Submission Process
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Transcript of Submission Process
Submission Process
Overview
•Preparing for submission
•The submission process
•The review process
Preparing for Submission
• All aspects must be done ethically
• Your ethics and integrity are priceless assets
• Do not plagiarize
• Have the advance approval for the manuscript from all co-authors
Possible Plan for Preparing a Manuscript
• Decide where to submit• Put your figures into final form• Write legends; material and methods• Introduction; cite references• Results• Discussion• Abstract & Title• Revise• Cover letter & submit
Decide Where to Submit
• Best to have a clear plan of where you will submit before you start writing
• Match focus of your studies with those of the journal
• Failing to select the “best fit” could slow publication and result in reformatting
Improper Journal Consequences• No review - immediate return
• Reviewed - rejected as inappropriate
• Poor or slow review; inappropriate revision requested
• Manuscript published, but no one else ever reads it
Considerations
• Are your findings very specialized?
• Are your findings of broad scientific interest?
• Do you describe a break though?
• Is it an incremental advance?
• Research the scope of prospective journals
Journal Selected• Read instructions to the author carefully
• Know how to format the manuscript
The Submission Package
• Use journal’s web site for formal submission • Submission process may be time consuming • Plan for at least 60-90 minutes, even if everything is organized
• Figures – Correct file format and resolution• Have e-mails and other contact information for all authors
• Assemble all pieces according to instructions
Cover Letter• Very important!
• Spend time writing the letter
• Opportunity to address the editor and reviewers directly
• Explain on a more personal level why your work is of great importance and merits publication
Cover Letter• Can be addressed to the editor in chief
• Explain why your manuscript is appropriate for this journal
• Highlight the articles main points
• Don’t reuse previous cover letters
• Suggest editors and reviewers
Cover Letter
• Include a statement that manuscript is currently not submitted to another journal
• Indicate the manuscript has been approved for publication by all authors
• State there has been no previous publication of the data (meeting abstract)
Editors and Reviewers
• Managing editor
• Copy editor
• Editor-in-Chief
• Editor
• Editorial Board
• ad hoc reviewers
Editors: Manuscript Receipt• Format of manuscript assessed
• Assigned to a corresponding editor
• Letter (now often an e-mail) of receipt sent to corresponding author
• Editor reviews for appropriateness
• Reviewers selected
• Manuscript sent to reviewers
The Review Process
• Run completely by volunteers
• Usually two or three anonymous reviewers
• Length of time depends on the journal• Two week minimum• 20 day average• after 45 days - contact the editor
Review Process
• “The system of peer review, wherein anonymous reviewers funnel comments about your typescript back to you through the editor, is rarely a wholly pleasant one no matter how common it is.” – R. A. Day
Reviewer Guidelines• Adopt viewpoint of author’s ally
• Separate comments for Editor and author(s)
• Focus on science not style
• Unpublished manuscript is confidential
• Do not discuss manuscript with authors
• Provide review within time specified by editor
Review Format
• First section - summarize content and provide overall evaluation
• Substantiate major criticisms, especially with respect to novelty
• Second section - numbered list of specific points
• Recommend accept/reject/modify only in confidential comments to the editor
Review Criteria • How significant is the research question?• To what extent is the work novel and original? • Appropriate experimental design?• Adequate experimental technique?• Data properly interpreted? • Conclusions supported by data? • Relevant discussion?• Adequate references?
Review Criteria - Format
• Appropriate figures and tables?
• Appropriate overall length?
• Appropriate nomenclature?
• References accounted for and in proper form?
• Style is adequate?
• Appropriate statistics?
Editorial Decision• Guided by the reviews
• Solely that of the editor
• Three basic responses1. Accept2. Modify3. Reject
What’s next?