An editorial decision of “reject with option to resubmit” is inherently confusing, for inexperienced and seasoned authors alike. Has the paper been rejected? Should you revise and resubmit? To complicate matters further, for those journals that offer this option, a “reject with option to resubmit” … [Read more...]
Handling a request for revision
After submitting your paper to a journal, you must wait for the Editor-in-Chief (or his deputy) to make a decision on your paper. If your paper goes through the full review process, the Editor will ask reviewers to make recommendations. Finally, the great day arrives when you receive the Editor’s … [Read more...]
Request for revision – be polite
Remember that you are dealing with people, not just a faceless submission system. The Editor-in-Chief and the reviewers are just like you—they have feelings, likes and dislikes, and many other calls on their time. They are not infallible, but offer their comments to help you to improve your … [Read more...]
Request for revision – be fast
Why is it important to be fast? First, most research is time-sensitive. Perhaps some other group is working on the same problem as you. You want to be first to publish. Second, the speed of publication is an important metric for a journal. Authors who slow down publication by taking a long … [Read more...]
Request for revision – be clear
The Editor-in-Chief may deal with thousands of papers. He may not remember the details of your paper, and he certainly will not have the time to go through your revision line by line. Impress the Editor with your clear response. Tips on making your revision clear Convert the reviewer … [Read more...]