Q: What does a status change from 'Editor Assigned' to 'Under Editor Evaluation' mean?

Note that statuses, as well as status changes, can be different for different journals. Here, I assume the status changed directly from ‘Editor Assigned’ to ‘Under Editor Evaluation.’ If so, ‘Editor Assigned’ means that an associate editor (AE) was assigned to the manuscript. The change to ‘Under Editor Evaluation’ means that the AE is now going through the manuscript to check the following aspects: match with the journal’s focus, novelty of the research, quality of the writing, and adherence to the journal’s submission guidelines. Based on these criteria, if the AE is satisfied with the paper, they will send it for a peer review.

If you are concerned about the time taken for the status change, note that for a quality journal, this is a rather standard timeline for the status change. Journals have a lot of manuscripts at various stages of the publication process that AEs need to manage. You could wait for a few weeks to know the next status. If it takes longer, you may consider sending the editor a mail requesting an update. All the best for your paper!

For more insights, you may also refer to the following resources:

• What does the status "Editor Assigned" indicate?
• What does the status 'under editor evaluation' mean?
• Keep calm and wait: A guide to understanding journal statuses [Handbook]