Review Process

The review process for submissions to Decision Analysis is similar to that used by other scholarly journals published by INFORMS. When a manuscript is submitted, the Editor-in-Chief reads it to determine whether the topic is suitable for the journal. If not, the manuscript is returned quickly to the authors, typically within two weeks or less. If the topic is deemed suitable, the Editor-in-Chief decides which Associate Editor will take the lead in handling the article. Reviewers may include at least one member of the Editorial Board, but care is taken to choose reviewers well qualified to evaluate the manuscript. Reviewers are asked to respond within four weeks. Once reviews are received, the Associate Editor designated to handle the paper recommends a decision to the Editor-in-Chief, who makes the final decision and sends a report to the author.

Decision Analysis publishes contributions relevant to all aspects of decision analysis, including original research, perspectives, applications, tutorials, and teaching-related articles (see our Editorial Statement). The criteria applied to each type of submission are matched to the objectives of the contribution. For example, research papers are judged on originality, potential impact on decision-analysis theory and practice, and interest to the Decision Analysis audience. In contrast, manuscripts describing applications are judged on technical correctness and clarity of presentation; novelty of methods for the specific application is also considered. For tutorials and teaching-related manuscripts, technical correctness, novelty of teaching approach, and clarity are paramount. Perspective manuscripts, often provided by thought leaders in the field, should present insightful, thought-provoking observations that address the past, present, and future of the field of decision analysis.

Our goal is to provide a report and communicate an editorial decision to authors within two months of submission of a manuscript. Although this is not always feasible due to the busy schedules and competing commitments of everyone involved in the review process, as editors we are firmly committed to giving authors feedback as quickly as possible.