What to do next?
- Be patient. Peer-reviewed journals can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to publish. That said, don’t hesitate to check in with journal editors with questions or about updates.
- Be ready for edits. Expect at least one round of extensive revisions from the peer review. If the journal conducts a preliminary review and/or a post review, you may have additional rounds of revisions.
- Do not compromise your paper. If you disagree with a reviewer’s edit, then you do not have to follow it. However, always explain your decision to the journal editor when you resubmit.
- Review open access options after publication. After you are published, you may consider posting a copy in open access with your institutional repository. Even for non-open-access publications, journals often make allowances for a pre-peer-reviewed (pre-print), post-peer-reviewed (post-print), or delayed publication (embargo) in an open-access repository.
- Document your publication. Immediately include your publication in a resume, C.V., evaluation, and/or promotion file. You’ll be happy you did later.
- Promote yourself. Announce your publication to your colleagues. Share it out on a university-wide platform. Include the article link in your email signature line. You worked hard. You deserve the recognition.