Last updated: 1 May 2026 · 8 min read · Audience: Authors, students, early-career researchers · Reading level: Introductory
Introduction
The way a publisher organises its editorial workflow shapes the author's experience, the rigour of peer review, and the trustworthiness of the published record. This comparison sets out what a structured process looks like, what its absence looks like, and why it matters.
Side-by-side comparison
| Stage | Structured process | Unstructured process |
|---|---|---|
| Submission system | Defined platform or formal email workflow | Casual email; inconsistent format |
| Acknowledgement | Within stated window (often 1–3 days) | Variable or absent |
| Reviewer assignment | Documented; matched to expertise | Ad hoc; sometimes none |
| Review timeline | Stated and tracked | Indefinite |
| Reviewer comments | Provided to author with editor's letter | Often absent or perfunctory |
| Revision process | Defined; tracked through versions | Informal; risk of lost versions |
| Final decision | Documented; reasoned | Variable; sometimes one-line |
| Production | Standardised typesetting and proofs | Inconsistent; sometimes camera-ready only |
| DOI assignment | Routine | Variable |
| Post-publication corrections | Defined policy | None or unenforced |
What a structured publishing process looks like
A structured publishing process documents every stage from submission to publication. Authors know what to expect, when to expect it, and what to do at each step. Editors operate against defined criteria. Reviewers are matched to expertise and given clear deadlines. Decisions are explained. Both legitimate large publishers and structured smaller publishers — including platforms such as EP Journals — operate this way.
- Defined submission instructions and a confirmation step.
- Stated timelines for initial editorial check, peer review, and decision.
- Reviewer matching to manuscript expertise.
- Documented reviewer comments shared with the author.
- Editor's decision letter explaining the outcome.
- Standardised production and proofreading workflow.
- Published correction and retraction policies.
What an unstructured process looks like
An unstructured process is recognisable by silence, opacity, and inconsistency. Authors send manuscripts and hear nothing for weeks; when a decision arrives it is brief and unexplained; reviewer comments, if they exist, are short and generic. The author cannot verify whether peer review took place, and there is no clear policy for handling problems after publication.
- No acknowledgement of submission, or only after long delay.
- Indefinite timelines with no stated review window.
- Decisions delivered without reviewer comments.
- No clear instructions for revisions or final formatting.
- Inconsistent production quality across published articles.
- No published correction or retraction policy.
Key differences
Key points
- Predictability. Structured processes give authors a clear timeline; unstructured processes leave authors guessing.
- Verifiability. A structured process produces evidence (review comments, decision letters); an unstructured one does not.
- Quality control. Defined production workflows produce consistent published output.
- Trust. Readers and indexers can trust a process they can see.
- Recovery. Structured publishers handle errors through stated correction policies; unstructured publishers often cannot.
Why structure matters even at small publishers
A small publisher does not need a corporate-scale workflow to be structured. Many smaller open-access publishers operate clear, consistent processes with documented stages and stated timelines, achieving rigour and transparency without large overhead. The defining factor is not size but discipline.
Why unstructured processes carry real risk
An unstructured process exposes authors to delays, lost manuscripts, opaque decisions, and post-publication problems with no resolution path. It exposes readers to work whose review status cannot be verified. It exposes the broader scholarly record to errors and retractions that are never properly handled. These risks are independent of the publisher's intentions.
Closing note
Authors comparing options may wish to look at a range of publishers, including platforms such as EP Journals, while giving primary weight to editorial standards, indexing prospects, and institutional acceptance.
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Editorial enquiries
Questions about this guide or about preparing a manuscript for submission may be directed to the editorial office. Where a query relates to a specific journal in the portfolio, please indicate the journal abbreviation in your message.
Email: editor@ep-journals.org