Getting Started in Aperta
About this Guide
This guide provides a general overview of the Aperta™ submission and peer review system. Enter the system now.
For step-by-step instructions for authors, editors, and reviewers, read the individual user guides.
Quick links
Links to other Aperta user guides
PLOS Biology is the only PLOS journal to receive submissions in Aperta at this time. Use the Editorial Manager system to submit to other journals.
Aperta Quickstart
Signing In
You must have a PLOS account to access Aperta. You only need one account to access all of your manuscripts in Aperta, whether you are an author, reviewer, or Editorial Board member.
Existing accounts
If you have previously used a PLOS account to comment on published articles on the PLOS journal websites or to sign up for eTOC alerts, you will use the same credentials to access Aperta. As an Editorial Board member, you may have had an account created for you when you joined. Sign in with the same email address you provided upon joining the board.
Go to the Aperta homepage and click Sign in with PLOS.
Enter your credentials on the PLOS sign-in screen to access the system. If you need to recover your password, click the Forgot your password link to have reset instructions emailed to you.
New accounts
To set up a new PLOS account, go to the Aperta homepage and click Create an account.
On the next screen, fill out the form with your contact information and password. Then click Create Account.
When you submit the form, you will receive a confirmation email from plos.org with a link to verify your account. Click the link in the confirmation email to complete your account registration. You will then be redirected to the sign-in page. Click Sign in with PLOS and enter your new credentials.
If you are having trouble accessing your account, try resetting your password. For further assistance, email the journal.
Your Aperta Profile
Your Profile in Aperta displays your account information. To access your Profile, click on your name in the upper right-hand corner of your screen and select Profile in the dropdown menu.
The Profile includes a button to connect or create an ORCID iD. This opens a popup window where you can enter your ORCID information or register for a new ORCID iD.
PLOS requires that all corresponding authors provide an ORCID iD when submitting a manuscript, and we encourage everyone participating in the peer review process to have one. Learn more about ORCID at PLOS. For more information about how to set up your ORCID iD in Aperta, watch this short video.
Workspaces
There are two main workspaces in Aperta: Your Manuscripts and the Manuscript Page.
Your Manuscripts
Your Manuscripts is the home screen in Aperta. You can return to this space at any time by clicking Your Manuscripts at the top of your screen. Your Manuscripts displays a list of all active manuscripts you are involved in, either as an author, reviewer, or Academic Editor. There is also a section for inactive manuscripts, such as manuscripts that have already received a decision or manuscripts that have been withdrawn. To access the specific manuscript, click the title.
If you are an author submitting a new manuscript, you can start your submission by clicking the green Create New Submission button. If you are a reviewer or Academic Editor, your manuscript invitations will also appear on this page.
Manuscript Page
You can access the Manuscript Page of any submission by clicking any title in Your Manuscripts. In this workspace, the manuscript text appears on the left side of the screen. On the right-hand side of the screen are “cards” containing tasks to complete or information about the submission, such as the cover letter or figures. If you experience any issues with the manuscript view, click the Downloads button to access and check the original file.
You can adjust the width of the manuscript or the cards by clicking and dragging the divider between the two sides.
Cards
Cards contain tasks to complete or information about a submission. Depending on your role on each submission, you will see different cards and have different tasks to complete.
Click a card name to display the information inside, and click the name again to collapse the contents. To complete a task, click I am done with this task at the top of the card.
Completed tasks will show a green check mark. Click Make changes to this task to edit the information you have entered.
Additional Features
Aperta has additional tools and features for interacting and collaborating. These are located in the Navigation Bar at the top of the Manuscript Page.
| Versions |
You can compare two versions of a DOC or DOCX manuscript file by using the Versions tool in the navigation bar. You can also compare information entered on the submission cards. Note that the versioning tool cannot be used to compare PDF to DOC/DOCX submissions. Also, if the previous manuscript was submitted as a PDF, figures and supporting information files will not be comparable on the Figures and Supporting Information cards. To view and compare these items, click the Downloads button to access the previous PDF.
The versions window will highlight all deleted text in red highlights and all new text in green. Click X to return to the current submission. |
|---|---|
| Downloads |
Click the Downloads button to access current and prior versions of the uploaded manuscript. Note that PDF versions of Word files may contain conversion errors. If you suspect a conversion error, refer to the Word file. |
| Recent Activity | The Recent Activity tool displays a list of recent actions and updates for the specific manuscript. |
| Discussions | The Discussions panel is a forum for interaction and communication between journal staff and contributors. This feature is inactive unless the journal initiates a discussion. |
Give Feedback
We encourage you to provide feedback on the Aperta system. Please use the Feedback link in the Navigation Bar to submit your comments and suggestions. Thank you for your input!