Just Accepted

A Just Accepted article is the version of the manuscript accepted for publication by the journal’s editor following peer review, but prior to copyediting, typesetting, proofreading, and final author approval. This version is made available online in advance of formal production so that readers may access and cite the research as quickly as possible.

Just Accepted articles are published in a dedicated section of the journal website and remain there until the finalized Article in Advance version of the paper is published. Once the Article in Advance version becomes available, the Just Accepted version is removed and replaced by the fully produced version of the article. Only the most current publication stage of the article is displayed on the journal website at any given time; superseded versions are not maintained publicly.

Each Just Accepted article is assigned the same DOI (digital object identifier) that will remain with the article throughout its publication lifecycle, including the Article in Advance and final issue publication stages. Just Accepted articles are fully citable and discoverable through their DOI immediately upon posting. Because the DOI remains constant across all publication stages, citations to the Just Accepted version will continue to resolve to the most current version of the article available online.

What is the difference between a Just Accepted article and an Article in Advance?

A Just Accepted article is the author accepted manuscript (AAM) in substantially the same form provided by the author at acceptance and prior to copyediting, typesetting, proof review, author approval, or final quality control procedures. The AAM is posted online with a cover page identifying it as a Just Accepted article and providing citation and publication information; the manuscript itself is otherwise unchanged.

An Article in Advance is the fully copyedited, typeset, proofed, and author-approved version of the article that will ultimately appear in a journal issue, apart from the assignment of volume, issue, and page numbers.

Will the Just Accepted version differ from the final published article?

Potentially, yes. Because Just Accepted articles are published prior to production editing and proof review, changes may still occur before publication of the Article in Advance and final version of record published within a journal issue. These changes may include copyediting corrections, formatting updates, reference corrections, figure improvements, or other revisions identified during production.

Each Just Accepted article includes a notice explaining that it is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and that additional changes may occur prior to final publication.

How can readers access Just Accepted articles?

Just Accepted articles are available online through the same access channels used for other journal content. Abstracts are freely available worldwide and discoverable through Internet search engines and indexing services.

During the Just Accepted stage, the complete article is available as a downloadable PDF. An HTML/web version is not produced until the article reaches the Article in Advance stage. Access to the Just Accepted PDF follows the same terms as the journal generally: through INFORMS member access, institutional subscription, pay-per-view, or open access where applicable.

Readers may access a Just Accepted article directly through its DOI.

What is a DOI?

A DOI (digital object identifier) is a permanent and unique identifier assigned to an electronic document. The DOI assigned to a Just Accepted article remains the same throughout the article’s entire publication lifecycle, including publication as an Article in Advance and eventual appearance in a journal issue.

Because the DOI never changes, citations and links to the article remain valid regardless of the article’s current publication stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should Just Accepted articles be cited?

Just Accepted articles may be cited using their DOI. Although the article will not yet have volume, issue, or page numbers, the DOI provides a permanent link to the article and will continue to resolve to the final published version once available.

Authors promoting or sharing Just Accepted articles should cite them as "Published online in Just Accepted" together with the publication date and DOI.

How quickly after acceptance will my article appear online?

Just Accepted articles are generally published online within two business days following acceptance.

Will supplementary materials appear with the Just Accepted version?

Yes. Supplementary materials and appendices that do not require additional production processing are published together with the Just Accepted version of the article.

Can authors revise a Just Accepted article after posting?

Because Just Accepted articles are preliminary, unedited versions posted shortly after acceptance, author corrections are generally incorporated during the subsequent Article in Advance production process rather than through revision of the posted Just Accepted article itself.

Will Just Accepted articles be indexed in discovery services and databases?

Metadata for Just Accepted articles is deposited with applicable indexing and discovery services, including Crossref. The timing of inclusion in third-party services such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and others is determined by those services.

May I post the Just Accepted version on my personal website or institutional repository?

The Just Accepted version of an article is an author accepted manuscript (AAM). Authors may post their AAM in accordance with INFORMS author posting policies. Any posted version should include the article DOI linking readers to the official publication record on the INFORMS journals platform. Authors should consult the current INFORMS author posting policy for complete terms and conditions.

What happens when the Article in Advance version is published?

Once production is complete and the finalized Article in Advance version is published online, the Just Accepted version is removed from the journal’s Just Accepted section and replaced by the fully produced version of the article.

The DOI associated with the article remains unchanged throughout this process and will always resolve to the most current version of the article.

Will Just Accepted articles carry publication dates?

Yes. Just Accepted articles include publication metadata, including the date of publication in Just Accepted. That DOI and publication history remain associated with the article throughout its publication lifecycle.

Are Just Accepted articles considered formally published?

Policies regarding tenure, promotion, funding compliance, and research reporting are determined by individual institutions and organizations. Because Just Accepted articles are publicly available, citable through a DOI, and formally accepted for publication, many institutions may treat them similarly to other online-first publication formats such as Articles in Advance.