For many researchers, the situation is all too familiar: publication deadlines for a grant or a dissertation defence are approaching fast, yet apart from the article itself, nothing is ready. In such cases, authors try to find a way out and submit their work to the first available journal, hoping that everything can be done quickly. However, in most cases, this strategy is a losing one, since publishing in Scopus is a lengthy process that takes considerably longer than two months. Why is this the case, and is it possible to speed up this procedure?
Fast-track publication in Scopus: are two months enough?
Due to heavy workloads or a lack of understanding of the publication process, researchers often put off not only writing their articles but also publishing them. Many are convinced that clearing all their outstanding obligations within two months is entirely feasible. However, when it comes to publishing in Scopus, meeting this deadline is far from always possible, and the reason lies in the structure of the publishing process itself.
There is no fixed timeframe for publication in journals indexed in Scopus, as it depends on the specifics of the particular publication. The review process typically takes anywhere from six months to a year, and various accompanying stages (additional review rounds, revisions, the queue for publication, and so on) can extend this timeframe even further. A logical question may arise at this point: which factors specifically affect the duration? We will discuss these in more detail below.
1. Editorial workload
This factor is one of the key ones, since after submitting an article, you need to wait a certain period of time for it to be admitted to the technical check, not to mention the peer review itself. Every journal receives dozens, and often hundreds, of manuscripts simultaneously, while the editorial staff and the number of reviewers are limited.
As a result, a clear pattern emerges: the higher a journal's reputation, the more authors attempt to submit their articles there, and the longer one has to wait even for the initial technical review.
2. Repeat peer review
It is rare for an article to pass peer review without any comments the first time round. In most cases, reviewers require revisions to manuscripts – ranging from minor edits to substantial reconsideration of the methodology or results. Once the changes have been made, the article is most often sent back to the same reviewers for a further assessment. This procedure represents yet another cycle of waiting, which may be repeated more than once.
3. Finding and the availability of reviewers
Sometimes editorial boards of academic journals receive articles on quite narrowly specialised topics. In order to assess them properly, the editorial board is forced to look for experts willing to take on the review of a particular manuscript. If there are few specialists in the field, or if they are already occupied with their own research, finding a reviewer can take several weeks even before the review itself begins.
4. Technical and administrative delays
This aspect includes checking for plagiarism, bringing the article's formatting into line with the journal's requirements, confirming authorship and affiliations, and, at times, additional requests from the editorial board regarding the ethical aspects of the research (for example, confirmation of participant consent or approval from an ethics committee). Each of these steps may seem minor on its own, but together they add time to the overall cycle.
5. Publication Queue
It is important to understand: receiving confirmation that an article has been accepted by the editorial board does not mean that it will be published within a few days. Once a manuscript has passed peer review and been approved by the editorial board, it enters the queue for placement in a specific issue.
For many journals, this queue is scheduled months in advance, particularly if the journal is published infrequently (once a quarter, for example) and has a limited number of articles per issue. In other words, an author may receive confirmation that their article has been accepted, but it may be considerably later before they physically see it in Scopus.
As can be seen, there is a whole range of factors that make it impossible to publish in Scopus within a very short period of time. However, this does not mean that this database should be avoided because of how lengthy the process is. In order to submit and place an article in the desired journal on time, it is important to plan your research activities carefully, and a publication plan can be of considerable help with this. To find out how to draw one up correctly, read our article on this topic.
If you are aiming to get published in Scopus on time, contact Scientific Publications. Our specialists will help you choose a journal that matches the subject of your research and will professionally format your article in accordance with its requirements. We provide comprehensive support at every stage of the process – from submission of the manuscript to successful publication. To receive a free consultation, please fill in the form below, and our manager will be in touch with you as soon as possible. Together towards new scientific achievements!
