Timeline for ESCI Evaluation

Overall, the ESCI evaluation process typically takes approximately 18 months from the time a journal enters review until a final indexing decision is made. The process begins with an initial assessment known as Editorial Triage, which generally takes around six months to complete. During this stage, Clarivate reviewers evaluate whether the journal meets the basic eligibility requirements and publishing standards necessary to proceed to the next phase of review.

If the journal successfully passes Editorial Triage, it moves into a more detailed and comprehensive evaluation phase known as Editorial Quality. During this stage, reviewers assess a wide range of factors, including editorial rigor, publishing practices, content quality, citation performance, author and editorial board diversity, and adherence to industry standards. This phase can take many additional months to complete and represents the most in-depth part of the evaluation process.

Throughout the review period, Clarivate does not typically provide regular status updates or progress reports. However, if reviewers identify concerns, inconsistencies, or areas requiring clarification, they may contact the Indexing team and request additional information or explanations. Such inquiries are a normal part of the evaluation process and do not necessarily indicate a positive or negative outcome.

Once the review is completed, Clarivate communicates the final decision. If the journal is accepted for inclusion in ESCI, there is an additional implementation period before the content becomes visible in the Web of Science platform. This onboarding process generally takes another 6–9 months, during which journal metadata and content are processed, validated, and loaded into the database. As a result, even after acceptance, there may be a noticeable delay before the journal's content becomes searchable and fully accessible through Web of Science.