Journal Review Time Estimator
Turn the journal's own first-decision metric, live portal stage and any revision deadline into follow-up checkpoints. Inputs stay in your browser.
The journal's own current first-decision metric is used as a follow-up checkpoint, not a promised decision date. Portal status and editorial-office communication remain authoritative.
Context matters.
- Review times vary by journal, field, reviewer availability and manuscript complexity; multiple revision rounds are common.
- A portal status can remain unchanged while editors invite reviewers or resolve conflicting reports. Use the journal's stated contact route when its published checkpoint has passed.
- Do not upload confidential manuscript text to CalcSpan; this planner only needs dates, status and journal-level timing.
Sources & scope
The calculation guide and this source trail show what the result means, where the rule came from and when it was last reviewed. This is source-and-calculation QA, not a claim of medical, legal, tax or other professional review; time-sensitive decisions still belong with the linked authority.
A visible path from input to answer.
Turn the journal's own first-decision metric, live portal stage and any revision deadline into follow-up checkpoints. The page keeps the calculation scope and its limits beside the result so the output can be checked, copied or revisited.
- Read the record. The calculator uses Manuscript submitted, Status checked on, Current journal status, Current stage began and Journal-reported days to first decision and 2 additional fields supplied in the form.
- Apply the scope. It applies the Journal-specific planning — user-entered journal metric and submission-portal status reference and the explicit date, unit and counting conventions shown in the result.
- Expose the checkpoints. Intermediate rows, warnings and timeline events stay visible; the emphasized row identifies the primary checkpoint when one exists.
The journal's own current first-decision metric is used as a follow-up checkpoint, not a promised decision date. Portal status and editorial-office communication remain authoritative.
- First-decision checkpointAug 30, 2026
Calculation purpose: Turn the journal's own first-decision metric, live portal stage and any revision deadline into follow-up checkpoints. This is a general planning reference; local conditions, product instructions or personal records can override the estimate.
Calendar inputs use plain year-month-day semantics. Leap days, month ends, date-pair order and unsupported dates are checked before the result is shown.
Rule set 2.0.0 · Last reviewed 2026-08-20 · Next review due 2027-02-20. The source panel below contains the linked evidence.
What to know before using the result.
Is the first-decision checkpoint a prediction?
No. It is the journal's own current median or average entered by the user. Reviewer availability, subject area and manuscript complexity can make an individual paper faster or slower.
Which journal status should I use?
Use the wording closest to the live submission portal. Reviews complete means reports are in, but the editor may still need time or another opinion before deciding.
When should I contact the journal?
Follow the journal's stated contact policy. If its published timing checkpoint has passed, check the portal first and then use the editorial office route provided by the journal.