First impression matters!
Approximately 35% of papers are ‘desk rejects’. These decisions are often related to the scope of the paper, poor writing quality,
research design or other such reason which the Editor should explain in a rejection letter. Provided you are submitting to an appropriate Journal, and are confident you have strong research,
there is little reason why you need to be part of this reject figure: however, with all that said - it does happen.
First impressions really matter!
Keep the Editor sweet! Even if not specifically required, alongside your perfectly polished manuscript, write the Editor a nice cover letter introducing your manuscript submission!
It looks better, and it’s more polite!
Cover letter etiquette and formatting
Your cover letter is the first thing the Editor will see. In the cover letter, it is advised that you state:
- a) That you wish them to consider your paper for publication
- b) That you have permission from all the co-authors (and other formalities)
- c) What your novel finding is
- d) Why it is SO exciting and they should be excited too
- e) Why you think it is appropriate for the journal
Finally, it may be obvious, but ensure your cover letter is appropriately addressed! – ie. You have the right Journal - particularly if you are re-submitting a manuscript to a new Journal! ;)
Why not make the extra effort and find out the editor’s name? A personally addressed letter looks a lot better!
Find an example of a cover letter document here!
Perfectly polished papers
Make sure the final draft of your manuscript is as polished as it possibly can be, and that all co-authors are happy before you go to submit.
Ensuring your manuscript is the best it possibly can be at this point will a) let you mind rest whilst you wait the weeks for an initial decision, and b) will present the
Editor with a great first impression of your manuscript when it lands on their desk!
Save some time
Before you start your submission, gather as much information in advance and ensure you have your files in the correct format for submission. This includes:
- List of Authors (Make sure you know their publishing name (ie. Is their middle name initial included?))
- Institution addresses
- Author's email addresses
- Paper in correct format. Ie. draft .tex or word file (is double spaced required? See information for authors!)
- Bibliography format and upload -
- Is it format in the correct style?
- Is it to be uploaded as a separate .bbl file for those using BibTex or as a separate .tex file?
- Read information for the author carefully as this can be confusing!
- Figures in correct format. Ie. is .eps preferred? Are the images labelled and ordered correctly?
- A list of suggested reviewers
Submitting your manuscript
Do a final check with our helpful documentation check lists which can be found here!
Once you have your perfectly polished manuscript and cover letter complete, you can submit your paper to most journals using an online submission form, where authors can
register and upload manuscript files (text, figures and supplementary information), directly to the journal. Set aside most of a day to do this for the first time, it can be a bit nerve-racking and fiddly.
Manuscript text is usually preferred in Tex/LaTex or Word, with figures provided in individual files. Often journals will provide Tex documents format to their preferred style, which can be viewed as pre or post print (ie. double spaced or columned). The Tex file usually includes a title page with author affiliations and contact information, which also need to be submit in separate fields within the form.
Each journal’s submission form will be different. Read the information provided to you carefully and work your way through the steps.
Finally, please ensure your manuscript compiles correctly before pressing the Submit button!
Once you have submit…
Once your paper has been successfully submitted, the Journal will most likely acknowledge the receipt of your manuscript. This will likely contain a reference number required for
any future correspondence, as well as the name of the editor who is handling your submission. If you have not received this after a couple of weeks, send the editor a short email asking for confirmation of receipt of your paper.
For now, sit back, try to relax, and wait for your response from the Editor!