paper accepted but final draft never submitted

[student12345s1]

It's not a top conference, but we had a paper accepted for publication. The deadline for submitting the revisions was a month ago, and the professor on the paper won't submit the final version so we missed the deadline - we needed his final approval. I fear now the paper won't ever get published, and I worked very very hard on it.

Actually, this paper sat in his inbox for many months before it was submitted for publication. I don't know what to do. There's no one I can go to in the department, and certainly trying to create a stir won't get me what I want. I don't think he's being malicious, but I think he's particularly forgetful. I try to remind him on every occasion, but I fear I'm stepping on the line of pissing him off.

Can anyone offer me suggestions? I'm feeling quite upset and a little desperate because of this and other related situations. It's my first publication and the professor (and other professors) have been on my case for not having any publications. I think it's possible we can still submit the paper and get it published, but that means the professor has to get on it NOW. Advice?

I don't think I can talk to anyone in my department (i.e. other professors or graduate students) because I don't want to slander his name.

Edited August 1, 2011 by student12345s1

[fuzzylogician]

Schedule a meeting with the professor to go over the paper (more than one, if necessary). Be prepared to "present" the paper to him - don't assume he'll come prepared. Once there's time in his schedule and there is someone there to walk him through the details -- he must generally know what the paper is about -- there is no reason you can't get this done in a few sittings. Try to get it submitted as soon as possible and don't worry about the deadline. In my field, at least, the original deadline is rarely met. In any event, you have nothing to lose by trying.

Edited August 1, 2011 by fuzzylogician

[lewin]

If that were me, with those revisions on the accepted paper, I would have sent an email saying: "Here is the draft, the submission date is X. If I haven't heard from you by Y I will assume you don't have any changes and submit it on our behalf."

If this happens a lot you need to talk to somebody else in the department because otherwise it will hinder your career.

[Sigaba]

If that were me, with those revisions on the accepted paper, I would have sent an email saying: "Here is the draft, the submission date is X. If I haven't heard from you by Y I will assume you don't have any changes and submit it on our behalf."

FWIW, I like this approach for getting someone to respond. (Although I have phrased such requests differently.) However, what if there is no response? Can silence be construed as the necessary approval? Could the professor, who, based upon the OP, doesn't seem to be inclined towards team work, turn around and burn the original poster a second time?

Edited September 24, 2011 by Sigaba

[lewin]

FWIW, I like this approach for getting someone to respond. (Although I have phrased such requests differently.) However, what if there is no response? Can silence be construed as the necessary approval? Could the professor, who, based upon the OP, doesn't seem to be inclined towards team work, turn around and burn the original poster a second time?

Yes you're right, my quote was a bit brusque. In real life my emails to profs are more like this.

That's a really good point, that somebody who's a little erratic professionally could be unpredictable later. I think it also depends on who's taking the lead role in a project--like if the grad student is explicitly the lead author he/she has a little more leeway in being directive toward the other authors.

But talking to another prof who's more familiar with the advisor and the departmental culture is probably the best course of action.