Q: How much time does "assigning for review" take?
I submitted a manuscript to a journal in December of 2021. Within a couple of days the status changed to "assigning for review". After three months I contacted the editor and s/he informed me that the review is still going on. Now this is the fourth month and the status is still the same. After that communication with the editor, neither the editor nor the handling editor return my follow-up emails. It is a respected journal and I understand that the process could take time but I cannot understand why the status remained the same for so many months. Should I withdraw or wait some more?
Dear Author,
Thank you for your question.
I completely understand your distress. It usually takes three to four months for peer review. However, if you're on a strict publication deadline, you may withdraw your submission and submit the manuscript elsewhere, bearing in mind that other journals may take just as long. I hope you hear from them soon! Should you require assistance with communicating with the journal, you may avail our journal correspondence service.
I wish you the very best with your submission.
This content belongs to the Journal submission & peer review Stage