Desk decisions

Once a manuscript has passed an initial submission check, editors must assess its content to determine whether it is suitable for peer review. The result of this assessment is known as a desk decision. Key considerations include whether the manuscript fits the scope of the journal, the scientific content appears to be sound, the research was conducted ethically, and the writing meets the journal’s required standard of scholarship. In this interactive module, we explain the possible desk decisions and walk you through the steps to make them.