dppm paperjurnal 2017
LESSON LEARNT: WRITING AND PUBLISHING
IN A SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL
Dr. Yulianto P. Prihatmaji, IPM., IAI
prihatmaji@uii.ac.id
DPPM | Central Library | 2017
ID SCOPUS: 53865389000 PORTAL GARUDA ID: 347376 ORCHID ID: 0000‐0001‐8167‐5293
(2)
C
urriculum
V
itae
• 1998, Bachelor of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Indonesia.
• 2003, Master of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Bandung InsWtute of Technology
• 2013, Doctor, Research InsWtute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University.
• 2013, 2015‐2017, Research Fellows, Kyoto University.
• 2007‐now, member of The
InsWtute of Architects, Indonesia.
• 2009‐now, member of Indonesian Wood Researcher Society.
• 2010‐now, member of
Architectural InsWtute of Japan.
• 2014‐now, member of The
InsWtuWon of Engineers Indonesia.
• 1999‐now, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Indonesia.
• 2006‐2009, General Secretary, Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Indonesia.
• 2006‐2009, Director of Architectural Design Aid, Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Indonesia.
• 2003‐2005, Head of Building Technology Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Indonesia.
• 2000‐2001, Head of Theory and History of Architecture
Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Indonesia.
• 1997‐1998, Junior Architect, PT. Kertagana, Yogyakarta.
• 1996‐1997, Assistant Architect, CV. Gurat Ungu & CV. Paramita, Yogyakarta.
(3)
HOW TO PREPARE A MANUSCRIPT FOR
INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS
6 Things to Do before WriWng Manuscript
11 Steps to Structuring a Science Paper Editors will Take Seriously
(4)
6 Things to Do
(5)
1. Think about why you want to publish
your work – and whether it's publishable.
Ask yourself:
•
Have I done something new
and interesWng?
•
Is there anything
challenging in my work?
•
Is my work related directly
to a current hot topic?
•
Have I provided soluWons to
some difficult problems?
Reviewers are using
quesLonnaires:
• Does the paper contain sufficient new material?
• Is the topic within the scope of the journal?
• Is it presented concisely and well organized?
• Are the methods and experiments presented in the way that they can be replicated again?
• Are the results presented adequately?
• Is the discussion relevant, concise and well documented?
• Are the conclusions supported by the data presented?
• Is the language acceptable?
• Are figures and tables adequate and well designed?, are there informaWon duplicated? Are they too many?
• Are all references cited in the text included in the references list?
(6)
2. Decide what type of
the manuscript to write.
Three opLons on the type of
manuscript:
• Full arLcles, or original arLcles, are the most important papers. Ojen they are substanWal completed pieces of research that are of significance as original research.
• LePers/rapid communicaLons/short communicaLons are usually published for the quick and early communicaWon of significant and original advances. They are much shorter than full arWcles (usually strictly limited in size, depending on each journal).
• Review papers or perspecLves summarize recent developments on a specific hot topic, highlighWng important points that have previously been reported and introduce no new informaWon. Normally they are submimed on invitaWon by the editor of the journal.
Self‐evaluate:
• When looking at your available informaWon, you must self‐evaluate your work: Is it
sufficient for a full arWcle, or are your results so thrilling that they should be shown as soon as possible?
• You should ask your colleague for advice on the manuscript type to be submimed.
Remember also that someWmes outsiders – i.e., colleagues not involved in your research – can see things more clearly than you.
• Whatever type of arWcle you write, plan to submit only one manuscript, not a series of manuscripts. (Normally editors hate this pracWce, since they have limited space in the journals and series of manuscripts consume too many pages for a single topic or an author/group of authors)
(7)
3. Choose the target journal.
•
A common quesWon is how to select the right journal for your work. Do
not gamble by scamering your manuscript to many journals at the same
Wme. Only submit once and wait for the response of the editor and the
reviewers.
•
The most common way of selecWng the right journal is to look at the
arWcles you have consulted to prepare your manuscript. Probably most of
them are concentrated in one or two journals. Read very recent
publicaWons in each candidate journal (even in press), and find out the hot
topics and the types of arWcles accepted.
•
Also consider the high rejecWon rates of the journals (e.g., Nature, Science,
The Lancet and Cell are >90 percent), and if your research is not very
challenging, focus in more humble journals with lower Impact Factors. You
can find a journal's Impact Factor on its webpage or via
Science Gateway.
(8)
4. Pay amenWon to journal requirements in
the Guide for Authors.
•
Ajer selecWng the journal for submission, go to the web page and
download the Guide for Authors, print out it and read the
guidelines again and again!
•
They generally include detailed editorial guidelines, submission
procedures, fees for publishing open access, and copyright and
ethical guidelines. You must apply the Guide for Authors to your
manuscript, even the first draj, using the proper text layout,
references citaWon, nomenclature, figures and tables, etc.
•
Following this simple Wp will save your Wme – and the editor's Wme.
You must know that all editors hate wasWng Wme on poorly
prepared manuscripts. They may well think that the author shows
no respect.
(9)
5. Pay amenWon to
the structure of the paper.
Types of structure for arLcles
(the
Guide for Authors):
•
A secWon that enables indexing and
searching the topics, making the
paper informaWve, amracWve and
effecWve. It consists of the Title, the
Authors (and affiliaWons), the
Abstract and the Keywords.
•
A secWon that includes the main
text, which is usually divided into:
IntroducWon, Methods, Results,
Discussion and Conclusions.
•
A secWon that includes the
Acknowledgements, References,
and Supplementary Materials or
annexes.
The IMRAD
format (the American
NaWonal Standards InsWtute 1979):
•
I
ntroducWon: What did you/
others do? Why did you do
it?
•
M
ethods: How did you do
it?
•
R
esults: What did you find?
•
A
nd
•
D
iscussion: What does it all
mean?
(10)
6. Understand publicaWon ethics
to avoid violaWons.
•
One of the worst things in science is plagiarism. Plagiarism
and stealing work from colleagues can lead to serious
consequences, both professionally and legally. ViolaWons
include data fabricaWon and falsificaWon, improper use of
human subjects and animals in research, and using another
author's ideas or wording without proper amribuWon. It's
also possible to commit ethics violaWons without intending
to.
•
EducaWonal resources include the
Publishing Ethics Resource Kit (PERK) from the Commimee
on PublicaWon Ethics (COPE) and Elsevier's Ethics in
(11)
11 Steps to Structuring
a Science Paper Editors
(12)
Steps to Organizing Manuscript
•
Prepare the
figures and tables
.
•
Write the
Methods
.
•
Write up the
Results
.
•
Write the
Discussion
. Finalize the Results and Discussion before
wriWng the introducWon. This is because, if the discussion is
insufficient, how can you objecWvely demonstrate the scienWfic
significance of your work in the introducWon?
•
Write a clear
Conclusion
.
•
Write a compelling
introducLon
.
•
Write the
Abstract
.
•
Compose a concise and descripWve
Title
.
•
Select
Keywords
for indexing.
•
Write the
Acknowledgements
.
•
Write up the
References
.
(13)
Keep in mind that each publisher has
its
own style guidelines and preferences
,
so always consult the publisher's
(14)
Step 1: Prepare the
figures and tables
• A figure is worth a thousand words. Hence, illustraWons, including figures and tables, are the most efficient way to present your results. Your data are the driving force of the paper, so your illustraWons are criWcal!
• Tables give the actual experimental results, while figures are ojen used for comparisons of experimental results with those of previous works, or with calculated/theoreWcal values.
• An example of the same data presented as table or as figure. Depending in your objecWves, you can show your data either as table (if you wish to stress numbers) or as figure (if you wish to compare gradients). Note: Never include verWcal lines in a table.
(15)
•
No illustraWons should duplicate the informaWon described elsewhere in
the manuscript.
•
Figure and table legends must be self‐explanatory.
•
In a figure or table, all the informaWon must be there to understand the
contents, including the spelling out of each abbreviaWon, the locaWons
menWoned in the text and coordinates.
(16)
•
This is an example of how to best
present your data. In the first
figure (lej), data are crowded with
too many plots. In the second
figure (right), data are separated
into two datasets, and plots show
gradients, which can be useful for
discussion.
•
Avoid crowded plots, using only
three or four data sets per figure;
use well‐selected scales.
(17)
•
In photographs and figures, use color only when necessary when submisng to a
print publicaWon. If different line styles can clarify the meaning, never use colors or
other thrilling effects or you will be charged with expensive fees.
•
An example of the use of color and black and white, for the same data, using the
dataset.
(18)
•
Lines joining data only can be used when
presenWng Wme series or consecuWve
samples data (e.g., in a transect from coast
to offshore. When there is no connecWon
between samples or there is not a gradient,
you must use histograms.
•
Example on the use of lines (top lej, for
Wme series; lower lej for gradients) and
histograms (right). Figures on the lower lej
and right are presenWng the same data: the
lej should be used in the case of gradients
(e.g., a laWtudinal transect), and the bar
format if there is no gradient.
(19)
•
Example of the small fonts used
when preparing a draj. The first
figure shows charts where the
numbers are illegible, compared
to the second figure, where they
are large enough to read.
•
Inadequate use of lines, number
of decimals, decimal separators
(use always dots, not commas)
and posiWon of units (above) and
its adequate use (below) for a
more clear table.
(20)
Step 2: Write the Methods
• Responds to the quesWon of how the
problem was studied. If paper is proposing a new method, it’s need to include detailed informaWon so a knowledgeable reader can reproduce the experiment.
• Do not repeat the details of established methods; use References and SupporWng Materials to indicate the previously
published procedures. Broad summaries or key references are sufficient.
• Reviewers will criWcize incomplete or incorrect methods descripWons and may recommend rejecWon, because this secWon is criWcal in the process of reproducing your invesWgaWon. In this way, all chemicals must be idenWfied. Do not use proprietary,
unidenWfiable compounds.
It's important to use standard systems for numbers and nomenclature. For example:
• For chemicals, use the convenWons of the
InternaWonal Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the official recommendaWons of the IUPAC–IUB Combined Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature.
• For species, use accepted taxonomical nomenclature (
WoRMS: World Register of Marine Species, ERMS: European Register of Marine Species), and write them always in italics.
• For units of measurement, follow the
(21)
Present proper control experiments and
staWsWcs used, again to make the experiment
of invesWgaWon repeatable.
List the methods in the same order they will
appear in the Results secWon, in the logical
order in which you did the research:
•
DescripWon of the site
•
DescripWon of the surveys or experiments
done, giving informaWon on dates, etc.
•
DescripWon of the laboratory methods,
including separaWon or treatment of
samples, analyWcal methods, following the
order of waters, sediments and
biomonitors. DescripWon of the staWsWcal
methods used (including confidence
levels, etc.)
In this secWon, avoid adding comments,
results, and discussion, which is a common
error.
Length of the manuscript
Look at the journal's Guide for Authors,
but an ideal length for a manuscript is 25
to 40 pages, double spaced, including
essenWal data only.
Here are some general guidelines:
•
Title:
Short and informaWve
•
Abstract:
1 paragraph (<250 words)
•
IntroducLon:
1.5‐2 pages
•
Methods:
2‐3 pages
•
Results:
6‐8 pages
•
Discussion:
4‐6 pages
•
Conclusion:
1 paragraph
•
Figures:
6‐8 (one per page)
•
Tables:
1‐3 (one per page)
(22)
Step 3: Write up the Results
• What have you found? The results should be essenWal for discussion. • Most journals offer the possibility of adding SupporWng Materials, so use them freely for data of secondary importance. • Use sub‐headings to keep results of the same type together, which is easier to review and read. • For the data, decide on a logical order that tells a clear story and makes it and easy to understand. • An important issue is that you must not include references in this secWon; you are presenWng your results, so you cannot refer to others here. If you refer to others, is because you are discussing your results, and this must be included in the Discussion secWon. StaWsWcal rules • Indicate the staWsWcal tests used with all relevant parameters: e.g., mean and standard deviaWon (SD): 44% (±3); median and interpercenWle range: 7 years (4.5 to 9.5 years). • Use mean and standard deviaWon to report normally distributed data. • Use median and interpercenWle range to report skewed data. • For numbers, use two significant digits unless more precision is necessary (2.08, not 2.07856444). • Never use percentages for very small samples e.g., "one out of two" should not be replaced by 50%.(23)
Step 4: Write the Discussion
•
Here you must respond to what the
results mean. The most important
secWon of your arWcle. Here you get
the chance to sell your data. Take
into account that a huge numbers of
manuscripts are rejected because the
Discussion is weak.
•
Need to make the Discussion
corresponding to the Results, but do
not reiterate the results. Here you
need to compare the published
results by your colleagues with yours
(using some of the references
included in the IntroducWon).
•
Never ignore work in disagreement
with yours, in turn, you must
confront it and convince the reader
that you are correct or bemer.
Take into account the following Wps:
•
1. Avoid statements that go beyond
what the results can support.
•
2. Avoid unspecific expressions
such
as "higher temperature", "at a lower
rate", "highly significant".
QuanWtaWve descripWons are always
preferred (35ºC, 0.5%, p<0.001,
respecWvely).
•
3. Avoid sudden introducLon of new
terms or ideas.
•
4. SpeculaLons on possible
interpretaLons are allowed, but
these should be rooted in fact,
rather than imaginaLon.
•
5. Revision of Results and Discussion
is not just paper work.
(24)
Step 5: Write a clear Conclusion
•
This secWon shows how the work
advances the field from the
present state of knowledge. In
some journals, it's a separate
secWon; in others, it's the last
paragraph of the Discussion
secWon. Whatever the case,
without a clear conclusion
secWon, reviewers and readers
will find it difficult to judge your
work and whether it merits
publicaWon in the journal.
•
A common error in this secWon is
repeaWng the abstract, or just
lisWng experimental results.
Trivial statements of your results
are unacceptable in this secWon.
•
You should provide a clear
scienWfic jusWficaWon for your
work in this secWon, and indicate
uses and extensions if
appropriate. Moreover, you can
suggest future experiments and
point out those that are
underway.
•
You can propose present global
and specific conclusions, in
relaWon to the objecWves
included in the introducWon.
(25)
Step 6: Write a compelling IntroducWon
A good introducWon should answer the following quesWons:
• What is the problem to be solved?
• Are there any exisWng soluWons?
• Which is the best?
• What is its main limitaWon?
• What do you hope to achieve?
Some addiWonal Wps for the introducWon:
• Never use more words than necessary (be concise and to‐the‐point). Don't make this secWon into a history lesson. Long
introducWons put readers off.
• We all know that you are keen to present your new data. But do not forget that you need to give the whole picture at first.
Some addiWonal Wps for the introducWon:
• The introducWon must be organized from the global to the parWcular point of view, guiding the readers to your objecWves when wriWng this paper.
• State the purpose of the paper and research strategy adopted to answer the quesWon, but do not mix introducWon with results,
discussion and conclusion. Always keep them separate to ensure that the manuscript flows logically from one secWon to the next.
• Hypothesis and objecWves must be clearly remarked at the end of the introducWon.
• Expressions such as "novel," "first Wme," "first ever," and "paradigm‐changing" are not preferred. Use them sparingly.
(26)
Step 7: Write the Abstract
• The abstract tells prospecWve readers what you did and what the important findings in your research were. Together with the Wtle, it's the adverWsement of your arWcle. Make it interesWng and easily understood without reading the whole arWcle. Avoid using jargon, uncommon abbreviaWons and references.
• Must be accurate, using the words that convey the precise meaning of your research. The abstract provides a short descripWon of the perspecWve and purpose of your paper. It gives key results but
minimizes experimental details. It is very important to remind that the abstract offers a short descripWon of the interpretaWon/ conclusion in the last sentence.
• A clear abstract will strongly influence whether or not your work is further considered.
• However, the abstracts must be keep as brief as possible. Just check the 'Guide for authors' of the journal, but normally they have less than 250 words.
In an abstract, the two whats are essenWal. Here's an example:
• What has been done? "In recent years, several …"
• What are the main findings? "The results show the response of the..."
(27)
Step 8: Compose a concise and descripWve
Wtle
•
The Wtle must explain what the paper
is broadly about. It is first (and
probably only) opportunity to amract
the reader's amenWon. In this way,
remember that the first readers are
the Editor and the referees. Also,
readers are the potenWal authors
who will cite your arWcle, so the first
impression is powerful!
•
We are all flooded by publicaWons,
and readers don't have Wme to read
all scienWfic producWon. They must
be selecWve, and this selecWon ojen
comes from the Wtle.
•
Reviewers will check whether the
Wtle is specific and whether it reflects
the content of the manuscript.
Editors hate Wtles that make no sense
or fail to represent the subject mamer
adequately. Hence, keep the Wtle
informaWve and concise (clear,
descripWve, and not too long).
•
Avoid technical jargon and
abbreviaWons, if possible. This is
because you need to amract a
readership as large as possible.
Dedicate some Wme to think about
the Wtle and discuss it with your co‐
authors.
(28)
Example 1
•
Original Ltle:
Preliminary observaWons on the effect of salinity on benthic
community distribuWon within a estuarine system, in the North Sea
•
Revised Ltle:
Effect of salinity on benthic distribuWon within the Scheldt estuary
(North Sea)
•
Comments:
Long Wtle distracts readers. Remove all redundancies such as "studies
on," "the nature of," etc. Never use expressions such as "preliminary." Be precise.
Example 2
•
Original Ltle:
AcWon of anWbioWcs on bacteria
•
Revised Ltle:
InhibiWon of growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by streptomycin
•
Comments:
Titles should be specific. Think about "how will I search for this piece
of informaWon" when you design the Wtle.
Example 3
•
Original Ltle:
FabricaWon of carbon/CdS coaxial nanofibers displaying opWcal and
electrical properWes via electrospinning carbon
•
Revised Ltle:
Electrospinning of carbon/CdS coaxial nanofibers with opWcal and
electrical properWes
•
Comments:
"English needs help. The Wtle is nonsense. All materials have
properWes of all varieWes. You could examine my hair for its electrical and opWcal
properWes! You MUST be specific. I haven't read the paper but I suspect there is
something special about these properWes, otherwise why would you be reporWng
them?" – the Editor‐in‐Chief.
(29)
Step 9: Select keywords for indexing
•
Keywords are used for indexing
your paper. They are the label of
your manuscript. It is true that
now they are less used by
journals because you can search
the whole text. However, when
looking for keywords, avoid
words with a broad meaning and
words already included in the
Wtle.
•
Some journals require that the
keywords are not those from the
journal name, because it is
implicit that the topic is that. For
example, the journal
Soil Biology
& Biochemistry
requires that the
word "soil" not be selected as a
keyword.
•
Only abbreviaWons firmly
established in the field are
eligible (e.g., TOC, CTD), avoiding
those which are not broadly used
(e.g., EBA, MMI).
•
Again, check the Guide for
Authors and look at the number
of keywords admimed, label,
definiWons, thesaurus, range, and
other special requests.
(30)
Step 10: Write the Acknowledgements
•
Here, you can thank people who
have contributed to the
manuscript but not to the extent
where that would jusWfy
authorship. For example, here
you can include technical help
and assistance with wriWng and
proofreading. Probably, the most
important thing is to thank your
funding agency or the agency
giving you a grant or fellowship.
•
In the case of European projects,
do not forget to include the grant
number or reference. Also, some
insWtutes include the number of
publicaWons of the organizaWon,
e.g., "This is publicaWon number
657 from AZTI‐Tecnalia."
(31)
Step 11: Write up the References
• Typically, there are more mistakes in the references than in any other part of the manuscript. It is one of the most annoying problems, and causes great headaches among editors. Now, it is easier since to avoid these problem, because there are many available tools. • In the text, you must cite all the scienWfic publicaWons on which your work is based. But do not over‐inflate the manuscript with too many references – it doesn't make a bemer manuscript! Avoid excessive self‐ citaWons and excessive citaWons of publicaWons from the same region. • Minimize personal communicaWons, do not include unpublished observaWons, manuscripts submimed but not yet accepted for publicaWon, publicaWons that are not peer reviewed, grey literature, or arWcles not published in English. • You can use any sojware, such as EndNote or Mendeleyto format and include your references in the paper. Most journals have now the possibility to download small files with the format of the references, allowing you to change it automaWcally. Also, ElsevIer Your Paper Your Way programwaves strict formasng requirements for the iniWal submission of a manuscript as long as it contains all the essenWal elements being presented here. • Make the reference list and the in‐text citaWon conform strictly to the style given in the Guide for Authors. Remember that presentaWon of the references in the correct format is the responsibility of the author, not the editor. Checking the format is normally a large job for the editors. Make their work easier and they will appreciate the effort.
(32)
7 Steps to Publishing
in a ScienWfic Journal
(33)
1. Do not rush submi_ng
your arLcle for publicaLon.
•
Scholars should start wriWng during
the early stages
of their research.
This secret does not entail submisng
your manuscript for publicaWon the
moment you have crajed its
conclusion. Authors someWmes rely
on the fact that they will always have
an opportunity to address their
work’s shortcomings ajer the
feedback received from the journal
editor and reviewers has idenWfied
them.
•
A proacLve approach and a_tude
will reduce the chance of rejecLon
and disappointment
. A logical flow of
acWviWes dominates every research
acWvity and should be followed for
preparing a manuscript as well. Such
acWviWes include carefully re‐reading
your manuscript at different Wmes
and perhaps at different places.
•
Re‐reading is essenLal in the
research field
and helps idenWfy the
most common problems and
shortcomings in the manuscript,
which might otherwise be
overlooked. Second, it very helpful to
share my manuscripts with our
colleagues and other researchers in
my network and to request their
(34)
2. Select an appropriate publicaLon
outlet.
•
Ask colleagues about the most
appropriate journal to submit my
manuscript to; finding the right
journal for your arWcle can
dramaWcally improve the chances of
acceptance and ensure it reaches
your target audience.
•
Elsevier provides an innovaWve
Journal Finder
search facility on its
website. Authors enter the arWcle
Wtle, a brief abstract and the field of
research to get a list of the most
appropriate journals for their arWcle.
For a full discussion of how to select
an appropriate journal see Knight and
Steinbach (2008).
•
Less experienced scholars someWmes
choose to submit their research work
to two or more journals at the same
Wme. Research ethics and policies of
all scholarly journals suggest that
authors should submit a manuscript
to only one journal at a Wme. Doing
otherwise can cause embarrassment
and lead to copyright problems for
the author, the university employer
and the journals involved.
(35)
3. Read the aims and scope and author
guidelines of your target journal carefully.
• Once we have read and re‐read your
manuscript carefully several Wmes, received
feedback from your colleagues, and idenWfied a target journal, the next
important step is to read the aims and scope of the journals in your target research area. Doing so will improve the chances of having your manuscript accepted for publishing.
• Another important step is to download and
absorb the author guidelines and ensure your manuscript conforms to them. Some publishers report that one paper in five does not follow the style and format requirements of the target journal, which might specify requirements for figures, tables and references. • RejecWon can come at different Wmes and in different formats. For instance, if your research objecWve is not in line with the aims and scope of the target journal, or if your manuscript is not structured and formamed according to the target journal layout, or if your manuscript does not have a reasonable chance of being able to saWsfy the target journal’s publishing expectaWons, the manuscript can receive a desk rejecWon from the editor without being sent out for peer review. • Desk rejecWons can be disheartening for authors, making them feel they have wasted valuable Wme and might even cause them to lose enthusiasm for their research topic. Sun and Linton (2014), Hierons (2016) and Craig (2010) offer useful discussions on the subject of “desk rejecWons.”
(36)
4. Make a good first impression with your
Ltle and abstract.
•
The Wtle and abstract are
incredibly important
components of a manuscript
as they are the first elements a
journal editor sees. I have
been fortunate to receive
advice from editors and
reviewers on my submissions,
and feedback from many
colleagues at academic
conferences, and this is what
we’ve learned:
•
The Ltle
should summarize
the main theme of the arWcle
and reflect your contribuWon
to the theory.
•
The abstract
should be crajed
carefully and encompass the
aim and scope of the study;
the key problem to be
addressed and theory; the
method used; the data set;
key findings; limitaWons; and
implicaWons for theory and
pracWce.
(37)
5. Have a professional ediWng firm copy‐edit (not just
proofread) our manuscript (the main text, list of
references, tables and figures)
• The key characterisWc of scienWfic wriWng isclarity. Before submisng a manuscript for publicaWon, it is highly advisable to have a professional ediWng firm copy‐edit your manuscript. An arWcle submimed to a peer‐ reviewed journal will be scruWnized criWcally by the editorial board before it is selected for peer review. According to a
staWsWc shared by Elsevier, between 30 percent and 50 percent of arWcles submimed to Elsevier journals are rejected before they even reach the peer‐review stage, and one of the top reasons for rejecWon is poor
language.
• A properly wrimen, edited and presented text will be error free and understandable and will project a professional image that will help ensure your work is taken seriously in the world of publishing. On occasion, the major revisions conducted at the request of a reviewer will necessitate another round of ediWng.
• Authors can facilitate the ediWng of their manuscripts by taking precauWons at their end. These include proofreading their own manuscript for accuracy and wordiness (avoid unnecessary or normaWve descripWons like “it should be noted here” and “the authors believe) and sending it for ediWng only when it is complete in all respects and ready for publishing.
• Professional ediWng companies charge hejy fees, and it is simply not financially viable to have them conduct mulWple rounds of ediWng on your arWcle. ApplicaWons like the spelling and grammar checker in Microsoj Word or Grammarly are certainly worth applying to your arWcle, but the benefits of proper ediWng are undeniable. For more on the difference between proofreading and ediWng, see the descripWon in Elsevier’s WebShop.
(38)
6. Submit a cover lePer with the
manuscript.
•
Never underesWmate the importance
of a cover lemer addressed to the
editor or editor‐in‐chief of the target
journal. A “meet the editors” session
revealed that many submissions do
not include a covering lemer, but the
editors‐in‐chief present, who
represented renewed and ISI‐indexed
Elsevier journals, argued that
the
cover lemer gives authors an
important opportunity to convince
them that their research work is
worth reviewing
.
•
Accordingly, the content of the cover
lemer is also worth spending Wme on.
Some inexperienced scholars paste
the arWcle’s abstract into their lemer
thinking it will be sufficient to make
the case for publicaWon; it is a
pracWce best avoided.
•
A good cover lePer first outlines the
main theme of the paper; second,
argues the novelty of the paper; and
third, jusLfies the relevance of the
manuscript to the target journal. I
would suggest limiLng the cover
lePer to half a page.
•
Peers and colleagues who read the
arWcle and provided feedback
before
the manuscript’s submission should
be acknowledged in the cover lemer.
(39)
7. Address reviewer comments very
carefully.
•
Editors and editors‐in‐chief usually
couch the acceptance of a
manuscript as subject to a “revise
and resubmit” based on the
recommendaWons provided by the
reviewer or reviewers.
•
Inexperienced scholars should
understand a few key aspects of the
revision process.
First,
it important to
address the revisions diligently;
second,
is imperaWve to address all
the comments received from the
reviewers and avoid oversights;
third,
the resubmission of the revised
manuscript must happen by the
deadline provided by the journal;
fourth, the revision process might
comprise mulWple rounds.
•
The revision process requires two
major documents.
The first
is the
revised manuscript highlighWng all
the modificaWons made following the
recommendaWons received from the
reviewers.
The second
is a lemer
lisWng the authors’ responses
illustraWng they have addressed all
the concerns of the reviewers and
editors. These two documents should
be drajed carefully.
(40)
Conclusion
•
Given the ever increasing number of
manuscripts submimed for
publicaWon, the process of preparing
a manuscript well enough to have it
accepted by a journal can be
daunWng. High‐impact journals
accept less than
10 percent
of the
arWcles submimed to them, although
the acceptance raWo for special
issues or special topics secWons is
normally over
40 percent
.
•
Scholars might have to resign
themselves to having their arWcles
rejected and then reworking them to
submit them to a different journal
before the manuscript is accepted.
•
The advice offered here is not
exhausWve but it’s also not difficult to
implement. These recommendaWons
require proper amenWon, planning
and careful implementaWon;
however, following this advice could
help doctoral students and other
scholars improve the likelihood of
gesng their work published, and that
is key to having a producWve, exciWng
and rewarding academic career.
(41)
References
•
Cherish your own work – if you do
not take care, why should the
journal?
•
There is no secret recipe for success
– just some simple rules, dedicaWon
and hard work.
•
Editors and reviewers are all busy
scienWsts, just like you. Make things
easy to save them Wme.
hmps://www.liebertpub.com/media/ pdf/English‐Research‐ArWcle‐WriWng‐ Guide.pdf
hmps://www.elsevier.com/connect/7‐ steps‐to‐publishing‐in‐a‐scienWfic‐ journal
hmps://www.elsevier.com/connect/7‐ steps‐to‐publishing‐in‐a‐scienWfic‐ journal
hmps://www.elsevier.com/connect/ 11‐steps‐to‐structuring‐a‐science‐ paper‐editors‐will‐take‐seriously
(42)
(1)
5. Have a professional ediWng firm copy‐edit (not just
proofread) our manuscript (the main text, list of
references, tables and figures)
• The key characterisWc of scienWfic wriWng is clarity. Before submisng a manuscript for publicaWon, it is highly advisable to have a professional ediWng firm copy‐edit your manuscript. An arWcle submimed to a peer‐ reviewed journal will be scruWnized criWcally by the editorial board before it is selected for peer review. According to a staWsWc shared by Elsevier, between 30 percent and 50 percent of arWcles submimed to Elsevier journals are rejected before they even reach the peer‐review stage, and one of the top reasons for rejecWon is poor language.
• A properly wrimen, edited and presented text will be error free and understandable and will project a professional image that will help ensure your work is taken seriously in the world of publishing. On occasion, the major revisions conducted at the request of a reviewer will necessitate another round of ediWng.
• Authors can facilitate the ediWng of their manuscripts by taking precauWons at their end. These include proofreading their own manuscript for accuracy and wordiness (avoid unnecessary or normaWve descripWons like “it should be noted here” and “the authors believe) and sending it for ediWng only when it is complete in all respects and ready for publishing.
• Professional ediWng companies charge hejy fees, and it is simply not financially viable to have them conduct mulWple rounds of ediWng on your arWcle. ApplicaWons like the spelling and grammar checker in Microsoj Word or Grammarly are certainly worth applying to your arWcle, but the benefits of proper ediWng are undeniable. For more on the difference between proofreading and ediWng, see the descripWon in Elsevier’s WebShop.
(2)
6. Submit a cover lePer with the
manuscript.
• Never underesWmate the importance of a cover lemer addressed to the editor or editor‐in‐chief of the target journal. A “meet the editors” session revealed that many submissions do not include a covering lemer, but the editors‐in‐chief present, who
represented renewed and ISI‐indexed Elsevier journals, argued that the cover lemer gives authors an
important opportunity to convince them that their research work is worth reviewing.
• Accordingly, the content of the cover lemer is also worth spending Wme on. Some inexperienced scholars paste the arWcle’s abstract into their lemer thinking it will be sufficient to make the case for publicaWon; it is a
pracWce best avoided.
• A good cover lePer first outlines the main theme of the paper; second, argues the novelty of the paper; and third, jusLfies the relevance of the manuscript to the target journal. I would suggest limiLng the cover lePer to half a page.
• Peers and colleagues who read the
arWcle and provided feedback before the manuscript’s submission should be acknowledged in the cover lemer.
(3)
7. Address reviewer comments very
carefully.
• Editors and editors‐in‐chief usually couch the acceptance of a
manuscript as subject to a “revise and resubmit” based on the
recommendaWons provided by the reviewer or reviewers.
• Inexperienced scholars should
understand a few key aspects of the revision process. First, it important to address the revisions diligently;
second, is imperaWve to address all the comments received from the
reviewers and avoid oversights; third, the resubmission of the revised
manuscript must happen by the deadline provided by the journal; fourth, the revision process might comprise mulWple rounds.
• The revision process requires two major documents. The first is the revised manuscript highlighWng all the modificaWons made following the recommendaWons received from the reviewers. The second is a lemer lisWng the authors’ responses
illustraWng they have addressed all the concerns of the reviewers and editors. These two documents should be drajed carefully.
(4)
Conclusion
• Given the ever increasing number of manuscripts submimed for
publicaWon, the process of preparing a manuscript well enough to have it accepted by a journal can be
daunWng. High‐impact journals accept less than 10 percent of the arWcles submimed to them, although the acceptance raWo for special
issues or special topics secWons is normally over 40 percent.
• Scholars might have to resign
themselves to having their arWcles rejected and then reworking them to
submit them to a different journal
before the manuscript is accepted.
• The advice offered here is not
exhausWve but it’s also not difficult to implement. These recommendaWons require proper amenWon, planning and careful implementaWon;
however, following this advice could help doctoral students and other scholars improve the likelihood of gesng their work published, and that is key to having a producWve, exciWng and rewarding academic career.
(5)
References
•
Cherish your own work – if you do
not take care, why should the
journal?
•
There is no secret recipe for success
– just some simple rules, dedicaWon
and hard work.
•
Editors and reviewers are all busy
scienWsts, just like you. Make things
easy to save them Wme.
hmps://www.liebertpub.com/media/ pdf/English‐Research‐ArWcle‐WriWng‐
Guide.pdf
hmps://www.elsevier.com/connect/7‐ steps‐to‐publishing‐in‐a‐scienWfic‐ journal
hmps://www.elsevier.com/connect/7‐ steps‐to‐publishing‐in‐a‐scienWfic‐ journal
hmps://www.elsevier.com/connect/ 11‐steps‐to‐structuring‐a‐science‐
paper‐editors‐will‐take‐seriously
(6)