Referee Server: Frequently Asked Questions
[last updated July 2006]

  1. What is my Referee ID and password?
  2. My email address has changed, and I need my Referee ID and/or password.  How can I obtain that information?
  3. My password doesn't work - what do I do?
  4. How do I change my password?
  5. What does the error "No Authentication" mean?
  6. What are "cookies" and how do you use them?
  7. How do I become a referee for The APS?
  8. I have been requested to review a paper, but I do not see any papers listed on my Referee homepage.
  9. I cannot download the paper because the links for 'pdf' or 'ps' files are not active.
  10. I cannot print the paper.
  11. How do I update my contact information and my availability for reviewing?
  12. Can I upload my own ".txt", ".tex", ".doc", ".pdf", or ".ps" file to the report page?
  13. My report seems to disappear when I hit the "back" button after previewing it.
  14. Can I email my report? Where are the forms and what email address should I use?
  15. Can I access my reviewing history online?
  16. What should I do if I find an error in the output of my referee history?
  17. How can I obtain an authorized, signed letter detailing referee criteria and my review history for immigration purposes?

1. What is my Referee ID and password?

Your referee ID is a permanent number that is assigned to you as a referee for the APS. This number cannot be changed. It is usually included in any correspondence that you receive from us that references your functions as a referee. If you do not know your Referee ID number, please send a message to help@aps.org

Please be advised that for security, convenience, and future reference, there are several links on the referee server login page where you can have your password generated and sent to the email account registered in our database, however, your Referee ID number is required.  Please refer to the link directly below:
http://referees.aps.org/#password

Passwords are case sensitive.  We strongly recommend that you copy and paste your referee id and password into their respective fields to avoid error.

After a successful login on the referee server, you will have the option to  change your password by clicking the "Change password" link on the left.

If you do not receive your password within a reasonable length of time, or if you require any additional assistance, please contact us by sending a message to help@aps.org.

2. My email address has changed and I need my Referee ID and/or password.  How can I obtain that information?

Send a message to help@aps.org. A staff member can provide that information to you.

3. My password doesn't work - what do I do?

The referee server requires a password.

The first thing to try is to click on the "Don't know your password" link on
the referee server page located here. When redirected, fill in your assigned ID number and click the "send password" button.  If you do not receive your password within a reasonable length of time, please contact us by sending a message to help@aps.org.

Once a password is generated, you have the option of changing that password to another of your own choosing.

4. How do I change my password?

After your initial login you will be directed to your referee homepage. On that page, you will have the option of changing your password to one of your own choosing. Click on the "Change password" link located on the left side of the screen. You will first complete one set of fields with your ID number and your old password, and then you will complete a second set of fields. In one field you will type your new password of choice, and in the second field, you will retype the same password again to verify it. Then click on the "Submit" button.

After changing your password, if you receive an error stating "password could not be verified", this means that something was different between the two times you typed the new password and they did not match. Please try again, being sure to type the password identically both times.

5. What does the error "No Authentication" mean?

Your browser must be enabled to accept cookies for the authentication process to respond properly. For example, in Netscape, this can be done under the "Edit" tool at the top of your browser window, i.e., Edit > Preferences > Advanced > "Accept Cookies".  Please note that all browsers are different.  You may need to seek assistance for your personal browser from the "Help" menu on your browser's tool bar.

6. What are "cookies" and how do you use them?

Under normal circumstances the interaction between a web server and a client (browser) is "stateless", so that each interaction is independent of previous or subsequent interactions, as far as the protocol is concerned. For a web server supporting a complex transaction crossing several web pages, there are 3 standard methods for preserving "state" in order to create the appearance of a single continuous session between browser and client: forms data, cookies, or session-dependent URL's. All three methods involve the server creating a unique piece of data that identifies the session, and persuading the client browser to return it with each connection. All three methods have advantages and disadvantages relating to user interfaces, network caching, and interlinking between pages. The current web interface uses "cookies" for session management.

In a form, the session data would be placed within a hidden field in the web page returned from the server, and would then be returned again from the browser when the form is submitted. With a session-dependent URL, the session data is embedded in the URL of links on a page, and so is returned by the client in the next request. With a cookie, the session data need only be sent once by the server, and then (if the cookie was accepted by the browser user) is returned by the browser in the HTTP header information for subsequent requests. The cookies we use are temporary; they are not written to disk or preserved the next time you start up your web browser, and cannot be used to track your usage of our or other systems in any way other than for the single session they are used for (for example for submitting a paper, or a referee report).

7. How do I become a referee for The APS?

Referees are selected by the editors based on their record of publication and/or the recommendations of other referees and Editorial Board members.  You could send to us a list of your publications and a summary of your expertise (subject areas you would be competent to review, described both by words and appropriate PACS numbers; also whether your expertise is theoretical, experimental, or both). A list of Editorial contacts can be found here. The editors would then consider whether to add you to the list of prospective referees.

8. I have been requested to review a paper, but I do not see any papers listed on my Referee homepage.

This could mean that you were asked about your availability to review the paper, but it has not yet been assigned.  Please review the message that was sent to you.  If it was indeed an assigned referral, please send a message to help@aps.org and we can investigate further.

9. I cannot download the paper because the links for "pdf" or "ps" files are not active.

This is due to an error in our records.  Please send a message to  help@aps.org.  We can have this corrected immediately, and you will be able to download the paper.

10. I cannot print the paper.

We can send you a hard copy of the paper via conventional mail if you send a message to  help@aps.org, but in the meantime, please try the following to see if it resolves your printing problems:

You may want to try downloading the file to your own computer storage, instead of opening directly.  By doing so, your pdf viewer will open independently of your web browser.  To do this, right click on the link to the pdf file and select "Save Link As".  This will open a "Save As" dialog box, choose a location to save the file, then open it using Adobe Acrobat.  Make note of the directory and folder in which you store the file.

It is also suggested that you obtain the latest version of Acrobat Reader.  It is available for free download here.

Your printer may not be equipped with enough memory or installed fonts to print the paper.  You will need to contact your Systems Administrators for further assistance.

11. How do I update my contact information and my availability for reviewing?

Our referee update form is accessible after a successful login to the referee server.   Please be sure to complete the fields under the heading "Referee Information Update Form".  Please note that this is merely a request to update your profile in our database, and the actual update requires manual intervention by our staff.  The update is NOT immediate and can take several days.

12. Can I upload my own ".txt", ".tex", ".doc", ".pdf", or ".ps" file to the report page?

Yes, you can. Although ascii (.txt) or .tex files are preferred (other formats sometimes lead to conversion problems and sometimes carry identifying information about the person who wrote the file), we understand that there are times when a different format may be better for a referee report (e.g., when there is a lot of mathematical material needed in the report), and so it is possible to upload .doc, .pdf, or .ps files using the respective upload buttons provided on the report page. We do prefer formats where the original keystrokes are available, therefore, please only send .pdf or .ps files when a report in one of the other preferred formats (.txt or .tex) is not possible.

13. My report seems to disappear when I hit the "back" button after previewing it.

A few suggestions that may help the next time you wish to submit a report:

1) If your cache is set to zero, and then you hit preview and try to go back and edit your report, it will disappear. Perhaps, if your cache is set to zero, you may want to adjust it, and retry at another time.

2) It is strongly suggested that you create your report in a separate text editor, and either upload the report or copy and paste it into the respective fields. By doing this, you will always have a permanent record of your report, and it eliminates the possibility of losing all of the report in case of a glitch or due to the cache issue mentioned previously.

14. Can I email my report? Where are the forms and what email address should I use?

We prefer that you submit your report via the referee server located here, since information about the manuscript is automatically included and it provides a web form into which the referee report and your other responses can be typed or uploaded. However, you can alternatively email your report to the appropriate address for the respective journal. The specific email address for each journal can be found here.

We have response forms that you can download to your computer, complete, and send.  The forms are available in either .pdf format or ascii format.  You can access the response form from links on this page.

You also have the option of faxing your report or sending it via conventional mail.

15. Can I access my reviewing history online?

Yes, you can. You should see three such links after a successful login. They correspond to different time periods. Clicking on one of these links will create a pop-up window and run a program on our server to generate a html list of the papers that you were asked to review in that specific time range. We regret that the program to do this is a little slow, therefore, your patience is appreciated. This is especially true if you have had many referral requests from us. The results from the "all years" option may take minutes to appear, for instance.

16. What should I do if I find an error in the output of my referee history?

We shall be glad to respond to any queries you may have regarding this list. We suggest that you direct any editorial questions or technical issues, such as missing referrals, incorrect information, etc., to help@aps.org. The emails will be directed to the appropriate staff member for assistance.

17. How can I obtain an authorized, signed letter detailing referee criteria and my review history for immigration purposes?

You can send a message requesting this to help@aps.org.
 
 

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