two accounts.
I don’t have enough reviewer leads for a manuscript.
After you check the author’s suggested reviewers, your leads, and those auto-suggested by ScholarOne, try searching the ScholarOne database for related papers and by reviewer keywords and specialty. There are several ways to search, all under the Select/Invite Reviewer tab. (You can arrange these search methods as you like by using the "Set My Search Preferences" button on the right.)
User accounts of many potential reviewers have a useful annotation in the Specialty field, and this can be searched. The annotation is the Technical Community acronym + rev, i.e., ASE rev, EOPD rev, ES rev, ESH rev, ITSC rev, MS rev, NRES rev, PAFS rev, or PRS rev.
You may also want to search the ASABE Online Technical Library or use Google Scholar search to see who has published in the relevant area. Searching in just the title or keywords fields will narrow the results.
Then, find the author contact info in the article itself, or by checking the ASABE member database, or by checking an organization staff directory online.
Before creating a reviewer account please make sure that the reviewer is not already in the database
(see above,
How can I check to see if a reviewer is already in the database?)
After you have the list you want, hit "invite" for the ones you want to invite now, saving the extras for later.
The system won’t let me invite more than 10 reviewers, but I still don’t have 3 who have agreed to review. What can I do?
To clear the space, you can hit the trashcan icon to remove the reviewer. When you send the canned email, the space will be cleared to invite more reviewers. (Note that you do need to hit the "send" button to advance the system, but you don’t actually need to have an address in the "to" field, if you don’t want the reviewer to get the email.)
Are revisions always reviewed by the same reviewers?
No. The default is that previous reviewers are listed for revised manuscripts (except for reviewers who checked the "no" box on the review sheet), but reviewers are not actually invited until the AE makes it so.
Also, the AE may invite additional reviewers to review revisions, whether or not they reviewed the earlier version.
The reviewer’s email address is incorrect. How can I fix it so the email goes to the right place?
There are several ways:
- Add the correct address to the email before you hit Send. This only works for the one email.
- Ask the reviewer to log on and to hit "Edit Account" on the top right of the Main Menu screen. This only works if the reviewer does it.
- Ask admin (ManuscriptCentral@asabe.org) to do it for you. The person will be notified of the change.
How can a reviewer be removed from the list of potential reviewers?
The reviewer (or admin) can update his/her own information from the login screen. There’s a place to indicate unavailable dates. A reviewer can be made unavailable for years, while remaining in the database and retaining an Author Center.
How can I stop reminders from going to reviewers?
The Reviewer List section has a place to edit reminders. If you set the date in the far future or uncheck the box, the reminder won’t be sent.
How can I make a MS Word document available to reviewers, instead of only a PDF?
Be sure that, in the Manuscript Files tab, the Microsoft Word file has "HTML/PDF Proof" button checked. (This is the default for any file denoted as a main document.) Reviewers can see any file with that box checked; they must hit the "Original Files" button to see it. Of course, if the author did not upload a Word file there isn’t one to use. In that case, you or admin can ask the author to send a Word file (by email attachment) and you or admin can upload it (see Who sees what files?).
How can I make comments or track changes on a Microsoft Word document anonymous?
If reviewers have left identifying comments in Word and you would like them to remain anonymous, save the file to your computer, follow a procedure to make it all anonymous, then resave and upload the file (see How can I upload a changed or corrected file?) The procedure is easy, but differs with Word versions. For Word 2003, go to Tools/Options/Security tab, check the "Remove personal information from file properties on save" box, and hit OK. For newer Word versions, use the Document Inspector. The details differ among Word versions, so search, e.g., "Word 2010 make comments anonymous" for directions.
What should I do when the reviewer mails a marked-up paper copy?
If a reviewer prefers to work on paper, ideally the reviewer would still mark the online scoresheet. The marked-up paper copy could be scanned and uploaded or, if necessary, mailed or faxed to the AE.
If a reviewer marks an online scoresheet and sends a paper copy to the AE, the AE can scan the paper and upload the file, or send it to ASABE admin and we’ll do it for you.
If the reviewer does not mark and submit the online scoresheet, the system will not know that the review has been done. Thus, the reviewer will get reminders, our statistics will be wrong, and the reviewer’s name will not appear in the list of reviewers thanked at the end of the year. So, please email ManuscriptCentral@asabe.org with the paper number and reviewer name and ASABE admin will make the system reflect the reality.
What can an AE do if the reviewer put comments in the wrong box?
Generally a reviewer puts comments to the author in one box on the review form, and comments for the editors in another box. The editors can see all these comments, and edit them, before sending them on to the author. Reviewers and editors can also "attach" files for the author and for editors. (The files are not attached to the email, they are attached to the site.)
Sometimes, though, a reviewer mistakenly puts comments that the author should see in the "For Editor" box and thus the author won’t be able to see them. If the reviewer would like to correct this, the AE can rescind the review. It goes back to the reviewer, who can log in, fix it, and re-submit the review. Or, an AE can scroll down to the end of the review, click edit, make the changes, and save. It’s best to note that corrections were made.
How do I rate the reviewers, and why?
At the end of the review there is a place to rate the review in terms of timeliness and quality. The process takes just takes a moment, and in the long term your feedback will improve the system. Also, nominees for reviewer awards are selected from those with above-average scores here.
How can I change a reviewer rating? I goofed and don’t want to besmirch the record.
View the review again, scroll down, click edit, make your changes, and save.
How can I indicate that a paper should be considered for a paper award?
There is a place for this on the recommendation form. You do not need to follow what the reviewers indicate on the review form.
Why use revision cycles? Why involve the Editor in intermediate versions?
Often there are revisions and corrections that need to be made through several rounds of dialog between the AE and the author. The advantages of using the system for all review-revision cycles are that (1) the system keeps track of revisions, so there is no danger of an early version going to print or reviewers seeing the wrong version; (2) the author can upload each revision and check the PDF for proper conversion, rather than having editors cope with file upload problems; (3) the complete history of the revisions and the author’s responses to suggestions are readily available; (4) the AE may remain anonymous; and (5) everyone’s work is reflected accurately in the statistics about process times.
However, sometimes the AE may work directly with the author on revisions. The AE and author email manuscript files back and forth outside the ScholarOne system until the AE is ready to make a recommendation to the Editor. (Emails sent from within ScholarOne are archived under the Audit Trail tab, and replies and outside emails may be archived there as well, but activity is not recorded and due dates are not changed until the recommendation to the Editor is made.)
At this time, the AE uploads the last, final, version of the manuscript into ScholarOne using Manage Files (see How can I upload a changed or corrected file?). Then the AE posts a recommendation to the Editor that the manuscript is acceptable for publication.
Can I be removed from the list of potential reviewers, but still be available as an AE?
If you are listed in the database but do not want to be asked to review, go to "edit your information" on the top right of the Main Menu screen. There, indicate that you are unavailable for a long time span. If an editor does a search for you as a reviewer, your record will pop up with a red "NA" by the name and the reviewer info box will show the unavailable dates. However, the editor could still ask you to review; the system won’t prevent it.
You can still work in the system, submit articles, etc.
Note that the same unavailable notation will show up when an Editor is searching for an AE for a manuscript. If you want to be active as an AE but not as a reviewer, you will want to be sure your Editor knows to ignore your unavailability.
How can I upload a changed or corrected file?
Generally changes should be treated as revisions. However, there are instances where an AE or Editor would like to make just a few little changes such as correcting a typo or verb tense. Or, perhaps an editor notices that the file is incomplete and asks the author for a corrected file. The author sends the new file via email attachment and the editor uploads it.
Here’s what to do:
(1) Go to Manuscript Files. Hit "Edit Details" (on right) for the old file. Change the file designation to "Other files for editors," use the comment box to explain your actions, and hit Save. Uncheck the box for HTML/PDF Proof. (Those with the box checked can be seen by reviewers.) This will archive the old file without circulating it.
(2) While it is on your computer, name the corrected file in a way that shows your actions, e.g., "Corrected by John Doe 12 Oct SW1234.doc." Upload it. Designate it as the "Main Document." Use the comment box to document what you did. Hit Upload and Save. The new file will appear in the list. Checkmark the HTML/PDF Proof box if needed. This is now the file that reviewers and all will see.
The changes should be made entirely before, or entirely after, all the reviews are done, otherwise we won’t be able to tell which version was reviewed.
Who sees what files?
Under the Manuscript Files tab, the files denoted as "HTML/PDF Proof" can be seen by authors and reviewers. Authors see only the PDF version (they probably still have their original Word file); reviewers can see and download both the Word and PDF files. Review files and comments are denoted as either for authors and editors, or for editors only, not for authors. Decision files go to the author.
Only editors and admin can see and upload to the Manuscript Files area. The File Designation determines who sees the file.
The title on the manuscript does not match what is in the Manuscript Information area. Which title is right?
During manuscript submission, the author puts the title in a box, and that’s what shows later in the Manuscript Information area. It might not match what is on the manuscript file itself. The title on the manuscript file is what will be used for eventual publication. The author may change either or both of these titles only when uploading a revision. If the title is wrong enough to need changing in the Manuscript Information area, please contact admin.
How can I keep my account information up to date?
Edit your information from the button at the top of your screen. It is vital to have your correct email(s) there. If you would like to be asked to review manuscripts, be sure to include the ASABE Technical Community + rev (i.e., ASE rev, EOPD rev, ES rev, ESH rev, ITSC rev, MS rev, NRES rev, PAFS rev, PRS rev) in the Specialty/Areas of Expertise box, along with your particular specialties. Also list your Keywords. Please check the top of the screen for more info about becoming a reviewer.
Note that changing your info in the ASABE member database does NOT change your ScholarOne Manuscripts database. Please update both sites.
Where is training material?
At the top right of the opening screen, hit "Instructions & Forms" for the material specific to ASABE. It is also at https://www.asabe.org/publications/journal-editors-and-reviewers.aspx. The "Get Help Now" button has material for all journals that use ScholarOne.
May I make a suggestion?
Please do. Click on the "Get Help Now" area at the top right, and submit your enhancement suggestion in the "Ask a Question" area. For suggestions specific to ASABE, email ManuscriptCentral@asabe.org.
What are the typical steps in the ASABE journal review and publication process?
- The author uploads a new manuscript to the ASABE ScholarOne online submission and review
system. ASABE admin reviews the material and when complete routes it to the Editor for the ASABE Technical Community. The author can track the progress of the manuscript. Until the author is asked for a revision, no new drafts of this manuscript can be uploaded.
- The Editor assigns the manuscript to an Associate Editor (AE), and a notification email is sent to the AE.
- The AE invites reviewers by searching for and selecting them. The system sends an invitation email to the reviewers, then sends reminders if they do not respond within a set time. Reviewers can, and generally do, respond via a link in the invitation email, and if they accept the invitation they are directed to the manuscript to review. Alternatively, reviewers can accept the invitation by telling the AE they accept. In this case the AE must return to the system to record the acceptance so that the reviewers can access the manuscript. Automatic reminders are sent to reviewers until the review is submitted or no longer needed.
- When reviews are completed, the reviewers post their recommendation and editorial comments in the system. Reviewers may upload files with review comments. These files are designated for editors only or for authors and editors.
- Once all the reviews are in, the AE posts a recommendation to the Editor. The Editor reviews the material and makes a decision. Email about the decision is sent to the authors.
- If the Editor asks for a revision, the author revises the manuscript and, via the Author Center, submits a revision and a letter that outlines the changes. The AE is notified via email that the revised manuscript is now available in the AE center. The AE may invite additional reviews or immediately make a recommendation to the Editor.
- may be repeated until a final decision of Accept or Reject is made by the Editor. Each version has a revision number.
- When the Editor makes the final decision that the manuscript be rejected or accepted for publication, an email is generated informing the authors, AE, and ASABE admin of the decision.
- Accepted manuscripts go into production. The accepted manuscript is posted online as In Press. It also goes to an ASABE staff editor who reads the manuscript and makes corrections so the manuscript conforms to ASABE style conventions. Then the manuscript is emailed to the contact author for review. After the manuscript corrections are complete, the final layout is made. A PDF page proof is emailed to the author. The author replies with approval or any needed corrections. Corrected articles are assembled into an issue, paginated, printed, and posted to the ASABE Technical Library. Email goes to the authors upon web posting so they may download the final, paginated, PDFs of their articles.