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I submitted a manuscript to a journal seven months ago, and I recently received an update stating that one review has been returned while another is still pending. The editorial office mentioned they will arrive at a decision as soon as possible.

Given the lengthy review process, is it appropriate for me to ask for the comments from the first reviewer? I would like to understand their feedback to help me decide whether to withdraw my manuscript or continue with the process.

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    Why would you withdraw your manuscript based on the first report?
    – Dan Romik
    Commented Nov 25 at 20:11
  • if the comment is negative, the possibility of rejection becomes significantly higher and it may not be worth waiting for a response from the journal.
    – Atena
    Commented Nov 26 at 14:42
  • But you have already waited seven months, which presumably means you will have to wait significantly less time to get a final decision than if you withdraw and resubmit to a different journal. And the second report may be positive. Frankly I don’t see the logic of withdrawing part way through the process based on incomplete information on what one referee thinks, unless you yourself have lost faith in your own work.
    – Dan Romik
    Commented Nov 26 at 15:35

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Yes, you can ask, but I wouldn't mention the possibility of withdrawing when you do. They might comply or not, but given it has been a while, I'd guess they might be fine with it.

Focus the letter on the fact that you may need to think about improvements as needed.

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