From article submission to decision: Understanding the editorial process
Gain clarity on what happens at each step and how editors evaluate your research.
How to submit a journal article and what happens after submission
Submitting your manuscript marks a significant milestone in your publishing journey.
This stage involves navigating the submission platform, monitoring progress and gaining insights into editorial procedures that determine your manuscript’s fate.
The three key areas of manuscript submission are outlined below with links to our resources.
Accessing journals and submitting
Editorial Manager is the submission platform used for most Elsevier journals. To begin the submission process, access the journal home page via the Journal Catalog or ScienceDirect, and click on the “submit your article” button.
Manuscript requirements and specifications vary by journal and article type. Ensure that you familiarize yourself with the journal’s guide for authors.
Tracking a submitted manuscript
After submission, the editor performs an initial screening of the manuscript to evaluate its suitability for the journal, considering factors such as novelty and scope. Papers may be rejected before peer review if they do not meet the assessment criteria. If your manuscript is a better match for another journal, the editor can recommend transfer options through our Article Transfer Service to help you find the shortest path to publication.
If accepted for review, the editor identifies two or three independent reviewers and invites them to evaluate your manuscript. Several factors may affect the time taken to review your paper, for example, the availability of reviewers with the right expertise in your area or the busy schedules of reviewers.
If you are the corresponding author, you’ll be able to track the status of your manuscript via the editorial system. If you are a co-author, you may be able to check the status if you received a co-author verification email and have logged in to validate your connection to the submission.
The decision-making process
Our editorial teams maintain the highest standards of integrity and fairness. We seek the leading experts in each field globally and ensure every manuscript receives a thorough, unbiased evaluation regardless of the authors’ backgrounds or institutional affiliations.
Once reviews are received, the editor evaluates the reports. Conflicting reports may require an additional review, returning the manuscript to “Under Review” status.
Four possible outcomes exist: Revise (requiring manuscript changes), Accept (proceeding to production), Reject (submission ends), or Transfer (recommendation to another journal via the Article Transfer Service). You'll receive an email notification with the decision, comments and further instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Submission supportThis means that an editor has been assigned but has not yet taken an action that triggers some other status. The editor may be reading and assessing the submission, assigning additional editors according to the journal’s policies, or taking some other action outside of the system. This status will remain until an editor takes an action to change the status, usually by inviting reviewers or making a desk decision.
The Article Transfer Service is designed to make the editorial process smoother and more efficient. By creating families of linked journals within various academic fields, Elsevier facilitates the seamless transfer of articles between journals. Our editors help you find the best home for your work by using advanced matching algorithms that assess topics, citations, acceptance rates and more. Our data indicate that manuscripts submitted to journals suggested for transfer have a 50% higher acceptance rate than manuscripts submitted to other journals. Also, transferred manuscripts are accepted about 10 days faster on average than all submitted manuscripts.
If you agree to the transfer, your submission files will be sent to another journal. You must then check the journal’s guide for authors to complete submission under the new journal’s policies. If the transfer takes place post-review, previous input from referees can also travel with the manuscript, ensuring the contributions of reviewers are used to maximum effect, so all parties benefit from the insights already shared.
After submission, authors can only make changes when the submission is sent back to them, or when the editors make a “revise” decision. Authors can select “Send Email” in Editorial Manager to contact the journal about urgent changes at other times.
Yes. If you decide you no longer wish to proceed, you can request withdrawal through Editorial Manager or via email to the editor.
Summary
The submission and awaiting decision stage is a period of anticipation and opportunity. It plays an essential part in strengthening research integrity and ensuring your work is given the attention it deserves. By understanding the submission platform, tracking tools and editorial processes, you position your manuscript for success while maintaining realistic expectations about timelines and outcomes.
Once you’ve completed this stage of the publication journey, you’re ready to move on to the next: Peer review and resubmission.