How long does it take to publish an article with HRL Journal Service?

This is one of the most common questions we receive from authors. The simple answer is that there is no fixed publication timeline, because the time required from submission to publication depends on several factors involving the manuscript, reviewers, editors, and authors themselves.

Based on our experience, many manuscripts that successfully complete the editorial and peer-review process are published within approximately 30–45 days. However, some well-prepared manuscripts may complete the process in less than 21 days, while others may take three months or longer.

Several factors influence the turnaround time:

1. Quality and readiness of the submitted manuscript

A manuscript that is well written, properly structured, correctly referenced, and already formatted according to the journal's requirements usually moves through the initial editorial assessment more quickly. When a submission requires extensive language correction, restructuring, reference corrections, formatting, or clarification of important sections, additional editorial work is necessary before it can proceed to peer review.

Submitting a publication-ready manuscript can therefore considerably shorten the time spent at the preliminary editorial and formatting stages.

2. Availability and response time of peer reviewers

Peer review is one of the most important stages of scholarly publishing, and its duration can vary considerably. Appropriate reviewers must have expertise relevant to the manuscript, and their availability differs depending on their academic and professional commitments.

Some reviewers return detailed reports very quickly, while others may require additional time. Occasionally, an invited reviewer may decline or become unavailable, requiring the editorial team to identify another suitable reviewer. This can extend the review period.

3. The nature of reviewers' recommendations

A manuscript requiring only minor revisions can progress relatively quickly. Where reviewers recommend substantial methodological, analytical, theoretical, or presentation changes, authors may need considerably more time to prepare a satisfactory revision.

In some cases, a revised manuscript may also need to be returned to reviewers for another assessment before a final editorial decision is made.



4. How quickly authors respond to revisions

Author responsiveness has a major influence on the overall publication timeline. Some authors work intensively to address reviewer and editor comments and return a carefully revised manuscript within a few days. Others require several weeks or longer to complete their revisions.

We particularly observe faster author response times where researchers are working toward important academic deadlines, such as graduation, thesis submission, promotion, or institutional reporting requirements. While authors may work around the clock to meet such deadlines, the journal's editorial and peer-review standards remain the same and cannot be bypassed because of an external deadline.

5. The complexity of the manuscript

Highly technical manuscripts, extensive statistical analyses, specialised methodologies, numerous tables and figures, or complex ethical and reporting requirements may require additional editorial and reviewer attention compared with relatively straightforward manuscripts.

What should authors expect?

As a general guide, our experience shows that a reasonable publication timeframe for many manuscripts is approximately 30–45 days from submission, provided that the manuscript progresses successfully through editorial assessment, peer review, revision, acceptance, and production.

Nevertheless:

• Some manuscripts may be completed in less than 21 days where the submission is exceptionally well prepared, reviewers respond promptly, and authors return revisions quickly.
• Many manuscripts fall within the 30–45 day range.
• Some manuscripts may require more than three months, particularly where reviewer availability is limited, major revisions are required, or authors take longer to submit revisions.

For this reason, authors should avoid planning around a guaranteed publication date. The best way to support a faster and smoother process is to submit a complete, well-written and properly formatted manuscript, respond promptly and carefully to editorial and reviewer comments, and remain available throughout the publication process.

At HRL Journal Service, our priority is not simply to publish quickly, but to maintain a process that is efficient, academically rigorous, fair, and focused on the quality and integrity of the final published article.