After submitting our paper in February, we waited eigth months, just to learn from the editor that six researchers declined to review our manuscript. Now the editor is asking us a list of potential reviewers.
Unless you are very eager to get a chance to publish your paper in this particular journal (e.g. it is considered as very prestigious in your field), you'd probably be better off if you withdraw the paper and submit it elsewhere. It could be helpful to submit to a journal whose editorial board includes at least one expert in your field and where you can request at the moment of submission that one of these experts handle your manuscript.
Unless you are very eager to get a chance to publish your paper in this particular journal (e.g. it is considered as very prestigious in your field), you'd probably be better off if you withdraw the paper and submit it elsewhere. It could be helpful to submit to a journal whose editorial board includes at least one expert in your field and where you can request at the moment of submission that one of these experts handle your manuscript.
Sometimes the topic of the paper belongs to such a small niche or rare expertise that it is very diffiuclt to find reviewers. I experienced this situation on both ends (submitting author and editor). In my opinion, the best way to speed up the process is to suggest a list of potential reviewers (at least 4 or 5) to the Editor making sure that the list contains colleagues working in different geographical areas, who have not published with you for at least 5 or 10 years, who do not originate from the same country etc..... for the most unbiased review possible. This really helps!
There was a similar question asked on Academia! Very good discussion on different situations in case What happens if the editor cannot find reviewers?
http://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/12144/what-happens-if-the-editor-cannot-find-reviewers
This is experience from one respectful editor.
What is the worst thing about being an editor?
Although being an editor is rewarding, it also adds to your daily workload. In particular, finding good and knowledgeable reviewers is becoming more and more difficult. Everybody seems to have less time and the academic incentives are to write (i.e. publish) and not to read (i.e. review)...
Any tips on finding reviewers?
As I already said, this is a difficult issue. I strongly believe that we have to give more credits to our reviewers, who do an essential task in the science chain. Sending automated invitations from the Elsevier Editorial System is effective but seems to be too offensive. Before inviting a reviewer you need to have personal contact with them. I nowadays always send an email from my personal account first (or give a call). This definitely helps to reduce the review rejection rate...
https://www.elsevier.com/editors-update/story/editor-profiles/editor-in-a-60-second-spotlight-rik-leemans?utm_campaign=50692_Editors%27%20Update_Sep2016temp&utm_campaignPK=266334794&utm_term=OP27564&utm_content=266438382&utm_source=22&BID=784259271&utm_medium=email&SIS_ID=0
Dr. José Antonio Vázquez-García
I faced similar thing when I submit my paper to one of journal
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
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