Q: What is the next journal status following "Manuscript Submitted"?
My question is about the status flow of the journal AAPG. Does the status "Manuscript Submitted" mean that the manuscript has not been handed to the editor yet? What should the next status be?
The status "Manuscript submitted" implies that no action has yet been taken on your paper. The next step will be an admin check where the Editor-in-chief or editorial assistants will check whether your manuscript meets the journal's requirements. Once this is done, it will be assigned to an Associate Editor (AE) who will be responsible for your paper till the final decision stage.
However, it is difficult to predict what the next status will be as different journals have different status descriptions. It can be "With Editor" or "Admin check" or "Editor Assigned." Some journals do not get into the detailed statuses and just use the status "Under review" for both internal and external reviews. This may take up to a month and after that, if the manuscript is suitable, it will be sent for peer review. You may consider writing to the editor of the journal inquiring about the status of your manuscript.
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This content belongs to the Journal submission & peer review Stage