Q: Does a quick shift to the Editor's Decision in Process status mean my manuscript will most likely be desk-rejected?

Detailed Question -

I submitted my manuscript on 16th May. The status has now become Editor's Decision in Process. Does that mean my manuscript will most likely be desk-rejected?

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

The status moved from Submitted to Decision in Progress in about five days. That’s really fast. Unfortunately, yes, one possibility is that it may be desk-rejected. However, sometimes, it may be that the associate editor (AE), who makes the initial decision on the manuscript, believes it might be a better fit with some other journal by the same publisher (if this is a big publishing house). Also, the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) makes the final decision, and their decision might well be different from the AE’s. So, all may not be lost.

If however it is a reject, as you may know, you can submit to another journal, making changes based on any feedback from this journal.

To minimize desk rejection for future papers, you may also consider our new AI-powered platform, PubSURE. The platform screens your manuscript to show areas of improvement. It thus helps you improve your manuscript and make it submission-ready. Even better, it then allows you to share your improved manuscript with different journal editors, one of whom may consider it for publication. You may learn more about the platform here: PubSURE

All said and done, there are many reasons why a journal may reject a manuscript, beyond those of the quality and novelty of the science. You may find out more here: Most common reasons for journal rejection

Also, rejection – and acceptance – are part and parcel of life as a scientific author. It helps to keep working on your academic resilience as you go along. So, all the best either way!

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