Texas A&M University-Commerce
Question
Asked 20th Nov, 2018
Why multiple changes in UNDER REVIEW date?
Hi
I have submitted my paper to a journal of Elsevier publisher 3 months ago. The paper is still in Under Review status. However, although the paper went under review on 6th September, the status date of the paper have changed several times. Please could you tell me why such changes happen, while it is still in Under Review status?
Most recent answer
Send them a polite note for clarification on why the date keeps changing and when you can expect a final decision.
Popular answers (1)
Queen Mary, University of London
Dear Mohammad
First of all, you have to wait for the minimum time to take final decision (that is generally 10-12 weeks for Elsevier). You don’t worry about change date with same status. Your task has been finished since you submitted and even you cannot assume whether reviewer is rejecting or accepting.
There are several possible reasons for date change:
1. When Editor invites Associate Editor or Handling Editor (Status: With Editor)
2. When Associate Editor or Handling Editor accepts or rejects the invitation. Editor again invites new Associate Editor or Handling Editor if earlier Associate Editor or Handling Editor rejects invitation due to Unavailability, Out of Area, Conflict of Interest etc. (Status: Under Review)
3. When Associate Editor or Handling Editor invites reviewers. (Status: Under Review)
You will get mail at this stage with subject: Your manuscript paper id has been sent for review
4. When Reviewer accepts or rejects the invitation (Status: Under Review)
5. When Reviewer submit their response (Status: Under Review)
6. When reviews are conflicting then Associate Editor or Handling Editor invites another reviewer (Status: Under Review)
7. When Associate Editor or Handling Editor recommends his decision to Editor (Status: Ready for Decision/With Editor)
You will get mail at this stage with subject: Reviews complete and decision pending for your manuscript paper id
8. When Editor takes final decision. (Accept/Reject/Minor/Moderate/Major)
This is the whole story of Elsevier Review Process.
You have submitted on September 6. Please wait for exactly 3 months (till December 6) and then send a gentle reminder regarding status of your paper to Associate Editor or Handling Editor if still under review. I hope everything has been cleared to you.
Wish you a good luck with your research paper.
Best Wishes
Sukhpal
107 Recommendations
All Answers (91)
University of Haifa
Hi,
This happens sometimes in the Springer journals submission site. It could be that the editors found more reviewers to the paper and the dates refers to assigning the paper to a reviewer.
4 Recommendations
Monash University (Australia)
Thank you Avishag Gordon and
Fares Alahdab
for your reply.To make it clear, I should say that firstly, on 6th September, the status was "WITH EDITOR" and on 9th September went "UNDER REVIEW"
Then, although the status (i.e., UNDER REVIEW) has not changed so far, the status DATE have changed 3 times, 9 Oct., 9 Dec. and 20 Dec.
B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences
One reason for the delay may be that the Editor sent for review to a reviewer but after few days the reviewer denied to review and the editor sent it to another reviewer. Another reason may be that one reviewer suggested to reject but another reviewer gave positive comments in which case the editor sent it to third reviewer.
1 Recommendation
Queen Mary, University of London
Dear Mohammad
First of all, you have to wait for the minimum time to take final decision (that is generally 10-12 weeks for Elsevier). You don’t worry about change date with same status. Your task has been finished since you submitted and even you cannot assume whether reviewer is rejecting or accepting.
There are several possible reasons for date change:
1. When Editor invites Associate Editor or Handling Editor (Status: With Editor)
2. When Associate Editor or Handling Editor accepts or rejects the invitation. Editor again invites new Associate Editor or Handling Editor if earlier Associate Editor or Handling Editor rejects invitation due to Unavailability, Out of Area, Conflict of Interest etc. (Status: Under Review)
3. When Associate Editor or Handling Editor invites reviewers. (Status: Under Review)
You will get mail at this stage with subject: Your manuscript paper id has been sent for review
4. When Reviewer accepts or rejects the invitation (Status: Under Review)
5. When Reviewer submit their response (Status: Under Review)
6. When reviews are conflicting then Associate Editor or Handling Editor invites another reviewer (Status: Under Review)
7. When Associate Editor or Handling Editor recommends his decision to Editor (Status: Ready for Decision/With Editor)
You will get mail at this stage with subject: Reviews complete and decision pending for your manuscript paper id
8. When Editor takes final decision. (Accept/Reject/Minor/Moderate/Major)
This is the whole story of Elsevier Review Process.
You have submitted on September 6. Please wait for exactly 3 months (till December 6) and then send a gentle reminder regarding status of your paper to Associate Editor or Handling Editor if still under review. I hope everything has been cleared to you.
Wish you a good luck with your research paper.
Best Wishes
Sukhpal
107 Recommendations
Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
My paper was submitted to elsvier and then the editor replied that my paper is acceptable with some corrections. After i resubmitted to the journal the status twice changed to under review. What are the possible reason behind it?
1 Recommendation
Monash University (Australia)
The paper is to be reviewed by the reviewers again in terms of the comments to see if you have addressed them correctly.
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
For three reasons :
1- Reviewer comments added to the database.
2- New reviewer has been invited since the previous reviewers fail to respond on the given time.
3- Editor might log in to check the database of the paper.
59 Recommendations
Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology
When the editor is added new reviewer or the reviewer that had already agreed to review, make a decision the UNDER REVIEW date is changed.
1 Recommendation
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University
I have submitted a manuscript to Elsevier journal and it was “under review” for 20 days. Now the status changed to “Under Editor Evaluation.” What does it mean?
5 Recommendations
CSIR - National Chemical Laboratory, Pune
Dates keep changing while status is same.
Actually, I had interacted regarding this with Elsevier, and the answer is either editor has invited a new reviewer or one of the reviewers has submitted a comment.
1 Recommendation
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
For one of my submissions also it happened, it shuffled between "under review" and "required reviews completed". When I received the preliminary decision on the manuscript, it revealed 7 reviewers and approximately 100 comments. And on justifications of those comments the manuscript got accepted in 1 working day.
2 Recommendations
National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra
It could mean simply that the reviewer's comments are added into the system.
For "Under editor evaluation" means: minimum number of reviewer comments are added to the system.
2 Recommendations
University of Misan
It is depending on the type of journal, you can see current issues of the journal recently published manuscripts, and show submit an acceptance date
4 Recommendations
University of Anbar
When a paper is assigned to a reviewer, the reviewer may decline or fail to review the paper. In this case the editor will assign the paper to a new reviewer. The status date will change at the day the new review was assigned, but the status will remain the same.
Best Wishes
6 Recommendations
Agence Spatiale Algérienne
I think that under consideration may significate under review through several time steps according to the revision process. after that, the status change to with editor and thereafter a decision in process instead of the final decision.
Good days
3 Recommendations
Agence Spatiale Algérienne
Hello again,
Sir, we would like to inform you that your paper is normally under review and do not worry about it. Just, be patient about the reviewing process under the consideration of other causes such as the availability and the possibility of reviewing in the case of the corona virus pondemia...so feel happy and be patient to receive the decision... for me, i still waiting 2 years ...for final acceptation while the journal of Acta physica recommands the publication paper along 06 months.
Good days..
3 Recommendations
Nottingham Trent University
Hello Mohammad ,
Majority of journals’ online submission systems require a minimum of two reviewers to accept to review a manuscript and when that is achieved the status will change to "under review". When status remains "under review" and date status changes, implies that reviewer(s) has/have submitted comments into the system.
4 Recommendations
Agence Spatiale Algérienne
Hello for
Mohammad Sadegh Aslanpour form Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran.
The process under review with changing timescales means that your paper is still under consideration, dont worry about this, and you would be patient for the time allowed to review your manuscript. It depends sollely about the type of journal you have advised and your contrubution in the field reserach that your paper concern. you will be notified about your paper review after revision is complete.
i think that the period noticed from your request is logical and conformal for many more journal accoirding reasonable time processing.
Be patient, and try to perform your manuscript continuously before the phase of responses to reviewers to review objectively without time constraint.
Good luck
Cordially yours
2 Recommendations
Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
Yes It is normal, don,t worry. Your paper is still under consideration. There are two main reasons: new reviewer come in picture or comment from reviewer(s) added into the system.
All the best.
#Stay Home #Stay Safe
2 Recommendations
Agence Spatiale Algérienne
Hello, I am an expert of geoscientific field
Please feel happy to overcome the situation.
Stay Home Stay Safe is a good response
Good luck to publishing the paper
Best Regards
1 Recommendation
The date changes because of the result of multiple events happening during the review process. Following events occur in a typical review process between "With Editor" and "Required Reviews Completed".
(1) Selection of a reviewer
(2) Invitation sent to a reviewer
(3) Invitation accepted by the reviewer
(4) Invitation declined by the reviewer
(5) Invitation reminder send to the reviewer
(6) Review date due reminder send to the reviewer
(7) Reviewer submitted the review report
(8) The above events are repeated for multiple reviewers
(9) Editor is not satisfied with the review report and chooses another reviewer(s)
9 Recommendations
Monash University (Australia)
Hi All,
Great to hear your thoughts.
I finally realized that the reason for updating the under review date was that at the updated time a new reviewer was added.
Thanks.
1 Recommendation
University of Haifa
Hi,
It could be that a reviewer could not send his review, and another reviewer was chosen, and this change the waiting dates.
3 Recommendations
Nepal Agricultural Research Council
What I have learned is to have patience. When you submit your manuscript to good Journals it happens. Keep patience you would get your answers one day.
3 Recommendations
Andhra University
Suppose first reviewer not expressed clearly his opinion either accept or reject on manuscript, then editor send it for another review opinion.
National Biotechnology Development Agency
@Krishna Dhakal, I agree with you. Patience is required when one submits manuscript to a good journal.
Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology
Sometimes editors are not satisfied by the review done. So he invites additional reviewers also. That why status may vary.
Anhui Agricultural University (AHAU)
Hi Shahid!
Every academic journal runs their review process a bit differently, and sets up the online portals offered by publishers in different ways. The automated systems will shift status from “Under review” to “Under Editor’s evaluation” (or some equivalent) automatically when the minimum required number of completed reviews is reached. At that point the editor may choose to proceed, or may choose to wait for additional review(s) to come in, or may solicit additional review(s) because one or more of the reviews was of low quality or the reviews were not in agreement.
Best of luck for your submitted paper....
Chitkara University
Due to multiple reasons :
1- Reviewer has accepted to review the manuscript
2> Reviewer has submitted comments and recommendations.
3> New reviewer has been invited since the previous reviews were conflicting.
4> Editor might log in to check the database of the paper before making a decision.
2 Recommendations
University of Chicago
When the Editor recieved comments of each Reviewer, usually the date will be updated.
Under review:
Reviewers have been invited and the peer review process is underway. There are several factors that influence the time taken for review, most notably availability of article referees. Peer review times vary per journal. Note that once completed reviews for your submitted article have been received and are under evaluation by the handling Editor the status may later return to 'Under Review' if additional reviews are sought.
Source; Elsevier.
University of Haifa
Hi,
This could happen when there is a change in reviewers for some reason. Sometimes a reviewer is replaced by another one, and there is a delay in reviewing it.
Chitkara University
Every academic journal runs its review process a bit differently and sets up the online portals offered by publishers in different ways. The automated systems will shift status from “Under review” to “Under Editor’s evaluation” (or some equivalent) automatically when the minimum required number of completed reviews is reached. At that point, the editor may choose to proceed, or may choose to wait for additional review(s) to come in, or may solicit additional review(s) because one or more of the reviews was of low quality or the reviews were not in agreement.
3 Recommendations
Utah Valley University
Sometimes the article changes status from "under review" to " decision in process" and then back to "under review," because the editor wants more reviews to be done before making a decision.
3 Recommendations
Chitkara University
The date also changes when the editor explores the manuscript again due to fewer/low-quality reviews received.
2 Recommendations
Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute
Dear Mohammad Sadegh Aslanpour,
In my opinion, it is due to the multiple reviewers used for a particular article.
For example, if three reviewers are used for an article then it may happen that one reviewer submitted the review for the assigned article to the editor prior to the others.
The decision will be made only after the editor receives the response from all three reviewers so the status may vary from time to time.
However, for some journals, the status is only changed when all the reviewer's responses are received.
1 Recommendation
Universidade Federal de São Carlos
I have a paper submitted to Elsevier that is Under Review status for more than 6 months. Nice reads.
1 Recommendation
The University of Calgary
This has happened to me too. The status date of my manuscript that was under review has been changed a second time. Initially, the date changed when it first appeared that the paper has been sent for review (under review) on 22nd May. Today when I checked, my paper was still under review, but the date was updated to 28the May.
University of Kashmir
I have also such experience with Springer journals. Please anybody explain it with reference to Springer.
Thank you
1 Recommendation
The same happened to me. When contacted, I was informed that the reviewer, who at first had agreed to review, had denied reviewing the manuscript now.
2 Recommendations
Jiangnan University
1 This happens when conflict decisions returning back from the reviewers, then the editor has no choice but to invite additional reviewers to judge, therefore a new round of review process was triggered.
2 The reviewers at first round of peer review process failed to return back at least 2 or 3 decisions, the editor therefore has to initial second round of peer review process (this usually takes one and a half month including invitation, accept the invitation and reply back their opinions).
5 Recommendations
Birkbeck, University of London
Many times editors send a manuscript to many reviewers to get better feedback for making decisions.
Thiagarajar College of Engineering
Dear Mohammad Sadegh Aslanpour, please share the output for multiple date change in under review in Elsevier
Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
Status as "Submitted to Journal": You have completed the submission steps, and the article has been submitted to the journal.
Status as With Editor: Once an article is assigned to a journal Editor for handling it is given a unique manuscript number. For most journals, you will be notified of the manuscript number (once available) via email. Some journals have multiple levels of Editors, each Editor makes an initial assessment before passing to the next Editor in the chain. The status remains With Editor until an Editor invites reviewers. During this time you may find changes in date while the status still remains as "With Editor", this usually indicates that from one level of Editor (such as Editor in Chief to Associate Editor or vice versa) the MS has been transferred for next level of decision which may decide the fate of MS. This could be either decision on if the MS is appropriate for the next level of the process i.e. to be sent to the reviewers OR to be rejected at this stage. So the changes in date indicate the action taken at the Editor/s level.
Status as "Under Review": Reviewers have been invited and the peer review process is underway. Peer review times vary per journal. Note that once completed reviews for your submitted article have been received and are under evaluation by the handling Editor the status may later return to 'Under Review' if additional reviews are sought. Also, whenever any reviewer submits his response you may find a change in date. For example, if the change in date happens twice it means you may expect at least two reviewers have submitted their responses. So any changes taking place in date while status still showing as Ünder Review" indicates that review has been submitted in the database by one of the Reviewers.
2 Recommendations
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City (UMP)
Dear all RG colleagues,
Nice to share an outstanding data about "The Article Publication Process" as follow:
Have a good day@@@@@
14 Recommendations
Federal University Otuoke
The editor may have sent the manuscript to three or four reviewers. Once any of the reviewers submit his/her comments then the status date will change but the status will still remain 'under review'. Not until all the reviewers submit there comments will the status change.
3 Recommendations
Karnatak Science College, Dharwad
This indicates that someone has accessed the database for your paper. It is possible that one reviewer has submitted his/her comments which is why the status date changed.
9 Recommendations
NorthShore University HealthSystem
I observed this situation multiple times. Typically, it is related to the submission of reviewers' comments and/or to the invitation of additional reviewers. Under the second scenario you will have multiple changes in under review date but the editorial decision will not be ready soon.
1 Recommendation
University of Misan
This means that the paper was sent to further reviewers by the editor. When all the reviewers submit their comments, the status date will change, but the status will remain 'under review.'
6 Recommendations
Srinivas University Instituite of Engineering and Technology
This indicates that the editor has forwarded the work to additional reviewers. The status date will change once all reviewers have submitted their comments, but the condition shall stay 'under review.'
8 Recommendations
FACCAT
Often one of the article's reviewers is at conferences or participating in academic events and asks to delay the analysis of the submitted work, and other times it means that one of the reviewers will submit some comments.
2 Recommendations
University of Cape Coast / Cape Coast Teaching Hospital
It just means the peer review process is not completed. Once it is completed this will change to Reviews Complete
University of Bristol
Just be patient. The 'under review status' takes several months.
1 Recommendation
University of Malta
Sometimes the invited reviewer does not submit his reviews within the extented deadline. Therefore, Editors need to invite another reviewer to complete the review process.
3 Recommendations
Thiagarajar College of Engineering
After multiple date change i got minor revision
Revised manuscript was rejected even after addressing the reviewer comments.
Multiple date change depend on numerous factor.
2 Recommendations
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University
Recently I experienced same situation. I think editor is not satisfied with the reviewer's comments and has sent the paper again for review
University of Benghazi
Based on my experience, this usually happens when one of the reviewers submit their final report to the editorial system. It could also indicate that a new reviewer has been assigned to your manuscript in addition to the ones already selected. In any case, the changing of dates, even if the status remains the same, is a sign that your manuscript is being processed. Nothing to worry about.
2 Recommendations
Research Center on Energy Technologies CRTEn
Generally in Elsevier the mentioned status "under review" takes some weeks, be patient,
There are nothing to do in this stage since it dependsonly on the reviewers response
3 Recommendations
Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) Varanasi
Many journals are unable to find reviewer for your area of paper. Or the required number of reviews (minimum 3) needed for the particular journal have not been completed.
National Institute of Technology Patna
This typically occurs after one of the reviewers submits their final report to the editing system, in my experience. Either mention that an editor is reviewing your work and will make a decision shortly, or mention that other reviewers have been assigned to your article in addition to the ones already chosen. The fact that the dates have changed, even if the status hasn't, indicates that your paper is still being processed.
Kumasi Technical University, Kumasi, Ghana
The manuscript is still under review. Just wait patiently until the Editor makes a decision on your manuscript.
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