From the inbox April 10:
Dear Dr. Whitehead,
On 01/Mar/2017 you kindly agreed to review the above-referenced manuscript. This is a friendly reminder that your review of this manuscript is due by 31/Mar/2017.
As timely reviews are of utmost importance to authors, I would be grateful if you could submit your review as soon as possible ...
If your review will be delayed for any reason, please let me know when I can expect to receive your comments. ...
I knew my review would be delayed but failed to let the journal know. I completed the review yesterday but:
I clicked the link to perform the review and [it] tells me "the review assignment is no longer available." I suppose, as has happened before with [this journal], the editor has grown impatient and made a decision without my review (attached). If this is the case I don't recall getting a notice that my review was no longer needed.
Yes, this has happened twice with this journal. In this case I completed the review 2.67 months after it was requested. And for the second time I got to submit my review and the opportunity has vanished.
What do I do? Never agree to review for this journal again? Or, only review if I think I can complete the review within the silly one month window that the journal demands?
Let's think about that one month window for a second ... What sort of reviewers is this journal targeting? Who can drop whatever they are doing to complete a review within a month?
Or, am I the worst journal referee? The guy who holds up publication?
2-3 months is about my average so journal editors, please don't send me a request unless you can wait 3 months.
And there is my answer, I won't accept any more review assignments if the editor can't wait 3 months.
Now, on to the 3 other late reviews ...
