When you submit a research paper application, the status of your application remains unassigned until an editor has been identified. Once an editor is identified, the status changes to ‘decision in process’. As soon as an editor begins work on your paper, he/she will inform you that the decision is in process. Once the editor has made the decision on your paper, the status will change to ‘decision made’.
In this light, a journal’s “Decision in Process” status indicates that the editorial board is still currently considering your submission before they make a final decision.
At this stage, when the journal decision is in process, the editor will review the revised manuscript and your responses to the reviewers’ comments before making a decision. The editor may decide to consult the peer reviewers again. It may happen that a whole series of papers are submitted before your paper. For this reason, this stage may take a long time.
How long does the ‘decision in process’ take?
There’s no specific time frame for this; the time may vary depending on the journal and the field. However, most journals normally take 4-8 weeks to review manuscripts. Elsevier and Springer both usually take 6 weeks.
If you still haven’t received a response one month after the last status change, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to write to the editorial office to inquire about the status of your work.
