Appeals and Complaints

Appealing an Editorial Decision

An author who feels a final decision on their manuscript was unfair and would like to appeal can contact the handling Editor or journal Chief Editor. Please include the manuscript number and description of the appeal. Contact information for all AMS editorial boards is available on the Journals and Monographs page.

The following steps are taken when an appeal is received:

• The complaint is shared with either the handling Editor or journal Chief Editor for assessment.
• The handling Editor and journal Chief Editor may confer with the AMS Publications Commissioner and AMS Publications Director.
• The handling Editor or journal Chief Editor responds to the complainant.

Note that most appeals are resolved at the level of the handling Editor or journal Chief Editor.

If the complainant is not satisfied with the response from the handling Editor or journal Chief Editor the complainant may escalate the complaint by emailing the AMS Publications Commissioner at [email protected].

If a complaint is escalated, it is evaluated by the Publications Commissioner. The Commissioner may confer with the handling Editor, the journal Chief Editor, other current or former members of the AMS Publications Commission, the Publications Director, the AMS Executive Director, or with the AMS Committee on Ethics.

The Publications Commissioner provides a final response to the complainant.

Ethical Complaints

AMS Publications expects all authors, reviewers, and editors to adhere to the AMS Code of Conduct and to AMS’s ethical guidelines for authors, editors, and reviewers. Complaints about scientific misconduct or about improper behavior during the peer review process may be sent to the AMS Publications Commissioner at [email protected]. Complaints will be evaluated by the Publications Commissioner with input by the journal Chief Editor, handling editor (where appropriate) and Director of Publications. The following steps will be taken:

1. The Publications Commissioner gathers additional information as needed and evaluates the complaint.
2. The Publications Commissioner provides an email response to the complainant.
3. If the complainant is not satisfied, the Publications Commissioner asks if they want to file a formal complaint.
4. If the complainant wants to file a formal complaint, the Publications Commissioner directs them to the information on filing a formal complaint under the AMS Code of Conduct procedures. The formal complaint will then be handled under the overall AMS Code of Conduct procedures.