Day 51: Contesting a Desk Rejection

Dialogue

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1. 1

   A 안녕하세요, 지난달에 논문을 투고한 정우진입니다. 어제 게재 불가 통보를 받았는데, 이유를 직접 여쭤보고 싶어서 왔어요.

   Annyeonghaseyo, jinandare nonmuneul tugohan Jeongujinimnida. Eoje gejae bulga tongboreul badanneunde, iyureul jikjeop yeojjwobogo sipeoseo wasseoyo.

   Hello, I'm Jung Woojin. I submitted a paper last month. I got a rejection notice yesterday, and I came to ask about the reason in person.

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   B 네, 정우진 선생님. 조선 후기 장시에 관한 논문 말씀이시죠? 이쪽으로 앉으십시오.

   Ne, jeongujin seonsaengnim. Joseon hugi jangsie gwanhan nonmun malsseumisijyo? Ijjogeuro anjeusipsio.

   Yes, Mr. Jung. Your paper on market towns in the late Joseon period, is that right? Please, have a seat over here.

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   A 솔직히 납득이 안 됩니다. 심사위원한테 가 보지도 못하고 편집 단계에서 떨어졌다는 게 말이 되나요?

   Soljiki napdeugi an doemnida. Simsawiwonhante ga bojido motago pyeonjip dangyeeseo tteoreojyeotdaneun ge mari doenayo?

   Frankly, I can't accept it. How can it make sense that it was turned down at the editorial stage without even reaching the reviewers?

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   B 답답하신 마음은 이해합니다. 다만 저희 학회지는 투고 규정을 지키지 않은 원고는 심사에 넘기지 않습니다.

   Dapdapasin maeumeun ihaehamnida. Daman jeohui hakhoejineun tugo gyujeongeul jikiji aneun wongoneun simsae neomgiji anseumnida.

   I understand your frustration. However, our journal doesn't send manuscripts that break the submission rules out for review.

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   A 규정이요? 분량도 맞췄고 각주 형식도 다 지켰는데 뭐가 문제였다는 건가요?

   Gyujeongiyo? Bullyangdo matchwotgo gakju hyeongsikdo da jikyeonneunde mwoga munjeyeotdaneun geongayo?

   The rules? I kept to the length and followed the footnote format. So what exactly was the problem?

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   B 원고 첫 장 감사의 글에 선생님 성함과 소속, 지도 교수님 성함까지 그대로 들어가 있었습니다. 익명 심사 원칙에 어긋납니다.

   Wongo cheot jang gamsaui geure seonsaengnim seonghamgwa sosok, jido gyosunim seonghamkkaji geudaero deureoga isseotseumnida. Ingmyeong simsa wonchige eogeunnamnida.

   The acknowledgments on your first page included your name, your affiliation and even your supervisor's name. That goes against the principle of anonymous review.

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   A 그건 제 실수였어요. 그래도 그 정도는 지우고 심사를 진행해 주실 수도 있잖아요.

   Geugeon je silsuyeosseoyo. Geuraedo geu jeongdoneun jiugo simsareul jinhaenghae jusil sudo itjanayo.

   That was my mistake. But you could have just deleted that part and gone ahead with the review.

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   B 그렇게 해 드리면 다른 투고자들과 형평성이 맞지 않습니다. 국내외를 막론하고, 경력이 많든 적든 기준은 같습니다.

   Geureoke hae deurimyeon dareun tugojadeulgwa hyeongpyeongseongi matji anseumnida. Gungnaeoereul mangnonhago, gyeongnyeogi manteun jeokdeun gijuneun gatseumnida.

   If we did that for you, it wouldn't be fair to the other authors. Whether they're in Korea or abroad, however much experience they have, the standard is the same.

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   A 정말 그럴까요? 유명한 교수님들 논문은 이름이 좀 들어가도 그냥 통과된다는 소문이 있던데요.

   Jeongmal geureolkkayo? Yumyeonghan gyosunimdeul nonmuneun ireumi jom deureogado geunyang tonggwadoendaneun somuni itdeondeyo.

   Is that really true? There's a rumour that papers by famous professors go through even if their names slip in.

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    B 그런 소문이 있다는 건 저도 압니다. 하지만 작년에는 원로 교수님의 원고도 같은 이유로 반려되었습니다. 지위고하를 막론하고 예외는 없습니다.

    Geureon somuni itdaneun geon jeodo amnida. Hajiman jangnyeoneneun wollo gyosunimui wongodo gateun iyuro ballyeodoeeotseumnida. Jiwigohareul mangnonhago yeoeneun eopseumnida.

    I'm aware of that rumour. But last year, a manuscript by a very senior professor was sent back for the same reason. No matter how high or low someone's position, there are no exceptions.

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    A ...그렇다면 더 드릴 말씀이 없네요. 그래도 몇 달을 매달린 논문이라 속이 많이 상합니다.

    ...Geureotamyeon deo deuril malsseumi eomneyo. Geuraedo myeot dareul maedallin nonmunira sogi mani sanghamnida.

    ...Then I have nothing more to say. Still, I spent months on that paper, so it really hurts.

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    B 그 마음 잘 압니다. 그런데 사실 선생님께 전해 드릴 것이 하나 있습니다. 편집위원장님께서 직접 쓰신 메모입니다.

    Geu maeum jal amnida. Geureonde sasil seonsaengnimkke jeonhae deuril geosi hana itseumnida. Pyeonjibwiwonjangnimkkeseo jikjeop sseusin memoimnida.

    I know how you feel. But actually, I have something to pass on to you. It's a note the editor-in-chief wrote himself.

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    A 위원장님께서요? 그분은 연세가 여든이 넘으셨다고 들었는데, 제 논문을 직접 읽으셨다고요?

    Wiwonjangnimkkeseoyo? Geubuneun yeonsega yeodeuni neomeusyeotdago deureonneunde, je nonmuneul jikjeop ilgeusyeotdagoyo?

    The editor-in-chief? I heard he's over eighty. He read my paper himself?

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    B 네, 반려되는 원고까지 한 편도 빠짐없이 직접 읽으십니다. 손글씨라 알아보시기 힘드실 테니 제가 읽어 드리겠습니다.

    Ne, ballyeodoeneun wongokkaji han pyeondo ppajimeopsi jikjeop ilgeusimnida. Songeulssira arabosigi himdeusil teni jega ilgeo deurigetseumnida.

    Yes, he personally reads every manuscript, even the ones that are sent back. His handwriting is hard to read, so let me read it to you.

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    A 네, 부탁드립니다. 칭찬일 리는 없을 테니 마음의 준비를 하고 듣겠습니다.

    Ne, butakdeurimnida. Chingchanil rineun eopseul teni maeumui junbireul hago deutgetseumnida.

    Yes, please. I don't suppose it's praise, so I'll brace myself.

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    B "장시의 연결망을 지도로 그려 낸 시도가 참신하네. 다만 사료 해석이 성급한 데가 있으니 호적 자료를 보강하게."

    "Jangsiui yeongyeolmangeul jidoro geuryeo naen sidoga chamsinhane. Daman saryo haeseogi seonggeupan dega isseuni hojeok jaryoreul boganghage."

    "Mapping the network of market towns is a fresh idea. But parts of your reading of the sources are hasty, so strengthen it with household register data."

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    A 참신하다고요? 저는 당연히 혹평이 적혀 있을 줄 알았어요.

    Chamsinhadagoyo? Jeoneun dangyeonhi hokpyeongi jeokyeo isseul jul arasseoyo.

    Fresh? I was sure it would be scathing criticism.

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    B 아직 끝나지 않았습니다. "규정을 어긴 건 자네 잘못이니 남을 탓하지 말고, 반년 뒤에 다시 내 보게. 기다리겠네."

    Ajik kkeunnaji anatseumnida. "Gyujeongeul eogin geon jane jalmosini nameul tataji malgo, bannyeon dwie dasi nae boge. Gidarigenne."

    It's not finished yet. "Breaking the rules was your own fault, so blame no one else. Submit it again in six months. I'll be waiting."

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    A 기다리시겠다고요... 괜히 따지러 왔다가 부끄러워지네요.

    Gidarisigetdagoyo... gwaenhi ttajireo watdaga bukkeureowojineyo.

    He'll be waiting... I came here to argue, and now I just feel embarrassed.

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    B 부끄러워하실 일은 아닙니다. 규정은 지키시고, 그 열정은 원고에 쏟으시면 됩니다.

    Bukkeureowohasil ireun animnida. Gyujeongeun jikisigo, geu yeoljeongeun wongoe ssodeusimyeon doemnida.

    There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Just follow the rules, and put that passion into your manuscript.

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    A 명심하겠습니다. 이 메모, 사진 한 장 찍어 가도 될까요? 연구실 책상에 붙여 두려고요.

    Myeongsimhagetseumnida. I memo, sajin han jang jjigeo gado doelkkayo? Yeongusil chaeksange buchyeo duryeogoyo.

    I'll keep that in mind. May I take a photo of this note? I want to stick it on my desk at the lab.

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    B 물론입니다. 다음 원고는 익명 처리까지 꼼꼼히 확인하셔서 꼭 심사위원들 손에 들어가기를 바랍니다.

    Mullonimnida. Daeum wongoneun ingmyeong cheorikkaji kkomkkomhi hwaginhasyeoseo kkok simsawiwondeul sone deureogagireul baramnida.

    Of course. Check the anonymisation carefully this time, and I hope your next manuscript makes it into the reviewers' hands.

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