I submitted a manuscript to SAGE Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science (JMES), and it's now been 3 months and 11 days. The current status still reads:
“The Associate Editor of your paper is in the process of sourcing the necessary number of reviews.”
However, the journal's official page states that the average time for a first decision is 79 days. I'm wondering if others have had similar experiences with delays, or if this is within the usual timeframe for this journal.
Any insights would be appreciated!
Short answer: ~3 months 11 days is a bit slower than SAGEs advertised 79-day “average,” but it’s still common—especially when the AE is “sourcing reviewers.” That status often lingers because multiple invites time-out before two reviewers accepts. Quoted averages are usually medians across all submissions (including fast desk rejections), so real review cases can take 3–5 months.
What you can do now
- Send a polite nudge to the Associate Editor (cc the journal office). This is standard after ~10–12 weeks.
- Offer 3–5 additional conflict-free reviewer suggestions (names, affiliations, emails, brief expertise).
- If there’s no movement after another few weeks or it remains stuck >5–6 months, write again asking whether they’d prefer to proceed with fewer reviews or if you should consider withdrawing.
Suggested email (edit and send as is)
Subject: JMES manuscript [ID]: reviewer-sourcing status inquiry Dear Dr. [AE Surname], I’m writing regarding our manuscript, “[Title]” (JMES-[ID]). The system shows “in the process of sourcing the necessary number of reviews,” and it has been ~3.5 months since submission. We completely understand the difficulty in securing reviewers and appreciate your efforts. If helpful, we can suggest additional, conflict-free reviewers: Name, Affiliation, Email – Expertise … Name, Affiliation, Email – Expertise … … Please let us know if anything else is needed from our side. With thanks, [Your name, affiliation]@
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