For a paper under review, cite it as an unpublished manuscript—or as a preprint if public—with author, year, title, and a bracketed status label.
You’ve got a manuscript under peer review and another piece that needs to reference it. What’s the clean way to credit that work without confusing readers or tripping style rules? This guide shows the exact phrasing to use across the big styles, when to switch to a preprint, and how to update the entry once the paper moves along the pipeline. You’ll also see sample wording you can lift, with short notes on when each approach fits.
Citing A Paper Under Review: Style-By-Style Rules
Before you pick wording, check one thing: is a public version available? If a preprint exists in a recognized repository with a DOI, cite the preprint. If no public version exists, treat the item as an unpublished manuscript and label its status. Below is a quick map of four common styles used.
| Style | What To Cite | Reference List Model |
|---|---|---|
| APA 7 | No public link: cite as an unpublished work with a status label. Public link: cite the preprint with DOI. | Author, A. A. (Year). Title in sentence case [Manuscript submitted for publication]. |
| Chicago NB | If not accessible, mention in text or a note; often omit from the bibliography. | 1. A. A. Author, “Title in Title Case,” unpublished manuscript, Year. |
| Chicago Author-Date | List in the reference list only if accessible; label as an unpublished manuscript. | Author, A. A. Year. “Title in Title Case.” Unpublished manuscript. |
| MLA 9 | Treat like other works; add a status phrase and date when known. Use the repository entry if one exists. | Author, A. A. “Title in Title Case.” Unpublished manuscript, Year. |
| IEEE | If private, use “unpublished” or a note. If public, treat as online and include the DOI. | A. A. Author, “Title in sentence case,” preprint, Year, doi:DOI. |
Two notes keep you out of trouble. First, avoid listing a journal name for a piece that’s only submitted; use a clear status label instead. Second, use the year the manuscript was written, not the submission date. If a preprint is live, give the repository and DOI.
Core Steps That Work In Any Field
1) Look for a public link. If a preprint is posted, cite that record. 2) If no public record exists, use an unpublished-manuscript label such as “Manuscript submitted for publication.” 3) Keep the title in sentence case, and add the status in square brackets. 4) Use in-text wording that signals access limits, like “unpublished manuscript.” 5) Once acceptance arrives, convert the entry to “in press” or the final article and remove the status tag. 6) Keep references synced across drafts and proofs so the final record matches the published version.
When A Preprint Beats An Under-Review Citation
Public access helps readers, speeds verification, and can build precedence. If your field supports preprints, prefer the preprint over a private under-review cite. Many editorial policies also ask writers to mark preprints clearly in the reference list and in the text. If a final version appears later, switch the citation to that version.
APA 7: Exact Wording And Placement
APA treats a paper under review as an unpublished work. Use the author, year, title in sentence case, then add a bracketed status like “Manuscript submitted for publication.” If a preprint exists, cite the preprint entry with its DOI. APA’s four-element pattern—author, date, title, source—still applies; the bracketed note fills the source slot when no repository is available.
Chicago: Notes-Bibliography And Author-Date
Chicago gives two paths. If the manuscript isn’t available for others to consult, mention it in text or a note and skip the bibliography. If you do list it, mark it as an unpublished manuscript and give as much locating detail as you can. For author-date, apply a similar pattern: author, year, title in quotation marks, and a status phrase.
MLA: Works-Cited Entry And In-Text
MLA treats unpublished manuscripts like other works: give the author, the title in quotation marks, a status phrase, and a date if known. If a repository record exists, cite that record. For in-text, use the author’s last name and, if relevant, a page or section.
IEEE: Keep It Plain
In IEEE style, an under-review item that’s not public is usually labeled “unpublished.” If the item lives on a preprint server, treat it like an online article and include the repository and DOI. For private items, some venues prefer notes such as “unpublished” or “private communication,” rather than a full reference list entry.
Style Examples You Can Reuse
Here are concise models. Replace the names, titles, and years with your own details.
- APA reference: Lee, H., & Ramos, J. (2025). Measuring micro-grid swing stability [Manuscript submitted for publication].
- APA in-text: (Lee & Ramos, 2025) or Lee and Ramos (2025).
- Chicago note: 1. Hyejin Lee and Javier Ramos, “Measuring Micro-Grid Swing Stability,” unpublished manuscript, 2025.
- Chicago author-date list: Lee, Hyejin, and Javier Ramos. 2025. “Measuring Micro-Grid Swing Stability.” Unpublished manuscript.
- MLA works-cited: Lee, Hyejin, and Javier Ramos. “Measuring Micro-Grid Swing Stability.” Unpublished manuscript, 2025.
- IEEE reference (preprint): H. Lee and J. Ramos, “Measuring micro-grid swing stability,” arXiv, preprint, 2025, doi:10.48550/arXiv.2501.01234.
Update Entries When Status Changes
References aren’t set in stone. As soon as the paper moves, refresh the entry so it reflects the new stage. That way, readers landing on your work months later won’t chase a dead end.
From Under Review To In Press
Once the editor confirms acceptance, swap the bracketed label for “in press” and add the journal name. Keep the year as the year of the accepted version until a volume, issue, and page range or article number appears. When the final record is public, replace the “in press” tag with the full citation, including DOI.
From Preprint To Published Article
If you cited a preprint and a journal version appears later, cite the journal version in new work. If you need to keep the preprint in your list for historical reasons, add a parenthetical note that the article has a published version and include the DOI for that version.
Preprint Details That Help Readers
A solid preprint entry makes it easy to verify claims. List every author, the title, the repository name, the year, and the DOI. If the server tracks versions, include the version or date, especially if figures or data changed.
Version Tags
Many servers display a v1, v2, v3 trail. When citing, include the version you used so readers know which figures, tables, or equations match your text.
Author Order And ORCID
Use the author order shown on the preprint record. If your venue allows it, add ORCID iDs to your author list or in a footnote so readers can trace revisions and related datasets.
Access Dates
Some styles request an access date for online items. If that’s your venue, place a retrieval date at the end of the entry.
CVs, Grant Docs, And Course Papers
Outside journal articles, you’ll still face under-review citations in CVs, grant biosketches, or class reports. Label each item clearly with “under review,” “submitted,” or “in press.” Keep a separate section for preprints so readers can click through. On a CV, you can also group accepted papers under “in press” with the target journal named.
Journal-Specific Rules Always Win
House style beats general style. If a journal or university guide gives a model for under-review items, follow that model exactly. When in doubt, mirror the wording used in recent articles from that venue.
Scenarios: Pick The Right Wording
These short cases match the ways writers bump into under-review citations. Use the sample phrasing as a template and adapt the bracketed label to your style.
| Situation | What To Write | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Your own paper, no preprint | Use an unpublished-manuscript label; no journal name yet. | Lee, H., & Ramos, J. (2025). Measuring micro-grid swing stability [Manuscript submitted for publication]. |
| Your own paper, preprint posted | Cite the preprint record with DOI. | Lee, H., & Ramos, J. “Measuring Micro-Grid Swing Stability.” arXiv, preprint, 2025, doi:10.48550/arXiv.2501.01234. |
| Another team’s work, under review, not public | Avoid a reference list entry; if needed, mention in text or note. | Text: Smith’s unpublished manuscript (2025) outlines the same method. |
| Under review across styles on a CV | Group under a section labeled “Under Review” and keep status tags. | Lee, H., Ramos, J. Measuring Micro-Grid Swing Stability. Under review. |
| Accepted, not yet published | Switch to “in press” and add the journal name. | Lee, H., & Ramos, J. (in press). Measuring micro-grid swing stability. Journal of Smart Energy Systems. |
| Revised preprint with new version | Cite the version you used; include the date or version number. | Lee, H., & Ramos, J. (2025). Measuring micro-grid swing stability (v2) [preprint]. arXiv. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2501.01234. |
Use these samples as starting points. Adapt punctuation to match your style, and keep the label consistent across your in-text and reference list entries.
Practical Q&A Style Notes
Should you cite a companion paper under review at the same journal? Yes—use an unpublished-manuscript label or cite the preprint. Can you cite work under review from another team? Only if readers have a link; prefer a preprint. What if the paper moves to a new journal? Keep the wording until acceptance or a public record appears.
Wrap-Up: Keep Citations Clear And Findable
Treat an under-review item as an unpublished manuscript and label its status. Prefer a preprint when one exists so readers can follow the link. Switch the entry to the accepted or published form once it’s available, then match the style your venue requests.