Q: What does "Decision in Process" mean without any review?

Detailed Question -

Hi. My team recently submitted a manuscript in IJEST. The status first showed that it is "With Editor" and then it changed to "Decision in Process" without going through any review process. Does this mean rejection?

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

Thank you for reaching out to us!

If the status of your paper has changed to "decision in process" without first changing to "under review", it possibly means that the journal editor is yet to make a decision about whether or not to send the paper for review. It does not necessarily imply rejection, so you need not lose hope just yet.

As long as your paper meets the journal scope, adheres to submission guidelines, and is clearly presented, it will likely undergo peer review once it has been cleared by the journal editor, or it might be returned to you to make certain changes before it can be considered for review.

The journal website mentions that it takes 35 days from the time of submission to the first decision, so you can follow up with the journal after this period in the event that you haven't heard from them by then.

We also have a few related resources on this journal status, including a useful handbook curated by our sister brand, R Upskill.

Hope that helps. All the best for your paper!