Ask a Journal Editor to Correct Your Author Affiliation

First identify where the error appears

Before writing, distinguish the journal’s submission record from the manuscript file and any published version. If the paper is still under review, the error may be in the uploaded document, the online submission details, or both. After acceptance, production may already be preparing proofs. If the article is online or in print, the journal may have a separate process for correcting the published record.

Do not assume that changing one file updates every version. State the stage in plain terms—for example, “submitted and under review,” “accepted, proofs not yet approved,” or “published online”—and identify exactly where you see the mistake. If you are unsure, describe what you can verify and ask the editor which record is authoritative.

• Check the current manuscript file and the submission or proof details available to you.
• Note whether the article has been accepted, sent to production, or published.
• If the error appears in more than one place, list each affected version.

Prepare the correction before contacting the editor

Write down the author’s full name as it should appear, the incorrect affiliation as shown, and the complete corrected affiliation. Include the department or unit and institution details that belong in the manuscript, using the author’s preferred official spelling. If the journal uses numbered affiliations, note the author-to-affiliation mapping as well as the text.

Check the author list from beginning to end. Compare each name’s spelling and order against the version the authors have approved. An affiliation request is a useful time to catch related metadata discrepancies, but do not quietly change author order or names unless that is also intended and the relevant authors agree. If there are broader authorship changes, ask the journal what separate steps it requires.

Before: Jordan Lee — Department of Biology, North Example University
Correct: Jordan Lee — Department of Ecology, North Example University
Author order checked: Jordan Lee; Sam Rivera; Casey Morgan

Send a precise, stage-specific request

Use the journal’s stated contact route, such as the editor or editorial office address given in correspondence. Put the manuscript title and identification number in the subject line if you have one. Keep the request factual: explain where the error appears, name the affected author, show the incorrect and correct wording, and ask which version or records can be amended.

If the paper is at proof stage, follow the proof instructions and flag the correction there as well if requested. If it is already published, ask whether the journal has a correction procedure and what information it needs. The editor or journal determines whether a change can be made and how it will be recorded.

Subject: Affiliation correction — [Manuscript ID] — [Short title]

Dear [Editor or Editorial Office],

I am writing about [full manuscript title] ([Manuscript ID, if available]), currently [submission stage]. The affiliation for [author’s full name] is incorrect in [identify the file, submission record, proof, or published version].

It currently reads:
[Incorrect affiliation]

Please change it to:
[Correct affiliation]

I have checked the spelling of the author names and the order of the author list. [State whether the order is unchanged or identify any separate requested change.] Please let me know which version or records can be corrected and whether you need anything else from me or the coauthors.

Thank you,
[Your full name]
[Your role in the manuscript, if relevant]
[Contact email]

Match the request to the publication stage

For a manuscript still under review, say whether the correction is needed in the uploaded document, the submission details, or both. Ask whether the journal wants a replacement file or another action; do not assume you can revise a submitted record without permission.

For an accepted paper, distinguish the manuscript from the production proof. If proofs are available, identify the relevant page or location and follow the journal’s correction instructions. For a published article, refer to the online or print version as applicable and request guidance on the journal’s correction process rather than presenting an unpublished edit as already approved.

A short example of a clear request

Suppose a paper has been accepted and the proof lists an author’s former department. The request should say that the paper is accepted and at proof stage, identify the author and proof location, and provide the exact replacement wording. It should also state that the author order and name spellings have been checked and are not being changed. This helps prevent the editor from mistaking an affiliation correction for a broader authorship revision.

Confirm what was actually updated

Keep the editor’s reply and any corrected proof or file with your manuscript records. When the journal says the change is complete, inspect the version it identifies. Verify the affected author’s name, affiliation text, numbering or links between authors and affiliations, and the author order. If the article has multiple versions, ask whether the correction applies to each one rather than assuming it does.

If the error remains or the confirmation does not specify the affected version, reply with a concise follow-up naming the file or record you checked and the remaining discrepancy. Avoid sending repeated requests without new information; a focused clarification makes it easier for the journal to identify what still needs attention.