Minor revisions - editor decision taking ages
Hi everyone,
I'm getting impatient about a paper I submitted late last year. About 2 months ago, I submitted a revised version - with very minor revisions as requested by the Editor. She also said that the requested changes were so minor that she would not be sending it out for review again. Anyway, since then I heard nothing for 2 months. Then about 2 weeks ago I emailed the journal querying if there was some delay. The person who replied told me it was with the Editor, she had made her decision and I would be notified shortly. Still nothing Is this normal? And do I just need to be patient? It is so annoying! I have very few publications and just want this one to be in the bag. I hope it won't be rejected at this stage after the Editor's initial enthusiasm.
Any thoughts welcomed!
It is very unlikely that the paper would be rejected after receiving minor corrections. It might only due to holidays season. Some papers take more than a year forth and back, but of course it takes longer when the revisions are major.
It is not cool, annoying but I would only recommend to be a little more patient. Two weeks more and all will be done. Meanwhile if you apply for a job, write it in publication list and write (accepted subjected to minor revisions).
Thanks Eng. It is so annoying... nearly 3 months and I literally changed a 5 or 10 words as requested in the revision. I don't think it is cos it's the holiday season. Just negligence. Grumble grumble grumble. :D OK, will be patient for 2 more weeks... let's see!
TQ, am I right in thinking that the journal has a high impact factor?
If so, I can absolutely guarantee they will be inundated with submissions from every Tom, Dick and Harry who all believe their work is worthy of a Nobel Prize and should be published yesterday.
That might explain the delay. I have known people to wait over a year to get articles in the "top" journals.
I would email again. Two weeks is definitely more than shortly.
Just seen this and incidentally I did email again yesterday! The editorial assistant replied saying that I will e notified soon. And he assured me that he had heard from the Editor and the notification would be positive! Weird!
TQ, am I right in thinking that the journal has a high impact factor?
If so, I can absolutely guarantee they will be inundated with submissions from every Tom, Dick and Harry who all believe their work is worthy of a Nobel Prize and should be published yesterday.
That might explain the delay. I have known people to wait over a year to get articles in the "top" journals.
Nope, nothing ground-breaking, just an ordinary impact factor. So no excuses whatsoever! I think this particular editor must just have a lot on. It's funny as the other paper I recently resubmitted after minor revisions (different journal, slightly higher IF but nothing spectacular) was accepted within 10 minutes while I was out on my evening walk! I suppose that experience has made me even more impatient about this one.
Hi Tudor, I saw this post the other day and was going to reply but didn't have time. Firstly, congratulations on your paper, secondly minor changes is good and it is therefore very unlikely that it will then be rejected, unless it hadn't been reviewed by all the reviewers (but that's unlikely as the editor told you this). It could be that they are collating and organising the paper submissions for different editions -- how often is it published? Or, more likely it is just simply that they were busy!
Just be thankful you're not submitting to a Computer Science Journal - they work to geological timescales! :-) I submitted a paper to a Computer Science (Algorithms) journal in late December 2016 (for a mid January 2017 submission deadline - it was a special edition), whilst writing up my thesis, and despite the schedule saying they would give a decision in May 2017, they informed me of acceptance in the beginning of September 2017. After some minor revisions, and confirmation of final acceptance in November 2017 the paper went to print at the very end of December 2018 a few days before 2019!
By May 2018, I emailed the Editor (who is in the US), and they said the edition was tentatively scheduled for September or November 2018 (and that there was no October issue), this drove me a bit nuts, but I was just patient and it finally went to print. I've heard frequently from colleagues in theoretical computer science that 2 year turnaround times are not uncommon!!
My other papers in Molecular Biology and Chemistry were turned around much quicker -- in months not years!
Thanks for sharing J_W! That makes me feel grateful that mine hasn't taken quite SO long. But can you believe it - I am still waiting to hear! Grumble grumble!
Haha! Good point! I vow not to check the website any more from this moment on but just to await *the email*. Will keep you posted! :D
Conditionally accepted today subject to two small changes! Grrrr and yayyy at the same time!! (Grr b/c how long will have to wait again to hear back....)
