Managing the Review Process – What Can Research Scholars Do?

Rajbir Singh (15 July 2025)

While fixing the system is a long-term project, there are a few things individual
scholars — especially early-career researchers — can do to improve their chances:

1. Engage before submission: Familiarize yourself with the editorial board and write to them about your research before submitting the article. Initial conversation can be used to explain your motivation and research relevance to assess interest. This can also be used to provide clarifications and improve chances of acceptance. It becomes difficult to engage with editors after submission.
2. Choose the right journal: Don’t just aim for the highest impact factor. Look at average review times, editorial transparency, and whether they support preprints or open review. Journals like Indian Journal of Medical Research and Current Science have relatively transparent policies.
3. Chose a reference article: Pick few reference articles from the target journal and understand the structure, flow of article, and language used. Fashion your article on similar lines to minimize the learning curve for reviewers. If they find the structure and flow similar, it improves their comfort level and reduces their effort.
4. Reference target journals articles: If your target journal is from your area of research, then you should have referred to some of their recent articles for your research. There is a good chance that one of the authors may be your reviewer. Also refer to the editorial board and review their articles to
   understand their point of view and their writing style. If possible, try to add their articles as part of your references.
5. Use preprint platforms: For scholars in life sciences or physics, preprints offer a way to share your work early, get feedback, and show progress to employers or supervisors. While not yet widely used in India, platforms like IndiaRxiv are emerging.
6. Become a reviewer: Volunteering to review helps you understand how the system works — and builds goodwill with editors. It also sharpens your critical thinking and teaches you what makes a good (or bad) paper.
7. Maintain a professional online presence: A well-maintained ORCID profile, Google Scholar page, or even a personal research website can build your visibility and credibility. It may influence how seriously your work is taken.
8. Build networks beyond your institution: Attend conferences (virtual or in-person), collaborate across universities, and stay active in scholarly forums. Isolation is a major challenge for many Indian researchers, particularly outside metro cities. Try to find a collaborator who has already published and that would make it easier to publish.
9. Document everything: If your paper gets rejected unfairly or delayed for too long, keep records. You have the right to withdraw your manuscript and submit elsewhere. Some journals also allow you to appeal.
   
   Conclusion
   As you build your network and engage proactively, you improve your chances and speed. It helps to be target journal and editor centric as it reduces their effort. We need to make it convenient for them as its largely a voluntary effort. Speak to your senior research scholars and learn more about the process. It may take time initially, but its manageable. Be proactive and persistent, it works.