Q: What to do if my paper has been “Under review” for more than a year?
I submitted a manuscript in an Elsevier journal in April 2018. But till date, the status of the manuscript is showing "Under review ." I sent two reminders to the editor in the last 4 months, and they said they received one reviewer's response and are waiting for the second reviewer's report. The decision is an important factor for my graduation. So, what should I do now? May I send frequent emails to the editor? Thank you very much
In some fields like mathematics, journal review times are typically longer; but if you are not from such a field, one year is too long. Since one reviewer has already submitted the report, I wouldn't recommend that you withdraw your paper at this stage. But you should definitely follow up with the journal more frequently. Write an email to the journal editor immediately explaining that you need the decision on this paper for your graduation and request them to expedite the process. Follow up every 2-3 weeks, asking for a status update each time and requesting a quick decision. Hopefully, the editor will take some action.
Related reading:
If your paper has been under review for over a year, you are justified in following up. Send a polite but firm email to the editor explaining the long delay and that the decision is important for your graduation. You may ask whether a decision can be made with the existing review or if another reviewer can be invited.
Do not send frequent emails. If there is no response after 2–3 weeks, carefully escalate to the Editor-in-Chief or the journal’s editorial office. At the same time, discuss contingency options with your supervisor or graduate committee, as many institutions allow graduation with a paper under review. Withdrawing the paper should be a last resort and done only after consulting your supervisor.
