Journal of Water Resource Planning and Management
Review Process and Decision Descriptions
The process of reviewing articles for publication in ASCE's journals is a labor of love. Volunteer reviewers apply their expertise and spend countless hours of their time to ensure that submitted articles are timely and worthy of inclusion in their publications.The editors of ASCE's journals have chosen to recognize the efforts of their reviewers through ASCE's reviewer recognition program.Last year,45reviewers representing seven journals were formally recognized.Click here to see our2009Outstanding Reviewers.
Within one week of being submitted,each journal paper undergoes a preliminary review by the journal editor.The journal editor decides among four options for routing the paper:
•Send out for review
•Transfer(to another ASCE journal)
•Return without review(outside of scope)
•Return without review(grammar/syntax)
editor decisionWhen a journal paper is reviewed,four options are available to the reviewers and editor:
•Accept in present form
•Revise for Editor Only
•Rereview required
•Declined final
Practice periodicals have a slightly different review process from the journals.For practice periodicals,the editor needs only one review to accept or decline a manuscript.The review is performed by either an editor or an individual selected by the editor from a pool of approved reviewers.Manuscripts must represent technically competent work;however,the primary criterion for acceptance or rejection will be the work's level of practical or reader interest.Othe rwise,the review process and publication process for practice periodicals is the same as for the journals.
Each of these options is described in more detail below,along with possible outcomes of a rereview and a description of the appeal process.
Preliminary Decisions by Editors
Send out for review
The manuscript meets the basic requirements set by ASCE and the journal.At least two reviewers will be located by the journal editor,who will send each reviewer a copy of the paper. The reviewers read the manuscript and send in their review,selecting one of the recommendation options and critiquing the paper.The reviewers send their reviews to the editor,who examines the reviews and completes a final review.The editor then forwards the
reviews to ASCE.The Editorial Coordinator for the journal communicates the results of the editor's decision to the authors.
Transfer(to another ASCE journal)
The editor and/or reviewers may decide that the paper is not suitable for the journal and would be more appropriate to a different ASCE journal.In this case,the decision is to recommend that the authors transfer the paper to the different ASCE journal.The editor sends the review to ASCE and the Editorial Coordinator communicates this decision to the authors.
Return without review(outside of scope)
The editor and/or reviewers may decide that the paper is not suitable for the journal.The editor or reviewers may explain why the paper is outside the journal's scope and/or suggest a non-ASCE journal that would be appropriate.The editor sends the review to ASCE and the Editorial Coordinator communicates this decision to the authors.
Return without review(grammar/syntax)
The editor may determine that the paper has sufficient problems with English grammar and syntax that it is not ready for review.The editor sends the review to ASCE and the Editorial Coordinator communicates this decision to the authors.
Review Decisions by Reviewers and Editors
Accept in present form
Based on at least one or more reviews,the editor decides that the manuscript is ready for publication in its present form.The editor sends the two reviews and his recommendation to ASCE.The Editorial Coordinator then send the authors an acceptance letter and the manuscript is moved into Production.
Revise for Editor Only
Based on at least one or more reviews,the editor decides that the manuscript is almost ready for publication;however,there are a few content changes that need to be approved before final acceptance.The editor sends his review to ASCE who send the authors the decision including any comments from the editor's review.If editorial changes are required,authors will be requested to submit their final manuscript,along with the required forms and electronic files.
Rereview Required
Based on at least two reviews,the editor decides that the manuscript is not ready for publication;this decision is neither an acceptance nor a decline.The editor sends the reviews to ASCE and the Editorial Coordinator communicate this decision to the authors and send the reviews and request for a revised manuscript.
If the authors wish to proceed,they revise the paper and send it to ASCE,along with a letter that explains how the reviewers'comments have been addressed.The revised paper and letter are forwarded to the editor,who reviews them and completes a new review.(The editor may choose to return the revised paper to one or both of the original reviewers.)The editor sends the form to ASCE staff,who communicate the decision to the authors.More information on outcomes of a rereview.
Declined final
Based on at least two reviews,the editor decides that the manuscript is not appropriate for publication.The editor sends the reviews to ASCE and the Editorial Coordinator communicates this decision along with the reviews to the authors,alerting them that no further revisions will be considered.
A manuscript that has been declined may not be resubmitted to the same journal unless it has been substantially revised and offered as a new submission.