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Submitting your first research manuscript can feel overwhelming: unfamiliar platforms, strict formatting rules, opaque status labels, and long waits. This guide walks you through the entire journey, from choosing the right journal to interpreting your final decision letter, so you can submit with confidence and avoid the mistakes that delay or derail first-time submissions.
Contents
- Glossary of Key Terms
- Why Does Journal Selection Come First?
- What is a Predatory Journal?
- Preparing Your Manuscript for Submission
- Writing an Effective Cover Letter
- Navigating Online Submission Systems
- Should You Suggest Peer Reviewers?
- What Happens After You Click Submit?
- Common Manuscript Statuses in Journal Systems
- How Long Does Peer Review Take?
- Understanding Journal Decisions
- Common Mistakes First-Time Authors Make
- Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary of Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
| Corresponding author | The author responsible for all communication with the journal during submission, review, and publication. |
| Desk rejection | Rejection by the editor before peer review, usually due to poor journal fit, scope mismatch, or quality issues. |
| Peer review | Evaluation of your manuscript by independent experts in your field who advise the editor on its suitability. |
| ORCID | A free, unique digital identifier that distinguishes you from other researchers; many journals now require it. |
| APC (Article Processing Charge) | A fee some journals, especially open access journals, charge authors upon acceptance. |
| Impact factor | A metric reflecting the average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal. |
| Preprint | A version of your manuscript shared publicly (for example, on a preprint server) before peer review. |
| CRediT taxonomy | A standardized system for describing each author’s specific contribution, such as writing, analysis, or supervision. |
| Data availability statement | A declaration explaining where and how readers can access the data underlying your study. |
| Revise and resubmit | A decision inviting you to address reviewer comments and submit an improved version for further evaluation. |
Why Does Journal Selection Come First?
The single most common reason for rejection is submitting to a journal whose scope does not match your research. Choosing the right journal before you format your manuscript saves weeks of rework and dramatically improves your odds of acceptance.
Evaluate every candidate journal against these criteria:
| Criterion | What to Check | Why It Matters |
| Aims and scope | Read the journal’s stated scope and skim 5-10 recent articles. | Editors desk-reject out-of-scope papers within days. |
| Audience | Who reads this journal: specialists, clinicians, or a broad field? | Your framing and terminology must match reader expectations. |
| Indexing | Confirm listing in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, or DOAJ. | Indexing determines visibility, credibility, and citation potential. |
| Impact factor vs. acceptance rate | Balance prestige against realistic odds; high-impact journals often reject 80-95% of submissions. | First-time authors may benefit from reputable mid-tier journals. |
| Publication model | Open access with an APC, subscription-based, or hybrid. | APCs can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. |
| Turnaround time | Many journals publish average times to first decision. | Critical if you face graduation, grant, or promotion deadlines. |
| Preprint policy | Check whether the journal accepts manuscripts already posted as preprints. | Avoids conflicts if you have shared or plan to share a preprint. |
Shortlist 3-5 journals (Editage’s free Journal Finder tool can help you here), rank them, and prepare your manuscript for your first choice. If it is rejected, you can adapt quickly for the next journal on your list.
What is a Predatory Journal?
Predatory journals charge fees without providing genuine peer review or editorial services, and first-time authors are their primary targets. Publishing in one can permanently damage your academic record, so screen every unfamiliar journal before submitting.
How to spot a predatory journal
Watch for these red flags:
- Unsolicited email invitations flattering you or promising guaranteed, rapid acceptance
- Extremely fast “peer review” (for example, acceptance within days) with little or no substantive feedback
- Fake or unverifiable impact factors and misleading metrics invented by the publisher
- A scope so broad it covers dozens of unrelated disciplines in one journal
- Hidden or unclear APCs revealed only after acceptance
- Editorial board members with no verifiable affiliations, or scholars listed without their consent
- Website errors, dead links, and articles riddled with basic language mistakes
To verify legitimacy: use the Think. Check. Submit. checklist; confirm the journal is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) if it is open access; check whether the publisher is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE); and ask your institution’s librarian, who screens journals professionally. When in doubt, do not submit.
Preparing Your Manuscript for Submission
Follow the Author Guidelines Exactly
Every journal publishes author guidelines (sometimes called “Instructions for Authors”) covering structure, word limits, reference style, figure formats, and file types. Editors interpret sloppy formatting as a signal of careless science. Before submitting, confirm:
- Manuscript structure matches the required format (for example, IMRaD: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion)
- Word count, abstract length, and keyword count are within stated limits
- References follow the journal’s citation style precisely and every citation appears in the reference list
- Figures and tables meet resolution, file-format, and labeling requirements, with captions for each
- The manuscript is anonymized if the journal uses double-blind review (no author names, affiliations, or self-identifying statements in the main file)
Authorship, Affiliations, and ORCID
Settle authorship before submission, not after. Most journals follow the ICMJE criteria, under which every listed author must have contributed substantially to the work, helped draft or revise it, approved the final version, and agreed to be accountable for it. In addition:
- Agree on author order early; changing it after submission requires written consent from all authors and journal approval
- Designate one corresponding author who will handle all journal communication
- Register for an ORCID iD; many major publishers now require one for the corresponding author, and it takes only a few minutes
- Use the CRediT taxonomy to record each author’s contribution (conceptualization, methodology, writing, supervision, and so on) if the journal requests it
Ethical Declarations and Newer Requirements
Journals in 2025-2026 require more declarations than ever. Missing statements are a leading cause of administrative delays, so prepare these in advance:
| Declaration | What It Covers | Who Needs It |
| Ethics approval | Approval number and committee name for studies involving humans or animals. | All human or animal research. |
| Informed consent | Confirmation that participants consented to take part and to publication. | Human studies, case reports, identifiable images. |
| Conflict of interest | Financial or personal relationships that could bias the work. | All authors, every submission. |
| Funding statement | Grant numbers and funder names, or a statement that no funding was received. | All submissions. |
| Data availability | Where the underlying data can be accessed, or why it cannot be shared. | Increasingly mandatory across publishers. |
| AI-use disclosure | Whether and how generative AI tools were used in writing or analysis; AI tools cannot be listed as authors. | Now required by most major publishers. |
| Clinical trial registration | Trial registry name and registration number. | All clinical trials. |
Your Pre-Submission Checklist
Run through this list the day before you submit:
- Title page with full title, running title, all authors, affiliations, and corresponding author details
- Abstract and keywords formatted to journal specifications
- Main manuscript file, free of tracked changes and comments
- Figures and tables as separate files if required, numbered in order of citation
- Supplementary materials prepared and referenced in the text
- All declarations drafted: ethics, consent, conflicts, funding, data availability, AI use
- Cover letter tailored to the journal (see next section)
- Manuscript proofread, or professionally edited if English is not your first language
- Every co-author has seen and approved the final version
Writing an Effective Cover Letter
The cover letter is your direct pitch to the editor, and for borderline manuscripts it can influence whether your paper is sent out for review. Keep it to one page and address it to the editor-in-chief or handling editor by name where possible.
A strong cover letter includes:
- The manuscript title and the article type you are submitting (original research, review, case report, and so on)
- A 2-3 sentence summary of your key findings in plain language, focused on what is new
- A clear statement of why the work fits this specific journal and matters to its readers
- Confirmation that the work is original, is not under consideration elsewhere, and has been approved by all authors
- Any required disclosures: prior preprint posting, related publications, conflicts of interest
- Suggested reviewers or opposed reviewers, if the journal invites them in the letter
Avoid copying your abstract into the letter, exaggerating the significance of your findings, or sending a generic letter with another journal’s name left in from a previous submission; editors notice, and it signals carelessness.
Navigating Online Submission Systems
Nearly all reputable journals use one of a handful of online submission platforms. Knowing which one your target journal uses helps you prepare, because each has its own quirks.
| Platform | Commonly Used By | What to Expect |
| Editorial Manager | Elsevier, Springer Nature, PLOS, Wolters Kluwer, and many society journals. | Step-by-step wizard; builds a merged PDF you must approve before submission completes. |
| ScholarOne Manuscripts | Wiley, Taylor and Francis, SAGE, and many IEEE and society titles. | Detailed multi-step forms; strict metadata entry for every author. |
| eJournalPress (eJP) | Nature Portfolio and several high-profile journals. | Streamlined interface; often integrates preprint deposit options. |
| OJS (Open Journal Systems) | University presses and independent open access journals. | Simpler, open-source system; interfaces vary between journals. |
Typical Steps Inside the Submission Portal
While interfaces differ, the sequence is broadly the same everywhere:
- Create an account and link your ORCID. Use an institutional email address where possible; it lends credibility.
- Select the article type. Choosing the wrong type (for example, “review” instead of “original research”) routes your paper incorrectly and causes delays.
- Enter metadata. Title, abstract, keywords, and full details for every author exactly as they appear on the title page.
- Upload files in the required order. Most systems want editable source files (Word or LaTeX) for the text, not a PDF, plus separate figure files.
- Complete declarations and questionnaires. Ethics, funding, conflicts, data availability, and AI-use questions appear as required form fields.
- Suggest or oppose reviewers if prompted (covered in the next section).
- Review the system-generated PDF and approve it. Your submission is not complete until you approve the proof; many first-time authors miss this step and their manuscript sits unsubmitted for weeks.
- Save your manuscript ID. You will need it for all correspondence and status checks.
Should You Suggest Peer Reviewers?
Yes, when the journal asks: thoughtful reviewer suggestions speed up your review because editors often struggle to find willing experts. However, your suggestions must be genuinely independent, or the journal may disregard them or view your submission with suspicion.
Good reviewer suggestions are researchers who:
- Have published on your topic in the last 5 years and are cited in your reference list
- Work at institutions different from yours, ideally in different countries
- Have never co-authored, supervised, or collaborated with any of the authors
- Hold no known competing positions that would make fair review impossible
Never suggest close colleagues, recent collaborators, mentors, or anyone with whom you have a personal relationship; journals routinely screen for these conflicts. You may also “oppose” specific reviewers if you have legitimate concerns, such as a direct competitor working on the identical question, but use this option sparingly and give a brief, professional reason.
What Happens After You Click Submit?
Your manuscript first goes through an administrative check (days), then an editorial screening where the editor decides whether to send it for peer review (1-3 weeks), and only then enters peer review itself (typically 1-4 months). Understanding this pipeline helps you interpret the status labels in your author dashboard.
The typical pipeline looks like this:
- Administrative check: journal staff verify files, formatting, and declarations; missing items are sent back to you.
- Editorial screening: the editor assesses fit, novelty, and quality; roughly 20-60% of submissions are desk-rejected here depending on the journal.
- Reviewer invitation: the editor invites 2-4 experts; finding willing reviewers is often the slowest step.
- Peer review: reviewers evaluate the manuscript and submit reports and recommendations.
- Editorial decision: the editor weighs the reports and issues a decision: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject.
Common Manuscript Statuses in Journal Systems
Status labels vary slightly between Editorial Manager, ScholarOne, and other platforms, but they map to the same underlying stages. Here is what each common status means, how long it usually lasts, and what you should do while you see it.
| Status | What It Means | Typical Duration | What You Should Do |
| Submitted to Journal / Manuscript Received | Your files arrived and are queued for an administrative check. | 1-5 days | Nothing; confirm you received the acknowledgment email with your manuscript ID. |
| With Editor / Editor Assigned | A handling editor is screening your paper for scope, quality, and fit. | 1-3 weeks | Wait; a quick return to “Submitted” may just mean reassignment to another editor. |
| Reviewers Invited / Under Consideration | The editor has passed screening and is inviting reviewers. | 1-4 weeks | Wait; delays here mean invited reviewers are declining, which is common and not about your paper’s quality. |
| Under Review | At least the required number of reviewers accepted and are evaluating your manuscript. | 4-12 weeks (field-dependent) | Wait patiently; this is the longest normal stage. Do not contact the journal before the journal’s stated review time has passed. |
| Required Reviews Completed | All reviewer reports are in; the editor has not yet decided. | 1-3 weeks | Wait; a decision is usually close. No action needed. |
| Decision in Process / Awaiting Decision | The editor is weighing the reports and drafting the decision letter. | Days to 2 weeks | Wait; contacting the journal now will not speed things up. |
| Revise / Revision Requested | You have been invited to revise; check your email for the decision letter and reviewer comments. | Deadline is usually 2 weeks to 3 months, set by the journal | Read all comments calmly, plan your revisions, and request a deadline extension early if you need one. |
| Revision Submitted / Under Review (again) | Your revised manuscript is being checked, often by the original reviewers. | 2-8 weeks | Wait; re-review is usually faster than the first round. |
| Accept / Accepted | Congratulations: your manuscript will be published after production steps. | Immediate status; production takes 2-8 weeks | Respond promptly to proofs, licensing forms, and any APC invoice. |
| Transferred / Transfer Offered | The journal declined but offers to move your submission to a partner journal. | Your choice; offers often expire in 2-4 weeks | Evaluate the partner journal’s reputation and indexing before accepting; you are free to decline. |
| Reject / Rejected | The journal will not publish the manuscript; the letter explains whether reviewers were involved. | Final for that journal | Use the feedback to improve the paper and submit to the next journal on your shortlist. |
A note on status changes: statuses sometimes move backward (for example, from “Under Review” to “Reviewers Invited”). This usually means a reviewer withdrew and a replacement is being sought. It is frustrating but routine, and it does not reflect on your manuscript.
How Long Does Peer Review Take?
Most journals return a first decision within 1-4 months of submission, though this varies widely by field: biomedical journals often decide in 6-10 weeks, while mathematics and humanities journals can take 6 months or longer. Desk rejections arrive much faster, usually within 1-3 weeks.
| Stage | Typical Range | Notes |
| Desk decision (screening) | 1-3 weeks | Fast rejections are a feature, not an insult; they free you to submit elsewhere quickly. |
| First decision after full review | 1-4 months | Check the journal’s published average time to first decision before submitting. |
| Re-review of a revision | 2-8 weeks | Usually faster because reviewers already know the paper. |
| Acceptance to online publication | 2-8 weeks | Covers copyediting, typesetting, proofs, and licensing. |
When is it acceptable to send a polite status inquiry? A good rule: wait until the journal’s stated average review time has passed, or about 3 months if no average is published, and then email the editorial office with your manuscript ID, a courteous tone, and a simple request for an update.
Understanding Journal Decisions
Decision letters come in four broad flavors. Read the letter and every reviewer report twice, ideally a day apart, before reacting or replying.
| Decision | What It Really Means | Your Next Step |
| Accept (as is) | Rare on first submission; your paper needs no scientific changes. | Complete production paperwork promptly. |
| Minor revision | The paper is fundamentally sound; small fixes are needed. | Address every comment and resubmit well before the deadline. |
| Major revision | The journal is interested but requires substantial changes, possibly new analyses. | Plan carefully, respond point by point, and be honest about what you can and cannot change. |
| Reject | The paper will not be reconsidered at this journal. | Revise using the feedback and submit to the next journal on your list. |
Responding to Reviewer Comments
- Create a point-by-point response document quoting each comment, followed by your reply and the exact change made
- Be gracious even when a reviewer is wrong; you can disagree, but justify your position with evidence and a respectful tone
- Never ignore a comment; if you choose not to make a change, explain why
- Highlight or track changes in the revised manuscript if the journal asks for it
What If Your Manuscript Is Rejected?
Rejection happens to nearly every author; leading journals reject 80-95% of submissions, and studies of publication histories show most published papers were rejected at least once before finding a home. What matters is what you do next:
- Distinguish desk rejection from post-review rejection. A desk rejection usually means wrong journal, not bad science; move to the next journal on your list quickly.
- Mine the reviewer reports. Post-review rejections come with expert feedback; fix genuine weaknesses before resubmitting elsewhere.
- Consider transfer offers carefully. Cascading to a partner journal can save time, but verify the partner journal’s indexing and reputation first.
- Appeal only with strong grounds. Appeals rarely succeed and should be reserved for demonstrable factual errors in review, not disagreement with opinions.
- Never submit to two journals at once. Simultaneous submission violates publishing ethics; always wait for a decision or formally withdraw before submitting elsewhere.
Common Mistakes First-Time Authors Make
Editors and journal staff see the same avoidable errors over and over. Steer clear of these:
| Mistake | Why It Hurts | How to Avoid It |
| Ignoring the author guidelines | Signals carelessness; can trigger immediate return or desk rejection. | Treat the guidelines as a compliance checklist and verify each item. |
| Submitting to an out-of-scope journal | The most common cause of desk rejection. | Read recent issues and confirm your topic genuinely fits. |
| Generic or recycled cover letters | Editors spot template letters, especially with the wrong journal name. | Write a fresh, specific letter for every submission. |
| Incomplete declarations | Missing ethics, funding, or AI-use statements stall processing for weeks. | Draft all statements before opening the submission portal. |
| Forgetting to approve the final PDF | The manuscript is never actually submitted. | Watch for the confirmation email; no email means no submission. |
| Suggesting conflicted reviewers | Undermines editorial trust in your submission. | Suggest only independent experts with no ties to any author. |
| Emailing the editor too soon | Creates a poor impression and never speeds review. | Wait until the stated review time has passed before inquiring. |
| Submitting to multiple journals simultaneously | A serious ethical violation that can lead to bans. | One journal at a time, always. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to publish a research paper for the first time?
From first submission to online publication, expect 4-12 months in most fields: 1-4 months for peer review, 1-3 months for revisions and re-review, and 2-8 weeks for production. Rejections and resubmissions to other journals can extend this to well over a year, which is why choosing the right journal at the start matters so much.
Can I submit my manuscript to two journals at the same time?
No. Simultaneous submission is a violation of publication ethics at virtually every reputable journal, because it wastes reviewer effort and can lead to duplicate publication. You must wait for a decision, or formally withdraw your manuscript in writing and receive confirmation, before submitting the same work elsewhere. Posting a preprint, however, is not the same as submission and is allowed by most journals.
What does “Under Review” mean and how long does it last?
“Under Review” means the required number of peer reviewers have accepted the assignment and are actively evaluating your manuscript. It typically lasts 4-12 weeks depending on the field and the reviewers’ schedules. It is the longest normal stage of the process, and a long “Under Review” period says nothing about whether the decision will be positive or negative.
What is the difference between desk rejection and rejection after peer review?
A desk rejection is issued by the editor within 1-3 weeks, before any external review, usually because of scope mismatch, insufficient novelty for that journal, or formatting and language problems. A post-review rejection comes after experts have evaluated the work and includes their reports. Desk rejection means “wrong journal or not ready”; post-review rejection gives you a detailed roadmap for improving the paper.
Do I need an ORCID iD to submit a paper?
Increasingly, yes. Most major publishers now require at least the corresponding author to provide an ORCID iD at submission, and many require it for all authors. Registration is free, takes about 2 minutes, and permanently distinguishes your work from that of researchers with similar names, so it is worth creating one before your first submission regardless of journal policy.
How much does it cost to publish in a journal?
It depends on the publication model. Subscription journals are usually free to publish in (readers or libraries pay), though some charge page or color-figure fees. Fully open access journals charge an APC that commonly ranges from about USD 500 to 4000, and hybrid journals charge an APC only if you choose the open access option. Many publishers offer full or partial APC waivers for authors from low- and middle-income countries, so always check the waiver policy before ruling a journal out.
Should I use AI tools like ChatGPT when writing my manuscript?
You may use AI tools for language polishing and editing at most journals, but you must disclose that use in the manuscript, typically in the methods or acknowledgments section, and AI tools can never be listed as authors because they cannot take responsibility for the work. Policies differ between publishers and are evolving quickly, so read your target journal’s AI policy before submission and disclose transparently; undisclosed AI use discovered later can lead to retraction.
What should I do if I have not heard back from the journal after 3 months?
First check your author dashboard and spam folder, then compare the elapsed time with the journal’s published average time to first decision. If you have exceeded that average, or 3 months have passed with no stated average, send one polite email to the editorial office including your manuscript ID, submission date, and a brief request for a status update. Avoid repeated emails; if the journal is unresponsive for several more weeks, you may formally withdraw and submit elsewhere.
This article was first published on March 18, 2024, and updated on July 6, 2026.
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