PRL Referee Strategy (prl-referee-strategy)

When to trigger

• The submission form asks for suggested / opposed referees
• You want to anticipate the objections a PRL referee will raise and address them in advance
• A prior Letter was bounced and you are rethinking who reviews it
• You are coordinating the cover-letter referee section (see prl-cover-letter)

How PRL review works (durable shape)

PRL is selective. APS editors triage on importance + breadth, then send promising Letters to referees (commonly two or more). A referee can recommend rejection on importance/breadth grounds even when the work is correct — so your strategy must defend both the science and the venue fit. There are defined resubmission and appeal routes if you disagree (handled in prl-revision).

Choosing suggested referees