
{"id":1410,"date":"2014-09-29T09:34:47","date_gmt":"2014-09-29T09:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/editorial-decision-making-what-are-the-possible-outcomes-for-a-manuscript\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:19:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T10:49:14","slug":"editorial-decision-making-what-are-the-possible-outcomes-for-a-manuscript","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/editorial-decision-making-what-are-the-possible-outcomes-for-a-manuscript","title":{"rendered":"Editorial decision-making: what are the possible outcomes for a manuscript?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What is Editorial Decision-Making?<\/h2>\n<p>Editorial decision-making is the process in which the journal\u2019s editors decide the fate of a submitted research manuscript. Various factors are involved in this decision-making process, including the quality of the work, originality and novelty of the research, and relevance of the content to the scope (and audience) of the journal.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the steps involved in Editorial Decision-Making?<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"#initial-screening-process\">Initial Screening Process<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#peer-review\">Peer Review<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#editors-decision\">Editor\u2019s Decision<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"initial-screening-process\" style=\"padding-top: 80px; margin-top: -80px;\">Initial Screening Process<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">Once a manuscript is submitted to a journal, it goes through an initial screening process which involves a preliminary review by the journal editor or the editorial board. At this stage, the editor has to choose any one of the following outcomes for the paper:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. Return without review:<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">If the editor finds that the paper does not <a href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/selecting-a-suitable-target-journal-for-your-manuscript\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">match the scope of the journal<\/a> or does not meet the basic standards or expectations of the journal, (s)he may return the paper after initial screening without sending it for peer review. A paper could also be rejected at this stage if it has too many grammar and syntax errors; this is something that authors for whom <a href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/publish%E2%80%94in-english%E2%80%94or-perish-how-esl-authors-can-overcome-the-language-barrier\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">English is a second language<\/a> need to be careful about. However, the good thing is that the author is generally informed about the reason for return without review, so in case there is a major problem with the language, the paper can be professionally edited before it is submitted to the same or a different journal.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. Recommend transfer to another journal:<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">The editor may feel that the paper is not suitable for that particular journal, and may suggest that it could be transferred to another journal within the same publication banner. Usually, the transfer of documents takes place internally, but only after the author has given his\/her approval. Sometimes, an editor may recommend submission to a journal that is not within the same publication banner. In that case, it is entirely up to the author to take forward the submission process.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>3. Send the manuscript for peer review:<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">If, after the initial screening, the editor feels that the paper matches the scope and meets the basic requirements of the journal, (s)he will send it for peer review. Copies of the paper are usually sent out to two to three peer reviewers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Peer Review<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">Manuscripts that are sent out for <\/span><a style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/peer-review-process-and-editorial-decision-making-at-journals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">peer review<\/a><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"> receive comments and recommendations from the peer reviewers.\u00a0 Based on these reviews, the editor takes a final decision on the manuscript. While reviewer inputs are extremely valuable for the editor, they are just recommendations, not final decisions. The final decision on the manuscript rests with the editor. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">So there may be instances when the editor (1) accepts a paper if (s)he is convinced about the credibility of a paper even if it has received negative comments from all the reviewers, or (2) rejects a paper if (s)he finds it unworthy of publication even if the reviewers have given positive feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Editor\u2019s Decision<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">An editor makes one of the following decisions for a peer\u2013reviewed manuscript:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>1.\u00a0Accept in its present form:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">This means that the journal will publish the paper in its original form, and no changes are required. It is extremely unusual for a paper to receive this decision.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>2.\u00a0Accept with minor revisions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">Also known as conditional acceptance, this decision means that the paper requires minor changes for it to be accepted. Instances of this decision are also rather rare. When a paper receives a minor revision decision, it might not be sent for a second round of peer review; usually, the editor goes through the revisions and gives a final approval. However, it is good to remember that an \u2018accept with minor revisions\u2019 decision does not guarantee acceptance. The paper will be accepted only if the editor is satisfied with the changes made.<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Accept with major revisions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">An editor arrives at this decision when a manuscript needs to be substantially improved before it can be accepted. The author has to submit the revised manuscript along with a point-by-point <\/span><a style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/dos-and-donts-for-responding-to-peer-reviewers-comments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">response to the reviewer comments<\/a><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">. The revised manuscript is likely to be sent for a second round of peer review. Usually, the paper is sent to the same set of reviewers who had reviewed it the first time, but the editor may choose to send it to a different set of reviewers. The results of the second review or \u201crereview,\u201d as is it referred to by some journals, are based on how well the author has addressed the reviewer and editor comments. In case the author is unable to address all the comments in a satisfactory manner, further revisions may be required, or, in the worst case, the paper might be rejected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>4.\u00a0Revise and resubmit:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">Sometimes a manuscript may receive a rejection, but the editor might show willingness to consider the manuscript if it is revised and resubmitted as a new submission. If the author wishes to proceed with this, s(he) needs to revise the paper substantially based on the reviewer and editor comments, and submit it to the same journal as a new submission. <\/span><a style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/tips-for-authors-submitting-a-revised-manuscript\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">This submission needs to be accompanied by a letter<\/a><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"> that states the original submission id and explains how the reviewers&#8217; comments have been addressed. The editor will review the revised paper and the letter and send the paper for a\u00a0new round of peer review if required.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>5.\u00a0Reject:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">This is an outright rejection decision, and in most cases, the journal will not publish the paper or reconsider it even if the author makes major revisions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">The journal decision-making process is indeed a long and complex one and the authors are not always clear about each step in the process. While different journals have different systems and might use slightly different terminology, the above decisions are more or less common to all journals. If you have other questions or doubts, this article about <\/span><a style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/answers-to-questions-all-researchers-have-about-the-journal-decision-making-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">frequently asked questions on the journal decision making process<\/a><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"> might be of help. If you have any questions, feel free to post them on our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/ask-a-question\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Q&amp;A forum<\/a> for researchers. Our<\/span><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">\u00a0team of publication experts will definitely help you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">You might also be interested in knowing\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/what-is-the-meaning-of-decision-in-process-status\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">What is the meaning of &#8220;decision in process&#8221; status?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>FAQs<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>1. What are the 4 R&#8217;s of editorial decision making?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"ewa-rteLine\">\n<p>The \u201c4 R\u2019s\u201d is a general framework often used to guide effective decision-making. It encourages decision-makers to evaluate options by considering results, resources, restrictions and risks. Editors, like other decision-makers, often balance these factors when evaluating manuscripts\u2014seeking strong results (novel findings), ensuring resources (reviewers and editorial time), observing restrictions (journal scope, ethics), and weighing risks (reputation, reproducibility, or bias).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>2. How to ensure editorial quality?<\/h3>\n<p>Ensuring editorial quality involves both authors and editors working together to maintain high standards.<br \/>\n<strong>Pre-submission readiness:<\/strong> Authors should confirm that their manuscript aligns with the journal\u2019s scope, follows formatting requirements, and includes all necessary sections.<br \/>\n<strong>Language and clarity:<\/strong> A clear, well-structured manuscript free of grammatical errors ensures ideas are understood without distraction.<br \/>\n<strong>Figures and tables:<\/strong> Visual elements should be labeled correctly, consistent with the text, and easy to interpret.<br \/>\n<strong>Independent review:<\/strong> A pre-submission peer review or editorial check can highlight gaps and improve the manuscript before submission.<br \/>\nBy following these steps, authors not only strengthen their chances of acceptance but also support editors in maintaining journal quality.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<h3>3. What is an editorial strategy?<\/h3>\n<p>An editorial strategy is the long-term plan a journal or publisher uses to guide how content is selected, reviewed, and published. It defines the \u201cbig picture\u201d goals and workflows, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what kinds of articles to prioritize<\/li>\n<li>how the peer review and editorial processes are managed<\/li>\n<li>how the journal positions itself within the academic community<\/li>\n<li>the ethical and quality standards that underpin decisions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In short, editorial strategy shapes both the day-to-day decisions on manuscripts and the journal\u2019s overall direction and reputation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Editorial Decision-Making? Editorial decision-making is the process in which the journal\u2019s editors decide the fate of a submitted research manuscript. Various factors are involved in this decision-making process, including the quality of the work, originality and novelty of the research, and relevance of the content to the scope (and audience) of the journal. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":45225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2389],"tags":[973,1046],"new_categories":[],"new_tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-1410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-submission-process","tag-journal-decision","tag-submission-process"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Editorial decision making for a research manuscript | Editage Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn the outcomes of editorial decision making (accept, revise and resubmit, reject, etc.) and their implications for authors.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/editorial-decision-making-what-are-the-possible-outcomes-for-a-manuscript\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Editorial decision making for a research manuscript | Editage Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Once a manuscript is submitted to a journal, it goes through an initial screening process which involves a preliminary review by the journal editor. 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