Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Done and undone

After more than a year in review and revision at the same journal, my first chapter, this damn manuscript, is undergoing yet another round of changes. It was reviewed, revised, reviewed again, revised again, then finally accepted with the instructions to "shorten it somewhat." So we shortened. Another committee member read it. We resubmitted the "final" version. I considered it in press.

Then we got an email saying that the editor made some changes that we need to approve. Well, the editor cut several hundred more words, including one entire component of the manuscript. The piece that got the axe was, we thought, the reason it ever got reviewed (let alone accepted) by this journal in the first place. It gave it context. I spent what feels like ages on that part. I meticulously detailed the methods in the supplemental materials. And poof! It's gone like a line-item veto.

Sam is appalled. He said he's never seen an editor make so many changes after a paper is accepted. Has anything like this happened to anyone else?

I don't think we can fight this-- I don't think it's worth it. I need this chapter truly done and published more than I need that section in the manuscript. We're going to make the changes and resubmit asap. But my dissertation will have the penultimate version that Sam and I both prefer.

5 comments:

Ben Haller said...

If you don't mind, it would be nice to know what journal you're referring to. I see no reason for you to protect their anonymity, and this would be useful information for those of us considering which journal to submit to...

JaneB said...

Never happened to me - I think that's appalling! but sounds like you have a sensible plan of action

gigirose said...

Ugh, what a bummer to have done what feels now like wasted work. But, ultimately, it is better to get it out & published. Let it go, and move on to all of the 8 million other things you have on you rplate right now!

Karina said...

Hi Ben. Not revealing the journal is more for my anonymity (thin disguise though it is). If you really want to know, send me an email.

Karina said...

I've basically got an orphan manuscript now. Perhaps we'll find a place to submit it as it's own thing.