Q: Can you explain the "With Associate Editor" status?
I received the following email from the Editor-in-Chief (EiC): “After my initial reading of the paper, I assigned it to an associate editor. She / He will read the paper as well before deciding whether we will seek external review.”
The exact role of the Associate Editor (AE) can vary across journals. However, in most cases, for the submission part of the publication process, the AE has the following broad responsibilities:
- Evaluating the submitted manuscript: The AE goes through the manuscript to assess the match with the journal’s scope, the novelty of the study, the quality of the writing, and adherence to the journal’s guidelines.
- Sending the manuscript for peer review: If the AE is satisfied with the above aspects, they send the manuscript for peer review.
- Coordinating with the author(s) and the peer reviewers: The AE keeps checking the status of the review with the peer reviewers. They also correspond with the author as needed on the manuscript.
In your case, it seems the manuscript does match the scope of the journal. However, the EiC has sent it to the AE for a closer look at it for the aspects mentioned earlier. Once the AE is done with their assessment, they will make a decision on it, whether to send it for peer review or to desk-reject it. However, the AE only communicates their decision to the EiC. It is the EiC who makes the final decision on the manuscript. You should know the next status within a few weeks or so. If not, you may consider dropping them a mail requesting an update. All the best!
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This content belongs to the Journal submission & peer review Stage