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Chem Soc Rev is a Transformative Journal, and Plan S compliant

Impact factor: 60.615*

Time to first decision (all decisions): 44.7 days**

Time to first decision (peer reviewed only): 44.7 days***

Chair: Jennifer Love

Indexed in MEDLINE and Science Citation Index

Open access publishing options available

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Meet the team

Chem Soc Rev (Chemical Society Reviews) is the Royal Society of Chemistry's leading reviews journal. We publish high-impact, authoritative and reader-friendly review articles covering important topics at the forefront of the chemical sciences.

We welcome and encourage proposals for reviews from members of the research community. If you are interested in writing a review, you can download a proposal form via the links below: 

Chem Soc Rev Review proposal form

Chem Soc Rev Tutorial proposal form

Chem Soc Rev Viewpoint proposal form

 

Journal scope

Chem Soc Rev publishes review articles covering important topics at the forefront of the chemical sciences. Reviews should be of the very highest quality and international impact. We particularly encourage international and multidisciplinary collaborations among our authors.

Our scope covers the breadth of the chemical sciences, including interdisciplinary topics where the article has a basis in chemistry. Topics include:

  • Analytical chemistry
  • Biomaterials chemistry
  • Bioorganic/medicinal chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Chemical Biology
  • Coordination Chemistry
  • Crystal Engineering
  • Energy
  • Sustainable chemistry
  • Green chemistry
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Inorganic materials
  • Main group chemistry
  • Nanoscience
  • Organic chemistry
  • Organic materials
  • Organometallics
  • Physical chemistry
  • Supramolecular chemistry
  • Synthetic methodology
  • Theoretical and computational chemistry

ChemSocRev Pioneering Investigator Lectureship

This award recognises mid-career scientists who have firmly established themselves in their independent careers and continuously publish innovative and pioneering work. Nominations are open for this award between 1 November - 31 December 2022.

Read about eligibility, how to nominate, and see all award winners

Meet the team

Find out who is on the editorial and advisory boards for the Chem Soc Rev journal.

Article types

Chem Soc Rev publishes:

  • Tutorial reviews
  • Reviews
  • Viewpoints

All articles should consist of original text and interpretation. If other authors’ material is used - either text or graphics - permission must be sought by the author from the publisher of the original source and must be made clear in the manuscript. 

Reviews and Tutorial Reviews should focus on key developments in a field, with the author providing their own analysis and insight throughout on developments, trends and future directions. Articles which simply summarise research in the topic with minimal or no analysis or insight from the author are not suitable for publication in Chem Soc Rev. To achieve this goal we respectfully ask authors of Reviews and Tutorial Reviews to use new graphics where possible (by redrawing schemes for example) and to aim for no more than 20% of graphics in their article to be reused from previously published work. We understand that in some cases it is necessary to include more previously published graphics (for example, where graphs or microscope images are shown). In these cases we ask authors to provide a very brief justification on submission.

Authors may supply videos, PowerPoint slides, soundbites, pictures and other additional material as electronic supplementary information (ESI) to complement and enhance their articles. Please contact the editorial office for more details.

Guidance on specific article types is below.

See more information about these article types

Tutorial Reviews

Tutorial Reviews are concise, accessible and authoritative overviews of important contemporary topics in the chemical sciences. They should appeal to advanced undergraduates, the general research chemist who is new to the field, as well as the expert. They provide a solid introduction to the development of a subject, the latest breakthrough results and their implications for the wider scientific community. Tutorial Reviews should not contain unpublished research.

Tutorial reviews must fulfil the following criteria.

Accessible

Appeal to advanced undergraduate students and beyond. Tutorial reviews are often used in advanced undergraduate and Master’s studies.

Authoritative

Provide an essential introduction to the field which will lay the foundation of knowledge in the area, followed by the most important recent advances. Authors should include throughout the article their own insights into the development of the field and its future potential.

Exciting

In particular highlight areas where there has been a significant recent advance.

Concise

There is no strict reference limit; however please include only the most important historical and recent research, referencing the major contributions (with the “and references cited therein” addition where appropriate). Tutorial Reviews are typically up to 15 journal pages in length.

Jargon free

Specialist terms and symbols should be defined and fundamental ideas simply explained.   

Tutorial reviews should include a 'key learning points' box, containing up to five key learning points that a reader should expect to gain from reading the review. These should be provided on submission, either at the beginning of the review or as a separate document.

Reviews

Reviews provide an authoritative and in-depth understanding of important topics in the chemical sciences. They give a very high quality state-of-the-art account of the subject matter and a balanced assessment of the current primary literature. The implications of recent developments for the wider scientific community are emphasised and authors should aim to stimulate progress in the field. Chem Soc Rev Reviews should not contain original, unpublished research.

Reviews must fulfil the following criteria.

Accessible

Of general interest and enticing to the journal’s wide, community-spanning readership.

Appealing

A timely account which is needed and which genuinely adds to the existing literature.

Carefully referenced

References should be selected to give a balanced view of the field.

Jargon free

Specialist terms and symbols should be defined and fundamental ideas simply explained.     

Viewpoints

Viewpoints are short, opinion-based articles where the author gives their view on a challenge, issue or key development in an important area of chemistry research.

A Viewpoint is not intended to be a mini-review. The focus should be on the opinion of the author; however the article should be scholarly and the arguments made should be supported by appropriate references.

A typical Viewpoint:

  • is up to four journal pages in length
  • contains up to three display items

Journal guidelines

The following guidelines are journal specific. For general guidance on preparing an article please visit our Prepare your article and Resources for authors pages, the content of which is relevant to all of our journals.

For accepted proposals or invited submissions, authors are encouraged to submit their full manuscript on the Royal Society of Chemistry article template, which is available to download here. 

Open access publishing options

Chem Soc Rev is a hybrid (transformative) journal and gives authors the choice of publishing their research either via the traditional subscription-based model or instead by choosing our gold open access option. Find out more about our Transformative Journals. which are Plan S compliant.

Gold open access

For authors who want to publish their article gold open access, Chem Soc Rev charges an article processing charge (APC) of £2,500 (+ any applicable tax). Our APC is all-inclusive and makes your article freely available online immediately, permanently, and includes your choice of Creative Commons licence (CC BY or CC BY-NC) at no extra cost. It is not a submission charge, so you only pay if your article is accepted for publication.

Learn more about publishing open access.

Read & Publish

If your institution has a Read & Publish agreement in place with the Royal Society of Chemistry, APCs for gold open access publishing in Chem Soc Rev may already be covered.

Check if your institution is already part of our Read & Publish community.

Please use your official institutional email address to submit your manuscript; this helps us to identify if you are eligible for Read & Publish or other APC discounts.

Traditional subscription model

Authors can also publish in Chem Soc Rev via the traditional subscription model without needing to pay an APC. Articles published via this route are available to institutions and individuals who subscribe to the journal. Our standard licence allows you to make the accepted manuscript of your article freely available after a 12-month embargo period. This is known as the green route to open access.

Learn more about green open access.

Readership information

Chem Soc Rev has a truly international readership, from emerging investigators to eminent scientists working in across all areas of the chemical sciences.

Subscription information

Chemical Society Reviews is part of collections RSC Gold and General Chemistry.

Online only 2022: ISSN 1460-4744, £1,165 / $1,849

 

*2021 Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate Analytics, 2022)

**The median time from submission to first decision including manuscripts rejected without peer review from the previous calendar year

***The median time from submission to first decision for peer-reviewed manuscripts rejected from the previous calendar year

Journals, books & databases

Find out more about the ChemSocRev lectureship award

Contact us

Queries prior to submission of synopses and review manuscripts, please contact our Executive Editor
Email:
Richard Kelly

Queries after submission of synopses and review manuscripts, please contact our Editorial Production Manager
Email:
Helen Saxton

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