Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 09:57:34 -0400
From: Steve Lehar
To: Anthony@imprint.co.uk
Dear Anthony,
I was wondering if you could give me a progress report on the review of my paper which I submitted to the Journal of Consciousness Studies back in June. The title of the paper is...
The Dimensions of Conscious Experience: A Quantitative Analysis
Thank you,
Steven Lehar
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 20:16:53 +0100
To: Steve Lehar
From: Anthony@imprint.co.uk
Anthony Freeman is away until the end of October
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2000 18:13:47 +0000
To: Steve Lehar
From: Anthony Freeman
Subject: Re: review progress?
Dear Steven,
After our little contre temps in July I sent the paper out to two fresh reviewers (neither of whom has yet reported) and also asked for a more detailed report from the senior of the original readers (which I have received).
I could send you what I have if you wish, but I really would prefer to wait until I have all three (or at least two of the three) reports in so that we can get as rounded a picture as possible of the shape any revision ought to take. I will chase the two sluggards.
Please excuse the delay in replying, but I only returned yesterday from two weeks holiday and have been working my way through a large number of emails and other correspondence (as well as typesetting an urgent paper for the next issue).
Best wishes,
Anthony.
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2000 11:41:11 -0500
From: Steve Lehar
To: Anthony@imprint.co.uk
Subject: Re: review progress?
Dear Anthony,
Has there been any further progress in the review of my paper which I submitted to the Journal of Consciousness Studies back in June? The title of the paper is...
The Dimensions of Conscious Experience: A Quantitative Analysis
Thank you,
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 13:25:28 +0000
To: Steve Lehar
From: Anthony Freeman
Subject: Re: review progress?
Dear Steve,
One of my fresh referees has written apologising that he has been travelling and not been able to read the paper.
The other sent a brief message last month to say that he could not recommend the paper (basically because it was not adding anything useful or new to the literature) and would be sending a fuller report explaining why. I have not yet received the full report.
This is the second time we have had this problem with your paper. I know you think that referees ought always to read submissions carefully and to write full reports even when they are negative (and in principle I agree with you), but the fact is that many researchers don't like spending time on papers that (rightly or wrongly) they do not believe should be published.
I will chase up the still-awaited report, but I see no realistic likelihood of JCS accepting the paper.
I am sorry that your experience of this journal has been a bad one, but I am at a loss to know what more I can do.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony.
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 16:25:26 -0400
From: Steve Lehar
To: Anthony@imprint.co.uk
Subject: Review progress?
Dear Anthony,
I am writing to check up on the status of my paper...
The Dimensions of Conscious Experience: A Quantitative Analysis
Last time I emailed you back in December you told me you were still waiting for one reviewer to even read the paper, while the other reviewer had already read it and had promised a full review, but had not yet provided it. I understand that you see no realistic liklihood of JCS accepting the paper for publication. But do you think that the paper might warrent at least a formal rejection, including actual written reviews by reviewers?
The reason I am so concerned about what you surely consider to be a worthless paper is that this is in fact a revolutionary paper that is destined to turn the worlds of neurscience and consciousness studies on their heads. And when that happens, it would be a considerable embarrassment to the Journal of Consciousness Studies if they had not only rejected the paper for publication, but not even considered it worthy of an actual review.
I would appreciate it therefore if you would be so kind as to go on-record as either rejecting the paper outright without review, or rejecting it with an official written review.
Sincerely
Steve Lehar