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I've talked a surprising number of graduate students in several disciplines, all in the same bind:

  • They have a very senior and well respected academic as a coauthor
  • That coauthor has been sitting on the manuscript for a year or more
  • They have written several followups with no luck.
  • They can't (or feel they can't) pull that person from the paper,
    partly for desire to benefit from the glow of fame, but largely for fear of offending this kind of person, who so often functions as a gatekeeper to their discipline.

I don't know what to tell them, besides keep following up, or give up on getting the paper published. Any better advice?

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  • Are you asking about how to word an email reminding coauthors for drafts, or are you asking about how a system can be devised where delays don't impede publication deadlines?
    – Bluebird
    Commented Jan 10, 2018 at 23:17
  • 2
    Do these coauthors contribute to the actuall manuscript preparation? If not then write the manuscript, send them out to all coworkers and include a deadline for responses. If you don't get additional input then submit the manuscript.
    – user64845
    Commented Jan 10, 2018 at 23:29

1 Answer 1

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I remember one of the early pieces of advice that I received from my primary supervising professor on this issue was that when I send a draft manuscript to coauthors, that I should set a deadline for responses. i.e. that I should say to let me know of any comments or feedback by a particular date and that I will be submitting the manuscript directly after making any amendments.

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    This is a good option in you are in control of the whole paper. But it's no help if you need the coauthor to do some writing.
    – Jessica B
    Commented Jan 11, 2018 at 7:30
  • Very true. I read #4 as waiting for a response rather than waiting for content.
    – Mick
    Commented Jan 11, 2018 at 7:33

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