Q: What should I do if my journal editor does not respond to my e-mails?
Thank you very much for your previous response to my query in the following link: https://www.editage.com/insights/why-is-the-editorial-boards-approval-re.... I have yet another problem with my journal, where I submitted my paper in June 2015. The journal promised me that the editorial board's final approval process will take 4 more weeks, and I would hear from them by the end of January, 2016 with a formal decision. But it's now 5 days past the end of January, and the journal has not responded. I have even e-mailed to them twice asking about the status of my paper, but they haven't responded yet. Please tell me: What should I do? This journal is a famous Elsevier journal. I think the journal wants to reject my paper, but they are worried about how to communicate the rejection decision to me. Of course, this is a guess of mine. In any case, this journal has been annoying me! What should I do?!!!
I don’t think you need to worry. Delays in the editorial decision making process are quite common. This is a system that mainly works on the honorary service of peer reviewers and editors who are often engaged in other full-time professions. Moreover, Elsevier is a very reputable publisher, and I am sure they will eventually get back to you. Even if the journal had mentioned that you would get a decision by the end of January, there might be delays which they had not anticipated. I think you should just wait patiently for some time now. I can understand that it must be quite stressful for you as your paper has been with the journal for more than seven months now. However, although this is a long time, it is not very unusual for journals to take 7-8 months or even a year from submission to final decision. Since you have waited so long, it is best not to try to rush the decision making process at this crucial juncture, when the final decision is about to be taken. I would suggest that you wait for a couple of weeks more, and if there’s still no response from the journal, send another polite inquiry to the editor.
This content belongs to the Journal submission & peer review Stage