Once a paper passes the first check, an editor with subject expertise assesses the paper and determines whether it is within the journal’s scope and if it could potentially meet the required publication criteria. Typically, there are three technical checks: upon initial submission, alongside the first decision letter, and upon acceptance. Blurry figures, missing ethical statements, and incomplete author affiliations are common issues that are addressed at this initial stage. Performed by a technical editor to ensure that the submission has been properly completed and is ready for further assessment. When a journal first receives your submission, there are typically two separate checks to confirm that the paper is appropriate and ready for peer review: Internal Checks on New Submissions Estimated time: 10 days Read on for an inside look at how a conventional peer-reviewed journal helps authors transform their initial submission to a certified publication. Journals are responsible for overseeing the peer review, publication and archival process: editors, reviewers, technical editors, production staff and other internal staff all have their roles in ensuring submissions meet rigorous scientific and ethical reporting standards. It can be unclear exactly who is currently handling your paper as most individuals are only involved in a few steps of the overall process. From here, it can sometimes feel like a waiting game while the journal has your paper. Your team has prepared the paper, written a cover letter and completed the submission form.

Learn about staple journal workflows to see the detailed steps required for ensuring a rigorous and ethical publication. The path to publication can be unsettling when you’re unsure what’s happening with your paper. What’s happening with my paper? The publication process explained

Manuscript editing science