Manuscript review process: What happens after a manuscript is submitted for consideration for publication?

Abstract

Have you ever wondered what happens after a manuscript is submitted to the Thai Journal of Nursing Research for consideration for publication? Until we became actively involved in editing manuscripts, we, like you, had limited knowledge about the manuscript review process. We would read and follow the respective journal’s “Instructions to Authors,” write what we felt would be of interest to the readership of the journal and submit our completed work to the journal Editors for consideration for publication.

After waiting 3 to 6 months we would get a letter from the journal’s Editor(s), either: congratulating us for having submitted a clear, concise, logical, readable and publishable paper; indicating our written work required revisions and/or editing; or, informing us our manuscript, as written, was not acceptable for publication. Yes, we received a number of letters telling us our manuscript, as written, was not acceptable for publication, as well as letters from the Editors that our paper needed revisions.

We were either elated that our paper was accepted, or felt frustrated and dejected because our paper wasn’t written well enough or needed revising. This led us often to question whether we had wasted our time and energy writing the manuscript we had submitted. However, we always refused to give up trying to get our work published. Thus, we began to learn what happens after a

manuscript is submitted to an English language nursing journal for consideration for publication.

Almost all manuscripts submitted to English language nursing journals, throughout the world, are reviewed, via a blind review process, by at least two reviewers, prior to the Editor(s) of the journal deciding whether a manuscript, as written, is acceptable for publication. The following is a synopsis of the review process that all manuscripts submitted to the Thai Journal of Nursing Research undergo.

The review process begins when Dr. Somchit Hanucharurnkul, as one of the journal’s Editors, receives the submitted manuscript in Bangkok. She reads the manuscript to assess whether it is within the scope of what the journal publishes and if the author(s) followed the journal’s “Instructions to Authors.” If the manuscript does not fit within the scope of the journal, or if the author(s) failed to follow the journal’s “Instructions to Authors,” it is returned to the corresponding author and not sent out for review.

However, if the manuscript fits within the scope of the journal and follows the journal’s “Instructions to Authors,” the cover (title) page of the manuscript is removed and the manuscript is sent,

without identification or affiliation(s) of the author(s), to two of the journal’s Editorial Board members (reviewers) to review within a set period of time. The identity and affiliation of the author(s) is removed prior to the manuscript being reviewed so as not to influence the review of the manuscript.

The reviewers also are provided a set of guidelines, to follow in evaluating the manuscript, which state what should be included in each section of the manuscript. The guidelines are specific to the type of manuscript each reviewer is asked to review, including: qualitative research (see Example 1); quantitative research (see Example 2); and education/practice (see Example 3). Each reviewer then carefully reads and reviews the manuscript, while referring to the guidelines, and provides: comments based upon the guidelines related to the type of manuscript being reviewed; recommendations and suggestions for needed revision of the manuscript; and, input as to whether the manuscript is acceptable, needs revision and/or editing, or, as written, is not acceptable for publication.

The reviewers for the Thai Journal of Nursing Research are members of the journal’s Editorial Board and do not receive any form of remuneration for reviewing manuscripts for the journal. However, their work is essential, highly valued and greatly appreciated by the Editors!

Dr. Clinton E. Lambert and Dr. Vickie A. Lambert, as Editors of the Thai Journal of Nursing Research, also review each manuscript and the comments of the reviewers, and determine whether the paper is acceptable, needs revision and/or editing, or, as written, is not acceptable for publication. Dr. Somchit Hanucharurnkul then notifies the manuscript’s corresponding author regarding the Editors’ decision. In addition, as soon as the review process is completed, the Editors share their comments and suggestions with the author(s) of the manuscript via a status letter that is sent to the corresponding author as soon as a decision regarding the manuscript has been made.

Usually, the corresponding author is notified about the status of the submitted manuscript with in 3-4 months of the journal’s receipt of the manuscript. It, then, is up to the corresponding author to share the manuscript’s status with the contributing author(s), so that all can decide whether to make the requested suggestions, revise the manuscript and resubmit it for further consideration for publication, or withdraw the manuscript from further consideration for publication. If you, as an author, have not been notified, regarding the status of your manuscript, within 4 months of the date of submission of the manuscript to the journal, please contact the Editors!

Authors are highly encouraged, when revising a reviewed manuscript, to comply with the journal’s “Instructions to Authors,” as well as with the comments and suggestions made by the Editors and reviewers. Nothing is more distressing to the Editors, or the reviewers, than to receive a manuscript, especially a revised one, which does not comply with the journal’s “Instructions to Authors” and/or the comments and suggestions previously made about the manuscript. Requested revisions should be made in a timely manner and the revised manuscript needs to be returned to the Editors as soon as possible for further consideration for publication.

All revised manuscripts are reviewed by the Editors to assure the requested revisions have been made, and to decide whether the manuscript is acceptable for publication. If the Editors determine the manuscript continues to need additional revisions, it again is returned to the corresponding author with new recommendations and suggestions for further revision. Again, the author(s) need to make the revisions as rapidly as possible and return the revised manuscript as soon as possible to the Editors for further consideration for publication.

Most submitted manuscripts require a minimum of one revision. It is not unusual, however, for a manuscript to undergo 2 to 3 revisions and reviews before being determined acceptable for publication. Every effort is made to provide meaningful and needed guidance, suggestions and recommendations to the author(s) to achieve publication. All authors are encouraged to contact the Editors whenever they have a question regarding the: review process; suggestions or comments made about their manuscript; or, status of their manuscript.

Thank you for submitting your manuscripts to the Thai Journal of Nursing Research for consideration for publication!