Editorial time management: Peer review dates and other key dates of Spanish Communication journals

The main objective of this study was to identify editorial practices related to time management in Spanish Communication journals and determine whether their time management is homogeneous, as well as to evaluate which journals are more agile, discover the differences between general and special issues, and identify practices that could streamline the publication process. To this end, we worked with an exploratory-type methodology focused on content analysis. The sample analysed included 1,581 articles published in 2021 by the 62 Communication journals included in the Índice Dialnet de Revistas (IDR) 2020, differentiating between those published in general and special issues, with the aim of focusing attention on the time elapsed from when journals receive articles until their final publication. The results reveal little homogeneity in policies regarding information on dates and confirms average times of more than 6 months for the duration of the process, with the publication process for special issues being more agile. The strength of this work lies in the demonstration of the need to work on common policies that enable the publication process to be streamlined while accelerating the availability of research results for the benefit of academia as well as society.