Submission & Peer Review FAQ

Getting Started

Where can I find guidance on preparing a strong submission?

Authors are encouraged to review Advice for a Successful Submission, which summarizes common recommendations from editors and reviewers across the INFORMS journals program regarding journal selection, manuscript presentation, revision practices, and effective participation in peer review.

Authors should also review the editorial statement of the journal—and department or area, where applicable—before submission.

How do I choose the right INFORMS journal?

Selecting an appropriate journal is one of the most important factors in a successful submission. Authors should consider the journal’s intended audience, editorial scope, methodological expectations, and typical style of contribution.

Many journals also include departments or editorial areas with specialized aims and review criteria.

Additional guidance is available in:

• Advice for a Successful Submission
• Journals, Editorial Areas & Research Communities
• Individual journal editorial statements

What if my paper spans multiple disciplines?

Many INFORMS journals publish interdisciplinary research. Authors should consider which journal readership is most likely to benefit from the work, as well as the framing, methodological emphasis, and application domain of the manuscript. If a manuscript could reasonably fit multiple journals, authors are encouraged to review recent publications in those journals to better understand editorial expectations and audience alignment.

What are editorial statements & why are they important?

Editorial statements define the scope, mission, intended audience, and editorial priorities of a journal or department. They help authors determine whether a manuscript is appropriate for submission and provide guidance regarding the types of contributions most likely to be considered for peer review.

Preparing Your Manuscript

What file types should I submit?

INFORMS journals accept manuscripts prepared in Microsoft Word or LaTeX. Authors should submit editable source files whenever possible, along with a PDF version for review. Figure files should be uploaded separately in high-resolution publication-quality formats.

Additional guidance is available in:

• Preparing Manuscript & Figure Files
• Manuscript Templates & Formatting Resources

What are the requirements for figures & artwork?

Figures should be clear, legible, and suitable for publication at journal page dimensions. Authors should avoid low-resolution images, screenshots, or figures embedded only within word-processing files.

Detailed guidance regarding figure preparation, file formats, accessibility considerations, and color reproduction is available in Preparing Manuscript & Figure Files.

May I use color figures?

Color figures may appear in online versions of articles. Authors requesting color reproduction in print should be aware that print color charges may apply.

Authors are encouraged to ensure that figures remain understandable when viewed in grayscale and do not rely solely on color to convey meaning.

How should I prepare mathematical notation?

Mathematical notation should be clear, consistent, and accessible to readers and reviewers. Authors are encouraged to define symbols and variables clearly upon first use and avoid unnecessary notation whenever possible.

INFORMS strongly encourages use of the journal LaTeX templates, which include tools designed to identify equations that may exceed publication column widths and to support anonymized review.

Additional guidance is available in Guidelines for Mathematical Notation.

May I include equations or mathematical notation in the abstract?

Authors should minimize the use of mathematical notation in abstracts whenever possible. Abstracts are reused extensively by indexing services, repositories, and metadata services, some of which may not display mathematical notation correctly.

If mathematical notation within an abstract is essential, authors should keep it as simple as possible.

May I cite references in the abstract?

INFORMS style generally discourages citations within abstracts. In the rare circumstance where a citation is essential for clarity or attribution, the full reference should be provided parenthetically within the abstract.

What accessibility considerations apply to manuscript preparation?

Authors are encouraged to prepare manuscripts and figures in ways that improve accessibility for all readers. Examples include providing descriptive figure captions, avoiding reliance solely on color distinctions, ensuring sufficient contrast within figures, and using clear, readable fonts and labels.

May I include professional titles in author affiliations?

INFORMS style does not include professional titles within author affiliations. Affiliations should normally include department, institution, city, state or province where applicable, country, and e-mail address.

How should supplementary materials be submitted?

Authors may submit supplementary materials that support the reproducibility, transparency, or usability of the research, including appendices, datasets, code, multimedia files, and additional figures or tables.

Supplementary materials should be clearly labeled, referenced appropriately within the manuscript, and accompanied by sufficient documentation to allow readers to understand their purpose and contents.

Authorship & Author Information

Who qualifies for authorship?

Authorship should be limited to individuals who made substantial scholarly contributions to the conception, design, execution, interpretation, or presentation of the research and who approve the submitted version of the manuscript.

Additional guidance is available in Authorship & Contributor Roles.

How are authors designated?

The submitting (or contact) author serves as the primary point of contact during peer review and production. This individual is responsible for managing communications with the editorial office and production staff, coordinating responses among coauthors, and approving final publication materials.

The corresponding author serves as the primary point of contact for readers after publication.

May authors be added or removed after submission?

Changes to authorship after submission require editorial review and documentation demonstrating agreement of all affected authors. Requests involving the addition, removal, or reordering of authors, or changes to the corresponding author designation, are evaluated carefully to ensure compliance with authorship and publication ethics policies.

How should equal contributions be identified?

Equal contributions should be identified clearly at submission and described using an appropriate author note or footnote.

How are ORCID iDs used?

ORCID iDs help distinguish authors and improve attribution across publishing and indexing systems. INFORMS requires all authors to have an ORCID iD. Authors will be prompted to connect or register their ORCID iD during submission.

Submission & Peer Review

How do I submit a manuscript?

Manuscripts are submitted through the journal’s online peer review system. Authors will be asked to provide manuscript files, author and affiliation information, abstracts, keywords, classifications, and required policy disclosures.

Submission instructions and links are available on each journal’s submission page.

What happens after submission?

After submission, manuscripts undergo an initial administrative review to ensure that files are complete and comply with basic technical requirements. The editor-in-chief or designated editor then evaluates the manuscript for suitability, scope, and readiness for peer review.

If the manuscript proceeds to review, expert reviewers are invited to evaluate the work and provide recommendations to the editor.

What happens if my files fail technical checks?

If uploaded files cannot be processed correctly or do not meet minimum technical requirements, authors may be asked to provide revised files before editorial evaluation can proceed.

Examples include unreadable figure files, missing source files, improperly anonymized manuscripts, or incompatible file formats.

May I revise metadata after submission?

Certain metadata fields may be updated during review or revision. However, changes to authorship and substantial changes to manuscript information may require editorial approval.

Authors should carefully review all submission metadata for accuracy before completing submission.

How do I submit a revision?

Revised manuscripts should be submitted through the peer review system using the manuscript’s existing record. Authors are typically asked to provide a clean revised manuscript and a detailed response to reviewer and editor comments.

How should response-to-reviewer files be prepared?

Responses should address reviewer and editor comments respectfully, clearly, and systematically. Authors are encouraged to identify where changes were made within the revised manuscript and to explain any recommendations that were not adopted.

Additional guidance is available in Advice for a Successful Submission.

What happens during peer review?

Peer review allows subject matter experts to evaluate the originality, significance, methodological rigor, clarity, and suitability of a manuscript for the journal's audience and editorial objectives.

Editors consider reviewer recommendations together with their own editorial judgment when making publication decisions.

What is desk rejection?

A desk rejection is a decision made by an editor without external peer review. Reasons may include lack of fit with the journal’s scope, insufficient novelty, significant methodological concerns, failure to meet submission standards, or limited likelihood of successful peer review.

How long does peer review take?

Peer review timelines vary depending on reviewer availability, manuscript complexity, revision cycles, and editorial workload. While editors strive to provide timely decisions, review durations can differ substantially among journals and submissions.

Average times to first and final decision are reported in each journal's metrics page.

May I suggest reviewers?

Policies regarding author suggestions of potential reviewers vary by journal. Authors should consult the journal's submission guidelines to determine whether reviewer suggestions are permitted. Where permitted, editors may consider these suggestions but are not obligated to use them.

Suggested reviewers should have appropriate expertise and should not present conflicts of interest. Knowingly suggesting reviewers with conflicts of interest is considered a serious breach of publication ethics.

May I request exclusion of reviewers?

Authors may identify individuals who should not review the manuscript due to conflicts of interest or other relevant concerns. Editors retain discretion regarding reviewer selection.

Are reviews anonymous?

All INFORMS journals use double-anonymous peer review processes. Authors should follow journal instructions regarding manuscript anonymization and self-citation practices.

What if I disagree with a decision?

Authors who believe a decision was based on a misunderstanding, procedural concern, or factual error may contact the editor for clarification or, where appropriate, submit an appeal in accordance with journal procedures.

Publication Ethics & Policies

May I submit my manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously?

No. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is considered a serious breach of publication ethics. Manuscripts submitted to an INFORMS journal must not be under consideration elsewhere.

Additional guidance is available in Originality, Attribution & Copyright and Guidelines for Ethical Behavior in Publishing.

Are preprints permitted?

INFORMS generally permits the posting of preprints prior to submission, subject to journal policy and applicable disclosure requirements.

Authors should review the Author Posting & Sharing policy for additional guidance.

What disclosures are required?

Authors may be required to disclose funding sources, conflicts of interest, related manuscripts, prior dissemination, use of generative AI tools, data availability information, and permissions for reused materials.

Authors should consult the journal's submission guidelines for specific disclosure requirements.

How should generative AI tools be disclosed?

Policies regarding disclosure of the use of generative AI tools are evolving as scholarly publishing standards continue to develop. Authors should consult the journal's submission guidelines for any journal-specific requirements prior to submission.

Generative AI tools may not be listed as authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, attribution, and integrity of all submitted content.

What permissions are required for reused materials?

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reuse copyrighted materials, including figures, tables, images, or substantial text excerpts previously published by another rights holder.

Additional guidance is available in Rights, Reuse & Permissions and Originality, Attribution & Copyright.

What data availability expectations apply?

Authors may be asked to provide information regarding the availability of data, code, or other research materials necessary to evaluate or reproduce the reported findings.

Specific expectations may vary by journal, article type, funding requirements, or editorial policy. Authors should review Research Transparency & Reproducibility for additional guidance regarding data, code, disclosure, and reproducibility practices.

After Acceptance

The following questions provide a brief overview of the production process following acceptance. Additional guidance is available in the Production & Publication FAQ.

What happens after my paper is accepted?

After acceptance, authors will be asked to provide de-anonymized versions of their accepted paper, including editable source files, high-resolution figures, supplementary materials, signed publication agreements, permissions documentation, accessibility information, or updated metadata.

Upon receipt of final files, manuscripts enter production for copyediting, typesetting, metadata preparation, and publication processing.

What is a publication license?

Depending on the publication model selected, authors are required to complete either a copyright transfer agreement for traditional publication or an open access publication license for INFORMS Open Option. A publication license authorizes publication and sets the conditions under which a work may be published.

Additional guidance is available in Copyright Transfer Agreements and Open Access: INFORMS Open Option.

When will my article appear online?

Author accepted manuscripts are typically published online in Just Accepted within approximately 2 business days of receipt of final files.

Will I receive page proofs before publication?

The corresponding author will typically receive page proofs of the copyedited, typeset article within approximately 10 business days of receipt of final files, for review and approval prior to publication as an Article in Advance.