Your Journal’s Review Time

Review Time

There has been a big push over the last 10 years to get academic work published as quickly as possible. As time to publication becomes more and more critical, there is a trend to make review times shorter now than before. How short is advisable and do short review times yield results?

 

Our advice to you

1. Set a realistic review time

It seems most journals these days run on a peer review software system where time parameters can be set for tasks. Some journals allow more time for an evaluation of a manuscript, some allow less. A 14 day margin is a fairly common parameter for a peer review, but whether you choose 14 days or another amount of time, remember to give a few days of leeway where necessary.  Set the review time to a reasonable 14 to 21 days, but expect some reviewers to take slightly longer.

 

2. Automate your reminders

When choosing an online editorial system, know that it is a true advantage to have automatic reminders option. Set your reminders at regular intervals to keep a bit of gentle pressure on reviewers to submit their evaluations. This is very important to avoid overdues, as some editors are better than others in monitoring the review progress. If you are not online, it could be worth it to set up reminders manually. Much valuable time can be lost while waiting for a review. Setting the proper time parameters can make your review more efficient overall.