Q: The decision on my research paper is pending since 11 days; when will I be informed about it?
I submitted a paper to the International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences on 2017.11.03. Here are the status changes that followed:
With editor: 2017.11.03
With editor: 2017.11.05
Reviewer invited: 2017.11.26
Under review: 2017.11.26 (23 days after submission)
Ready for Decision: 2018.1.15 (50 days review, 73 days since submission)
Decision pending: 2018.1.18 (till 2018.1.29)
Does this imply rejection? How long does it take to get a decision normally? I'm so anxious, when can I check with the journal?
I can understand your anxiety. However, these status changes do not indicate anything about the outcome of your paper. You paper seems to have made steady progress. A review time of 50 days is quite quick, since reviews can often take several months to complete. It might take a few more days for the decision. If you do not receive the decision by mid-Feb, you can write to the journal.
All the best!
Related reading:
- What does it mean if the status date changes while the status remains 'Decision in Process'?
- How long does a paper remain at the 'Decision in Process' status?
This content belongs to the Journal submission & peer review Stage