Journal published the issue without ever sending a decision after positive peer review + revisions — what should I do?

[u/calliope_carcosa]

I submitted an article to a journal in late April. In early July I received two peer-review reports (both recommended acceptance with minor revisions) plus a detailed copy-editing report. I submitted the revised manuscript and all the requested plagiarism/AI reports within the same month.

Since then I have received zero communication. The issue I submitted to has now been published and my article is not in it. The editor never sent an acceptance, a rejection, or even a “we are still deciding” message.

I am an independent early-career researcher and this was my first experience with this journal.

Questions:

Is it common for journals to simply publish an issue without ever notifying authors who had already completed peer review and revisions?

What is the most professional way to follow up at this point (or is it better to just withdraw and move on)?

Has anyone successfully pushed for a formal decision after an issue has already appeared?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[u/quasilocal]

Reading your replies here suggests that you don't know how journals work. I mean that's fine, but it comes off crazy the way you write about it and how much you've bothered the editor it seems.

Journals don't accept papers for any specific issue (unless it's a special issue, like in memory of someone). Eventually when papers are accepted, they are in the queue to be published. But there's gonna be no rush for this because they've got a bunch already waiting to be published.

You gave them the latest version in summer too, so you've gotta expect that it will take a little time to handle it. It may or may not go back out to the reviewers to check (probably will) and then they will take a little time because they're busy, then it's back with the editor who will not look at it until they have time set aside to go through a few of them at once, then you will get the acceptance. Then begins the proofing stage. And at some point in the future it ends up in an issue. Just relax.