Dear Safaa K. Kadhem

It sounds like you’ve encountered a frustrating situation. Here’s how you might address the issue:

1. Understand the Situation:

• Editorial Discretion: Editors have the discretion to decide what is or isn't within the scope of a journal. However, it is unusual for a paper to be sent

for review if it's not within the journal’s scope. This suggests there might have been a miscommunication or oversight on the editor's part.

2. Evaluate Your Options:

• Contact the Editor:Clarify the Situation: Politely reach out to the editor and ask for clarification. Mention the initial acceptance for revision and your surprise at the subsequent rejection. Ask for an explanation of the process and why this oversight occurred. Request Consideration: Since the paper was already reviewed and you made the revisions, you might request that the editor reconsider the decision or at least expedite the process if it needs to be resubmitted elsewhere.
• Appeal the Decision:Some journals have an appeals process. You could ask if there’s a way to appeal the decision, given that the paper was reviewed and you invested time in revisions based on the reviewers' feedback.
• Consider Alternative Journals:If the editor maintains their decision, it might be best to submit your paper to another journal. Use the feedback you received to strengthen your manuscript before resubmission.

3. Legal Action:

• Is It Worth It?Suing the journal is unlikely to be practical or successful. Legal action could be costly, time-consuming, and would likely not yield a positive outcome. Journals typically have broad discretion in their editorial decisions, and mistakes, while frustrating, may not constitute a breach of contract or other legal violations.

4. Professional Response:

• Be Professional:When communicating with the editor, maintain a professional tone. Express your disappointment but focus on seeking a resolution rather than assigning blame. Learn and Move On: Academic publishing can sometimes be unpredictable, and setbacks happen. Use this experience as a learning opportunity for future submissions.

Draft a Response Email:

Here’s a possible email you could send to the editor:

Subject: Clarification and Request for Consideration

Dear [Editor’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well.

I am writing to seek clarification regarding my recent submission, [Paper Title]. I was pleased to receive the reviewers' feedback and made the necessary revisions as requested. However, I was surprised to receive a subsequent email indicating that my paper is now considered outside the scope of the journal.

Could you please provide some insight into this decision? Given that the paper had already gone through the review process and I had made the revisions, I was expecting it to proceed toward publication. If there was an oversight, I would greatly appreciate it if you could reconsider the decision, or at the very least, guide me on how best to proceed.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Final Thoughts:

Mistakes happen, and while this situation is frustrating, approaching it professionally and constructively will likely yield the best outcome. If the journal is unresponsive or unwilling to reconsider, moving on and submitting to another journal might be the most effective way to ensure your research is published.

Sincerely

Hello Sir

If I were in the situation described, as an academic, here’s how I would approach it:

1. Understand the Nature of Academic Publishing:

Human Error: Mistakes can happen in academic publishing. Editors and reviewers are often overworked, and sometimes, papers slip through the cracks or are mistakenly sent for review even if they aren't a perfect fit for the journal.

Professional Norms: Legal action against a journal for a mistake like this is highly unusual and unlikely to be productive. It could also harm your reputation within the academic community.

2. Communicate with the Editor:

Seek Clarification: Politely reach out to the editor to understand why your paper was deemed out of scope after revisions. You might say something like: "Dear [Editor’s Name], I am writing to express my confusion and concern regarding the recent decision on my manuscript. After making the requested revisions, I was surprised to hear that my paper is now considered out of scope. Could you please provide more insight into this decision?"

Express Disappointment, Not Accusation: It’s okay to express that you’re disappointed, but avoid accusatory language. You might say: "I understand that mistakes can happen, but I’m disappointed that this decision wasn’t made earlier in the process, as it has led to a significant delay in the publication of my work."

3. Ask for a Resolution:

Request a Recommendation: Ask the editor if they can recommend another journal that would be a better fit for your paper. They might even assist in transferring the manuscript to another journal within the same publishing group.

Waiver of Submission Fees: If the journal charges submission fees, you could politely ask if these could be waived for a future submission as a gesture of goodwill.

4. Consider Next Steps:

Submit to Another Journal: While this situation is frustrating, it’s best to move forward by submitting your manuscript to another journal that aligns more closely with its content.

Review the Journal’s Scope Carefully: Before submitting elsewhere, thoroughly review the scope of the new journal to ensure your paper is a good fit. You can even email the editor of the new journal beforehand to confirm suitability.

5. Reflection and Moving Forward:

Learn from the Experience: This experience, while negative, is an opportunity to learn. In the future, you might take extra care to ensure your work aligns with a journal’s scope before submission.

Maintain Professionalism: In academia, maintaining professional relationships is crucial. Handling this situation with grace can preserve your reputation and relationships in the field.

For me, suing the journal is not advisable. Instead, a professional, clear communication with the editor, asking for clarification and potential resolutions, is the best course of action. Then, focus on finding a more suitable journal for your work and continue with your research. This approach is practical and ensures that you maintain good standing in the academic community while resolving the issue at hand.

It is painful to know that your efforts were dashed. However, instead of the option of suing the team, I would suggest that:

1. You write the editor requesting details of the failure. Review the reasons for disqualification, improve on the affected areas, and

2. Submit the paper to another journal otherwise, represent it to the team. Just so you know, it may be accepted.