Title (Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, or Co-Editors-in-Chief)
Journal Name
Journal Address
Submission Date: Month Day, Year
Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. Editor’s last name or Managing Editor or Editor-in-Chief:
Paragraph 1 [1-2 Sentences]: Introduce the manuscript title under submission with a brief summary of the manuscript’s major point or findings and how they relate to the journal’s aims and scope.
Paragraph 2 [1-3 Sentences]: A statement that the manuscript has neither been previously published nor is under consideration by any other journal. If there are multiple authors, a statement that they have all approved the content of the paper. Occasionally, you might note if you have publicly presented the research elsewhere.
Paragraph 3 [1-2 Sentences]: A thank you for the editor’s time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Corresponding Author
Institution Title
Institution/Affiliation Name
Institution Address
Email address
Telephone with country code
Fax, if available with country code
Additional Contact, if the corresponding author is not available for a multi-authored work
Institution Title
Institution/Affiliation Name
Institution Address
Email address
Telephone with country code
Fax, if available with country code
Journal Editor’s First and Last Name, Graduate Degree Title: Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, or Co-Editors-in-Chief Journal Name Journal Address Submission Date: Month Day, Year Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. Editor’s last name or Managing Editor or Editor-in-Chief: Paragraph 1 [1-2 Sentences]: Introduce the manuscript title under submission with a brief summary of the manuscript’s major point or findings. Paragraph 2 [ 2-3 Sentences]: Explain how the manuscript relates to recent publications in the journal. Paragraph 3 [2-5 Sentences]: Provide context for the research. Explain how the research relates to the journal’s aim and scope. Describe how the manuscript/research appeals to the journal’s audience. Paragraph 4 [1-3 Sentences]: A statement that the manuscript has not been previously published nor is under consideration by any other journal. If there are multiple authors, a statement that they have all approved the content of the paper. Occasionally, you might include if you have publicly presented the research elsewhere. Paragraph 5 [1-2 Sentences]: A selection of reviewers, if requested. Paragraph 6 [1-2 Sentences]: A thank you for the editor’s time and consideration. Sincerely, Your Name |
Remember, your first draft does not have to be your last. Make sure to get feedback from different readers, especially if this is one of your first publications. It is not uncommon to go through several stages of revisions. Check out the Writing Center’s handout on editing and proofreading and video on proofreading to help with this last stage of writing.
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
American Psychological Association. n.d. “Cover Letter.” APA Style. Accessed April 2019. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/research-publication/cover-letters.
Belcher, Wendy Laura. 2009. Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Press.
BioScience Writers (website). 2012. “Writing Cover Letters for Scientific Manuscripts.” September 29, 2012. https://biosciencewriters.com/Writing-Cover-Letters-for-Scientific-Manuscripts.aspx .
Jones, Caryn. n.d. “Writing Effective Cover Letters for Journal Submissions: Tips and a Word Template.” Think Science. Accessed August 2019. https://thinkscience.co.jp/en/articles/writing-journal-cover-letters.html .
Kelsky, Karen. 2013. “How To Write a Journal Article Submission Cover Letter.” The Professor Is In (blog), April 26, 2013. https://theprofessorisin.com/2013/04/26/how-to-write-a-journal-article-submission-cover-letter/ .
Kelsky, Karen. 2013. “Of Cover Letters and Magic (A Follow-up Post).” The Professor Is In (blog), April 29, 2013. http://theprofessorisin.com/2013/04/29/of-cover-letters-and-magic-a-followup-post/ .
Mudrak, Ben. n.d. “Writing a Cover Letter.” AJE . https://www.aje.com/dist/docs/Writing-a-cover-letter-AJE-2015.pdf .
Wordvice. n.d. “How to Write the Best Journal Submission Cover Letter.” Accessed January 2019. https://wordvice.com/journal-submission-cover-letter/ .
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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A good cover letter can help to “sell” your manuscript to the journal editor. As well as introducing your work to the editor you can also take this opportunity to explain why the manuscript will be of interest to a journal's readers, something which is always as the forefront editors’ mind. As such it is worth spending time writing a coherent and persuasive cover letter.
The following is an example of a poor cover letter:
Dear Editor-in-Chief, I am sending you our manuscript entitled “Large Scale Analysis of Cell Cycle Regulators in bladder cancer” by Researcher et al. We would like to have the manuscript considered for publication in Pathobiology. Please let me know of your decision at your earliest convenience. With my best regards, Sincerely yours, A Researcher, PhD
Instead, check to see whether the journal’s Instructions for Authors have any cover letter requirements (e.g. disclosures, statements, potential reviewers). Then, write a letter that explains why the editor would want to publish your manuscript. The following structure covers all the necessary points that need to be included.
TIP: All cover letters should contain these sentences:
Before submitting your manuscript, thoroughly check its quality one more time. Evaluate it critically—could anything be done better?
Be sure that:
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The cover letter is a formal way to communicate with journal editors and editorial staff during the manuscript submission process. Most often, a cover letter is needed when authors initially submit their manuscript to a journal and when responding to reviewers during an invitation to revise and resubmit the manuscript. For more information on the peer review process and possible manuscript decisions, see Section 12.7 of the Publication Manual .
Because cover letters are separate documents from the manuscript file, all correspondence during the publication process must include the complete manuscript title, the authors’ names, and the manuscript number (assigned by the journal when the manuscript is first received). Although any author may correspond with the journal editor or editorial staff, most correspondence is handled by the corresponding author , who serves as the main point of contact and responds to questions about the published article. All authors should decide prior to submission who will serve as the corresponding author.
Cover letters are covered in the seventh edition APA Style Publication Manual in Section 12.11
Authors usually must include a cover letter when they first submit their manuscript to a journal for publication . The cover letter is typically uploaded as a separate file into the online submission portal for the journal (for more information on using an online submission portal, see Section 12.10 of the Publication Manual ).
The cover letter should be addressed to the journal editor; any interim correspondence is addressed to the editor or associate editor with whom you have been in communication.
In your submission cover letter, include the following information:
Check the journal’s website for the current editor’s name and for any other journal-specific information to include in your cover letter.
Also include a cover letter with manuscripts being resubmitted to a journal after receiving an invitation to revise and resubmit. Ensure the cover letter contains the complete manuscript title, the authors’ names, and the manuscript number (assigned by the journal when the manuscript was first received). In the cover letter for the resubmission, thank the editors and reviewers for their feedback and outline the changes you made (or did not make) to the manuscript to address the feedback.
The cover letter for a revised and resubmitted manuscript summarizes the changes to the manuscript. Along with the cover letter and revised manuscript, authors should also provide a response to reviewers , which is a detailed document explaining how they responded to each comment.
These sample cover letters demonstrate how authors can communicate with the journal editor at the initial manuscript submission and following an invitation to revise and resubmit a manuscript for publication.
When you need to submit a cover letter with your manuscript, you'll probably write it just before submission. Like many other authors, you may find yourself wondering what to write and taking longer than you expected, causing last-minute delays and stress.
To help you write effective cover letters—and to write them quickly and easily—in this article we offer some tips on layout and appropriate wording. Also, you can download our template cover letter (Word file) to help you save time writing and help you remember to include standard author statements and other information commonly required by journals.
If you are submitting a revised paper to the same journal, note that the response letter to the reviewers is different from the cover letter used at initial submission. You can find tips and a template on writing effective response letters to the reviewers in our previous article .
Many journals require a cover letter and state this in their guidelines for authors (alternatively known as author guidelines, information for authors, guide for authors, guidelines for papers, submission guide, etc.). For some journals, a cover letter is optional or may not be not required, but it's probably a good idea to include one.
Cover letters can be helpful to journal staff in the following ways.
1. Cover letters that include standard statements required by the journal allow the journal staff to quickly confirm that the authors have (or say they have) followed certain ethical research and publishing practices.
These statements assert that the authors followed standard practices, which may include (i) adhering to ethical guidelines for research involving humans ( Declaration of Helsinki ), involving animals ( ARRIVE guidelines ), or falling under institutional guidelines; (ii) obtaining ethics approval from institutional review boards or ethics committees; (iii) obtaining informed consent or assent from participants; (iv) complying with authorship criteria (e.g., ICMJE criteria ); (v) confirming no duplicate submissions have been made; and (vi) recommending reviewers for your paper, which may include specifying peers that you prefer not be contacted.
2. Cover letters can summarize your manuscript quickly for the journal editor, highlighting your most important findings and their implications to show why your manuscript would be of interest.
Some journals, such as Nature, state that while a cover letter is optional, it provides "an excellent opportunity to briefly discuss the importance of the submitted work and why it is appropriate for the journal." Some publishers, such as Springer , recommend that you write a cover letter to help "sell" your manuscript to the journal editor.
3. Cover letters that contain all of the information required by the journal (as stated in the guideline for authors) can indicate that you have spent time carefully formatting the manuscript to fit the journal's style. This creates a good first impression. Addressing the letter to a named editor at the journal also shows that you took the time to write your letter (and by extension, your manuscript) with care and considered the fit with the journal beyond just impact factor.
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Cover letters should be short—preferably no more than 1 page—and they often use single line spacing. The content can be broadly divided into six sections:
Let's look at some tips for each section. And don't forget to download the template , which shows these tips already in place.
Common phrases in this paragraph:
Although the cover letter is not, strictly speaking, a part of your manuscript, it can affect how your submission is perceived by the journal editor. A cover letter that is tailored to the journal, introduces your work persuasively, and is free from spelling and grammatical errors can help prime the editor to view your submission positively before he or she even looks over your manuscript.
We hope our tips and Word template can help you create professional, complete cover letters in a time-effective way. Our specialist editors, translators, and writers are available to help create or revise the content to be error-free and, as part of our additional comprehensive Guidelines for Authors service , we can ensure the cover letter includes all of the statements required by the journal.
Lastly, just as a reminder for members of ThinkSCIENCE's free annual rewards program , remember to claim your reward of free editing or translation of one cover letter alongside editing or translation of a full paper before the end of the March!
Our monthly newsletter offers valuable tips on writing and presenting your research most effectively, as well as advice on avoiding or resolving common problems that authors face.
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Zahra bahadoran.
1 Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Khosrow kashfi.
2 Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York, USA
3 Endocrine Physiology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
A cover (covering) letter is a brief business letter introducing the scientific work alongside the submission process of a manuscript and is required by most scientific peer-review journals. A typical cover letter includes the name of the editor and the journal, date of submission, the characteristics of the manuscript, the importance of the work and its relevance to prospective audiences, declarations such as author agreements, conflicts of interest statement, funding source (s), and ethical statements. The letter also includes the contact information of the corresponding author (s) and may also include suggestions of potential reviewers. Spending enough time to draft an informative, comprehensive, and concise cover letter is quite worthwhile; a poorly drafted one would not persuade the editor that the submitted work is fit for publication and may lead to immediate rejection. Here, we provide a practical guide to draft a well-written, concise, and professional cover letter for a scientific medical paper.
The Cambridge dictionary defines a cover letter as “a letter that contains information about the thing it is sent with”. The cover letter is commonly known as a motivation letter submitted along with the curriculum vitae (CV) or a job application for employment ( 1 ) or academic position ( 2 ), and it is not clear why and how it was introduced into the scientific field ( 3 ). In scientific writing and publishing, a cover/covering letter is a letter to the editor’s target journal ( 4 ).
Providing a cover letter alongside the submission process is now required by most scientific journals. In fact, some high-quality and prestigious journals pay specific attention to the cover letter ( 3 ). Amongst the different steps of the publication process, the cover letter is the last step and is often overlooked ( 5 ). One of the most common complaints voiced by editors regarding submitted manuscripts is that the authors neglect to write a well-written cover letter, including a statement justifying the importance of their work ( 6 ). Missing this opportunity may have unintentional consequences, rejection without further consideration instead of being sent for external peer-review ( 5 , 6 ). Contrary to this view, some believe that the cover letter’s content overlaps with the manuscript’s abstract and gives mostly redundant information already found within the online submission system ( 3 ). The cover letter may also be a “misleading commercial advertisement” where it would not represent the content of the manuscript ( 3 ).
Although many editors may not read or seriously consider the cover letters of the submitted manuscripts ( 3 , 4 ), neglecting the importance of the cover letter may be a risk for the authors. Therefore, spending an adequate amount of time to write a coherent and persuasive cover letter is worth it. Following our previous publication on choosing a journal in a new series entitled Scientific Publishing in Biomedicine ( 7 ), here, we provided a practical guide to draft a well-written, professional, and concise cover letter needed to be accompanied by an original scientific paper, either with the initial submission or subsequently at revision/resubmitting stage. Since there are subtle differences in writing a cover letter for an original research paper versus a review article or an opinion, some points for drafting a cover letter for such papers are also discussed.
A cover letter is “a brief business letter”, which introduces the submitted manuscript to a prospective editor (s) ( 8 ). There are essentially two types of letters; the first is the one that is initially submitted with the manuscript (cover letter), and the second is when a revision is being submitted (revised letter). The first letter introduces the work at the initial manuscript submission ( 9 ), while the second one is needed following an invitation to revise and resubmit the manuscript. Here, the authors respond to the suggestions/criticisms of the reviewers ( 10 ). In this paper, “cover letter” and “second letter” refer to the first/submit letter and the revised letter, respectively.
A well-written cover letter is an effective tool for authors to sell their work to the journal editor and make a “good first impression”. A cover letter is a summary that highlights the main points, emphasizes the novelty, and communicates the potential implications of the submitted work ( 3 ). A cover letter allows the authors to persuade the editors regarding the novelty/originality and significance of the research in a less formal manner than in the manuscript itself ( 6 ). A well-written and informative cover letter helps the journal’s editor to be informed about the work and its significance. Regardless of the novelty and significance of the submitted manuscript, editors may miss those points without providing insights in a cover letter ( 5 ).
3.1. first cover letter (submit letter).
One point of view is that the cover letter’s content should be covered in the manuscript’s abstract ( 3 ). A typical cover letter includes the name of editor (s) and the journal, date of submission, the characteristics of the manuscript (i.e., title, type of the manuscript, e.g., review, original, case report), the importance of the work and its relevance to the readership of the journal, verification of the originality of the work, the authors’ confirmation that the manuscript is currently submitted only to this journal, declarations and ethical statements, suggested potential reviewers, and contact information of the corresponding author of the submitted work ( 5 , 6 ). Other manuscript characteristics, including the length and number of tables and figures, can also be indicated. If the manuscript belongs to a special issue or is being submitted upon an official invitation from the journal’s editorial office, it should also be addressed. The main contents of the first cover letter are described in Table 1 .
Variables | Values |
---|---|
Editor (s)’ name and position (in bold print); Date of submission (MM-DD-YYYY) | |
First paragraph (manuscript’s characteristics) | Title of the manuscript (in bold print); Type of the manuscript, Name of the journal; Address if the manuscript belongs to a special issue or is being submitted upon an invitation; The length of the manuscript, the number of tables and figures |
Second paragraph | The line of research presented in the manuscript; Novelty/significance/implication statement (s) (i.e., brief explanation regarding the research background of the study, the question answered in the study, the importance of study findings, and the take-home-message); Address to potential readers (i.e., indicating why the journal’s readers would be interested in this study) |
Third paragraph (declarations/obligatory statements) | Author agreement statement; Conflict of interest statement; Funding source declaration; Ethical standards or other statements required by the journal; Permission statement (if the manuscript contains previously published materials); Statement regarding English native editing (if applicable); Potential reviewers |
“Sincerely,” or “Best regards,” or …; Sign of corresponding author (s) (with full name and academic position); Contact information of corresponding author and co-authors (if required by the journal) (i.e., affiliation, postal address, email address) |
The most critical element of a cover letter is a “statement of novelty/significance/implication.” The authors are advised to carefully write a brief and concise description of their work’s impact toward communicating its significance ( 6 ). The authors are strongly advised not to copy the abstract into the cover letter and instead explain in their own words the significance of the work and the reason for submitting it to the journal ( 11 ). If this information is lacking, the editors may rely on the reviewers who may not appreciate the significance of the work and just focus on the technical issues rather than the scientific value of the work ( 5 ). Providing a clear and robust statement of novelty and significance would be more critical for editors and potential reviewers with diverse and interdisciplinary backgrounds ( 6 ).
The statements are expected to answer the following questions: (1) why is the work important? (e.g., emphasizing a new measurement, a new diagnostic method or criterion, a newly discovered biological process); and (2) how does the work advance current knowledge in the field? The best approach to answer this question is by describing the current state of knowledge in the field and clarifying how the work provides an added value by answering a previously unanswered question, finding the solution to a problem, or improving existing methods ( 5 ). Checking the recently published papers on similar topics in the journal provides new insights for the authors to clarify in the cover letter as to how the manuscript follows the publication trends of the journal and will add something new that would be relevant to the trend ( 12 ).
The cover letter is also expected to emphasize why the manuscript will attract the journal’s readers ( 5 ). The authors also need to consider the journal’s Aims and Scope to underscore how the manuscript would fit within the journal’s scope and attract potential readers ( 13 ). Instead of stating simply that the manuscript is “of interest to the field” or “novel,” the authors should address specific aspects of the journal’s Aims and Scope statement, e.g., “We believe that this manuscript is appropriate for publication by [journal name] since it… [reference to the journal’s aims and scope] ( 11 ).
For a review, opinion, or a trends paper, emphasizing the timeline and novelty is needed, as stated by Sacristán, the editor of trends in molecular medicine: “The synthesis and conceptual advance should be particularly stated in terms of what is new and has been trending in the field for the last one to five years”. She also recommends that the authors need to provide a future perspective beyond the main take-home message of the manuscript for a trends paper and take a strong and novel stance on a hypothesis or idea for a cover letter of an opinion manuscript ( 14 ).
The cover letter must contain some predefined statements, including the “author agreement” statement ( 13 ). An “author agreement” is a statement to confirm that “all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript being submitted” ( 8 ). Furthermore, “the authors warrant that the manuscript is their original work, has not received prior publication and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere” ( 8 ). Some journals may request the corresponding author to confirm that he/she will take responsibility for informing co-authors of editorial decisions, reviews received, and any changes or revisions made; additionally, the editor (s) should be informed about any closely related manuscript (s) simultaneously submitted for consideration to the same or another journal ( 15 ). The authors also should declare if any part of the submitted work has been previously published elsewhere, even as an abstract ( 16 ); e.g., “there is some overlap in the content of the introduction section, which we have noted in the text”.
Depending on the journal’s policy, other statements, including “conflict of interest statement”, “funding source declarations”, and “permission note”, may also be required to be included in the cover letter ( 8 , 11 ). As indicated by Elsevier, a conflict of interest statement, known as a disclosure statement, is a declaration from the author that “there is no financial/personal interest or belief that could affect their objectivity”. The publisher emphasizes that the authors should declare and state the potential conflict’s source and nature in cases where a conflict of interest exists. A funding source declaration is defined by the publisher as “a declaration of any funding or research grants (and their sources) received in the course of study, research or assembly of the manuscript”. Elsevier also defines the permission note as a statement that declares that “permission has been received to use any material in the manuscript such as a figure, which is not original content” ( 8 , 17 ). Other statements like “Statement of English native editing” may also be added.
Furthermore, informing the editor (s) regarding any information that will support the submission (e.g., original or confirmatory data, supplementary materials, relevance, topicality) can be helpful ( 8 ). Other operational information, typically provided within checkboxes of the journal’s submission system, is not required to be included in the cover letter ( 5 ).
The second cover letter, which accompanies the revised version of the manuscript, must be a model of clarity and must address every issue posed by the editor and reviewers ( 10 ). If the revised manuscript is sent for the second round of peer-review, the reviewer (s) will see the letter. The content of the header and footer sections of the revised letter is similar to that of the submitted cover letter. The letter should be directed to the editor as addressed in the first letter unless the authors are informed that a new editor will process the revised version ( 10 ). The first paragraph should start with an “expression of polite gratitude”, e.g., “we would like to thank you for the opportunity to revise and resubmit our manuscript.” The “manuscript ID” or “identification number,” usually assigned by the journal in the first submission, should be addressed in the first paragraph ( 10 ).
The second paragraph usually “signals attention to the reviewers’ comments” by providing an explicit reference to the comments made by the reviewers and the editor. Furthermore, it may contain a positive statement regarding the results, methodology, conclusions, etc., in which case the authors need to acknowledge reviews’ insights ( 10 , 18 ). For example, “We sincerely appreciate all the valuable comments and suggestions made, which helped us improve the revised version of our manuscript” or “we found the reviewers’ comments helpful in guiding us to revise the manuscript.” Such statements will help the authors in creating a polite, formal tone throughout the letter. The paragraph should be followed by providing the editor with a roadmap or a summary of the revisions, addressing “the response to comments attachment.” A point-by-point response to the specific comments of the reviewers must be provided. If the authors disagree with a point raised by a reviewer, a rebuttal or counterstatement may be in order. A scientific and polite approach should spell out why the authors disagree, never losing sight of the reviewer’s opinion ( 19 ).
The footer section (closing salutation) of the letter returns to polite formalities, using statements like “we hope that the revised version of our manuscript is now acceptable to the reviewers, and suitable for publication in the [name of journal], we look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience” ( 10 ).
Although it is not a rule, the cover letter’s content can be organized within a cover letter header (opening salutation), three main paragraphs (the body of cover letter), and a cover letter footer (closing salutation), as described in Table 1 .
The cover letter should be initiated by addressing the editor (s) and the target journal; however, the author’s affiliation and contact information may also be included at the top of page ( 4 ). The name of the editor (s) can be easily found on the journal’s information page. If it is known, the authors must address the editor who will receive the manuscript and handle the peer-review process ( 13 ). If there are several co-editors, the person the author feels has the most appropriate background, and specialty of the topic should be addressed. In cases where such information is lacking, authors can mention all editors by name or address the letter to “dear editors” ( 12 ); however, it has been recommended to avoid writing “dear editor” ( 16 ). Also, the submission date and the journal’s name where the manuscript will be submitted are required ( 13 ).
In the first paragraph of the cover letter body, to introduce the submitted work, the title and the type of manuscript, authors’ name, journal name, and manuscript length are presented ( 4 ). In addition, it is mentioned that whether the manuscript is submitted upon an invitation or belongs to a special issue. The importance of the study, including novelty, potential implications, and its take-home message, are addressed in the second paragraph of the cover letter body. In addition, it is explained why the work would be attractive for journal readers. The third paragraph of the cover letter body includes some statements including authorship agreement, conflicts of interest, funding source, and ethical considerations. If required, potential reviewers are also suggested here.
Within the closing salutation, the authors can appreciate the editor for taking the time to read the cover letter and considering the submitted work for potential publication.
The authors need to spend plenty of time crafting their cover letters. They are advised to avoid too many details and keep it within one page (less than 200 words), like an introduction or a brief overview ( 4 , 11 ). The authors should check the guide for authors and cover letter suggestions provided by the journal, including all the requirements, e.g., specific disclosures, statements, and potential reviewers. Some publishers (e.g., Springer, https://www.springer.com/gp/authors-editors/journal-author/cover-letters/1398, Taylor & Francis, https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/publishing-your-research/making-your submission/writing-a-journal-article-cover-letter/) provide sample cover letters that the authors can use. Figure 1 provides a sample for a cover letter.
If the authors address previously published papers in the cover letter, then appropriate citation should be considered. The authors should carefully check the letter for any spelling and grammatical errors ( 11 , 20 ). They should make sure that they correctly spell the name of the journal’s editor (s) ( 4 ). Being careless regarding the editor’s name or the change of a journal’s name in a cover letter of a resubmitted manuscript, can be embarrassing and make a bad impression ( 4 ). It is suggested that the cover letter be written on the authors’ institutional letterhead to display professionalism and reliability ( 20 , 21 ).
When authors suggest a number of potential reviewers, they should avoid suggesting their friends and colleagues, as this would be viewed as a conflict of interest. Collaborators whom the authors have published with in the past five years should not be suggested either; an editor may easily be informed of such associations by a quick search of PubMed or other databases ( 22 ). The authors should avoid using complex sentence structures, jargon, and acronyms and keep the text straightforward and easy to read ( 11 , 20 ). The authors should also avoid including unrelated personal information or glorifying their past research papers or any of their academic accolades ( 20 ). They must not be rude towards the editors or complement the editor’s accomplishments ( 4 ). The novelty statement should not exaggerate or overstate the findings of the work; furthermore, any conclusion stated should be completely supported by the data provided in the manuscript ( 23 ). Finally, authors are recommended not to write a generic cover letter that could be used for any manuscript and could be sent to any journal ( 21 ).
In summary, a cover letter should highlight the novelty, importance, take-home message, and goodness-of-fit of the manuscript to the journal. These are critical information that can persuade an editor that the submitted work merits publication consideration in the journal. The cover letter should not be general but should be custom-written for the target journal. Although the submitted manuscript may usually pass through the peer-review process and get published regardless of the cover letter, a well-written, informative, and concise cover letter increases the chance of gaining acceptance.
Authors' Contribution: Study concept and design, Zahra Bahadoran and Asghar Ghasemi; Drafting of the manuscript, Zahra Bahadoran, Parvin Mirmiran, and Asghar Ghasemi; Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content, Khosrow Kashfi and Parvin Mirmiran.
Conflict of Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest.
Funding/Support: This study was supported by the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (grant number 28127).
A cover letter to the editor for a manuscript submission is the author’s “pitch” as to why the research paper deserves publishing in a particular journal. If you think it is yet another document in the journal submission process for filling in author details and a mere description of the communicated research, think twice. If written succinctly, a cover letter can be a tipping point for your manuscript, leading to an outbound peer review or an outright desk rejection.
More often, the journal editors are burdened with the task of scrutinizing a huge number of manuscript submissions to select novel and high-quality research that align with the scope of the journal and the demographics of its readership. Through a well written cover letter, an editor can get a chance to know the value of the communicated research prior to reading it in full and can be convinced to proceed with the further review process. Thus, it is important to use this tool effectively to move past the editorial screening stage.
Here are the key elements “ TO DO ” when you write the cover letter for your next manuscript submission:
Begin the cover letter with the manuscript title and the journal name for article submission. Mention clearly the category of the article type (letter, article, brief, review) pertaining to the particular journal.
Briefly, in a couple of sentences, describe the background of the research to bring context to your work. Mention what has been missing or lacking in understanding of a research problem that has not been addressed so far in the published reports.
Describe how your work, communicated through the submitted manuscript, aims to bridge the existing gap in understanding the research problem. Highlight the novelty of your work by mentioning the major results or findings of your work which provide insightful conclusions that have not been published so far.
Explain how this new research work is an advancement over previously published works and relevant to the journal’s aim and scope. Mention if there are potential future applications of your current research and why the findings of your work might be of broad interest to the readership of the journal.
Confirm that the research presented in the study is original and that the manuscript is not currently being reviewed by another journal. The manuscript has been approved by all authors, who also consent unanimously to its submission to the journal.
As per the editorial policy, the information provided by the authors in the cover letter is treated as confidential and is accessible only by the editors and not open to referees. You can suggest the names of potential reviewers if you believe they can be the best reviewers for your manuscript being stalwarts in the same research field. Likewise, you can also request the editor to exclude certain individuals as referees who you believe may not do justice to reviewing your manuscript owing to potential conflict of interest.
You can alert the editors in the cover letter if you are aware of another group competing with similar work and seek an expedited review process. This can help the editors in determining editorial workflow accordingly.
While writing a cover letter is liberating and gives you the freedom to describe what is exciting about your research work rather than writing within the constraints of a particular journal’s format, you should still adhere to a few “ DON’Ts ” to err on the side of caution.
While writing the body of the cover letter, do not rehash the abstract of your manuscript that the editor will likely read next. In fact, the abstract of the article can be re-written according to the journal format more easily once you have done the cover letter.
Keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page. Use the limited space wisely and write concisely. Restrict usage of technical details, jargons and boastful claims that can only make the editor wary of your presented work. Also steer clear of expressing any kind of exaggeration/flattery for the journal even if that is the best place to publish your work.
Remind yourself always to follow the ethics of working in a scientific community and strictly avoid any kind of plagiarism.
Finally, writing a cover letter for a journal submission is your best chance of enabling a manuscript to go through the editorial process, getting peer reviewed and published in a coveted journal of your choice. Do your best to grab and use this opportunity to the fullest!
Additional reading:
Nature Immunology 9 , 107 (2008) “Editorial: Prelude to a good story” Available at https://doi.org/10.1038/ni0208-107
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A persuasive cover letter for journal article submission is a tool that, if used wisely, can convince journal editors to review a research paper. It's a crucial part of the manuscript submission package that outlines the importance of your research to the editors. If the benefits of a paper aren't clear to the editors from the content alone, a cover letter is an excellent opportunity to prove your research is worth reviewing.
In this article, we cover everything you should know when writing a cover letter for journal article submission .
Online submissions are prevalent when it comes to submitting articles nowadays. Cover letters are an additional means that should be viewed as an opportunity to convey essential information about the manuscript to the journal editors. It's what helps authors "sell" their work. Authors can use the cover letter to explain how the research interests the journal's audience as well.
A cover letter is important to the editors for several reasons.
Cover letters include short summaries of the manuscript and highlight its findings. It may so happen that the initial editor that screens the manuscript isn't the person from your field, and they may have a hard time determining the overall importance of the research. Yet, they are the ones who decide if the paper warrants peer review . In these instances, cover letters are important because they summarize how the study contributes to the journal and that particular specialism, so the editor can clearly see the aim and scope.
As crucial as a cover letter is, it's well worth spending time to write a persuasive and coherent letter. This part should be taken as seriously as the rest of the manuscript submission package.
A journal you are submitting your manuscript to may have its own set of instructions to follow along. Maybe your target journal requires authors to include potential reviewers, disclosures, or ethical practice statements. Forgetting to include the mandatory elements can have editors automatically reject an application, even if the research is of the best quality.
Publishers' main expectations are for the manuscript to follow the standard practices such as ethical standards for human-involving research, ethics approval from ethics committees, adhering to the authorship criteria, etc.
Authors that don't follow the rules or forget to include important information can be seen as careless and not detail-oriented, putting the quality of their whole research in question. This is certainly not a good first impression.
Before you start writing a cover letter, always check for journal-specific instructions for authors (IFA) on your journal's website. Sometimes, a journal doesn't require a cover letter, or it's an optional file. However, even though some journals may list it as optional, it's a good idea to submit a cover letter whenever you can.
Here’s what your cover letter should include:
Always add your full contact details, including your name, physical address, email address, and telephone number.
Check the journal website for information about the editor-in-chief. If you can find their name on the website, you want to place it in the upper left-hand of the cover letter page. Address them by name or with "Dear editor" in case no name is featured. Don't, however, address the editor with "Dear sir," as there's a high chance the editor may be a woman.
Be clear in stating the purpose of the letter ("I'm submitting a manuscript entitled [Name of the article] …") as well as the names of the authors and the type of the paper (research, review, case study, etc.)
Use terminology as the journal does. Check whether they refer to research papers as "Regular articles," or "Original submissions," or "Full papers," and refer to your manuscript as such.
Mention the aim and scope of your article right at the start. The editors need to know whether your work is relevant and how the audience in your area of specialism can benefit from it.
As you do that, let the editor know how you approach the problem in your research. This part should be focused and short, and all statements should align with the journal's readership. If your target journal publishes in a wide range of fields, try to explain how your article can impact multiple areas.
It's important not to repeat the sentences from the abstract, as this is the next file the editor will read. The summary should be short and prove how the research fits the journal's focus and what its implications are to the readers.
Make sure not to flatter the journal too much, and say, "We believe our findings will be of interest to your journal's readers" instead of "your prestigious journal's readers."
Mention if your research is related to some of your previously published work or to another paper published by another author in their journal.
Most journals have required statements that should be placed after you explain the methods and results of your findings. At this point, you want to make sure you reviewed the journal's guidelines for the information you need to provide.
Some journals may require you to state your previous relationship with the journal or whether your work is under consideration by another journal, in which case they will not accept your work. Common phrases in this section include “no conflict of interest” declaration, authorship, suggested reviewers, concurrent submissions, and requests to exclude specific reviewers.
In the end, you want to thank the editor-in-chief for taking the time to consider your manuscript. Remain collegial in the tone and make sure to leave the best impression as they move on to evaluating your manuscript. Don't use statements that give instructions to the editor such as "We look forward to you reviewing our manuscript" and similar. Finish the letter with "Sincerely," followed by your name.
The cover letter is an important asset in the manuscript submission package. It lets the editors realize the importance of your work and how the findings can benefit the journal's readership. Having a well-formatted and well-structured cover letter brings you a step closer to having your manuscript accepted.
So, if you want to get your manuscript accepted, you should take some time and write a strong cover letter. AKJournals has a language editing service that provides support to authors with their submission process. Our text editing service partner offers a range of text improving and translation services to make sure your cover letter and the rest of the manuscript submission package are suitable for the application.
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The Professor Is In
Guidance for all things PhD: Graduate School, Job Market and Careers
By Karen Kelsky | April 26, 2013
Today’s post is a special request post for several clients who have written to inquire how to write a cover letter for the submission of an article manuscript to a journal.
****Addendum (4/29/13): Please read the follow up to this post, “ Of Cover Letters and Magic ,” as it retracts some of the advice given in this post!****
This is pretty straightforward.
First, by all means follow any instructions given to you for the cover letter on the journal submission website! Those will override anything I say here.
Assuming there are no instructions, the following is common:
The letter should be on letterhead if it is available for your use. The letter will typically be just one page long.
It will have proper letter heading material, ie, the date and the address of the recipient at the top left, under the letterhead.
It will address the editor by name, if the name is known.
It will then have four short paragraphs. The first introduces the writer, and follows the basic format of the intro para of the job cover letter described in this post (ie, field, Ph.D. institution and year, current institutional affiliation and status, and general focus of work). It then states that the writer is submitting a manuscript for review.
The second paragraph covers the topic of the manuscript. This will be a crisp 4-5 sentences that will give a title and describe the topic, the specific material/data covered, the theoretical orientation or approach, any special issues of methodology if important, and, most importantly, the core argument.
The third paragraph will be shorter, and will take about 2-3 sentences to describe the manuscript’s contribution to the field and the suitability of the manuscript to this particular journal based on topic, theme, or methodological or theoretical approach, with reference to other work recently published in the journal.
The final paragraph will list 2-3 possible reviewers for the manuscript, and will thank the editor for considering the manuscript for publication. Contact info can be added here.
Sign off, “Sincerely, XXX.”
And that is about it.
April 26, 2013 at 5:03 pm
This is excellent! Some journals put out a “call for papers” for an issue that will address a specific theme, while others state that “contributions for publication consideration will be accepted at any time.” Regarding the latter, is it acceptable to submit the same article (or very similiar) to serveral journals at the same time?
April 26, 2013 at 5:23 pm
No you must not submit an article manuscript to more than one journal at a time.
April 26, 2013 at 6:35 pm
I think this is something that differs from field to field. In English, it’s not common to give that much information about your current status, nor is it common for the writer to describe methodology, etc. Most cover letters are only one or at most two paragraphs; they simply list the title of the manuscript, acknowledge the guidelines for submission (“I have enclosed two copies as requested” etc.), and add any contact information not listed on the letterhead, like e-mail address and personal phone number. And I was told flat out by both my advisors and journal editors that suggesting specific reviewers is considered unprofessional.
April 27, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Writing this kind of letter for a lit crit journal is a very bad idea. Just title, 2-4 sentence description of argument, and contact info. Anything else is unprofessional.
April 28, 2013 at 11:32 am
A lot of other feedback has made a similar point; this seems to be a a convention that is either field-specific, or one that is in flux, or both. Perhaps the best advice is to first inquire closely if a cover letter is required at all, and if so, what it should include.
April 29, 2013 at 9:27 am
Please see a retraction of some of this advice in the new post, “Of Cover Letters and Magic (A Follow-Up Post).”
April 26, 2013 at 7:52 pm
In my field, philosophy, almost all journal submissions are via either email or online management systems. In either case, a cover letter is never necessary. In emails, it just takes roughly two polite sentences indicating that I’m sending a submission, that it’s been prepared for anonymous review, and that it isn’t under consideration at any other journal. Even less is required for the online systems. One ‘can’ submit a cover letter, but it’s unnecessary and superfluous. I just think that expectations and practices surrounding this issue have shifted, at least in my field.
April 27, 2013 at 8:55 am
I published an article as a Ph.D. student (pre-comprehensive exams) and I purposely didn’t put any information about myself in the letter, worried the editors might hold my junior status against me. In fact, I was so worried about blinding all my materials that I think I just signed the letter “The author,” which was probably silly. Anyway, the essay was R and R’ed and then accepted. I would argue that a very junior scholar might have good reasons to leave out her status and her interests.
April 27, 2013 at 11:27 am
Fair enough.
April 28, 2013 at 6:15 am
I have never written a cover letter to accompany my submissions. What I have done in the past, and has worked so far, is to send an abstract in advance, to ask if the journal would be interested in considering an article on that particular topic. This saves some time, and also means that when they receive the completed article, it goes directly to peer-review, having already been approved by the editorial board as an abstract. At least, this has been my experience, with 5 articles already in print, all originally submitted as abstracts (except one, an invited contribution).
April 28, 2013 at 3:43 pm
I was told the same by an editor in my humanities field.
April 29, 2013 at 9:26 am
April 29, 2013 at 12:22 pm
I thought everybody did it, but nobody had actually told me to do it, so for a moment there I figured I was being a brilliant strategist. Another advantage is that, if they do reject the abstract, they might give some useful feedback, sometimes just simply pointing out a better ‘home’ for the article.
April 28, 2013 at 12:46 pm
In my social science field, it is standard to submit a cover letter that includes a *very* brief description of the paper and its contribution. But it would be odd to introduce yourself in the way suggested here (most journals do ask for a separate affiliations page, however), or to suggest reviewers. The latter idea was raised at a session I attended to teach grad students about journals in our field, and all of the editors there expressed the feeling that it would be inappropriate to suggest reviewers in our field.
April 28, 2013 at 3:42 pm
It is considered appropriate to indicate what scholars in the field have read the manuscript in order to ensure blind review, correct?
April 30, 2013 at 4:07 am
I do that, to make sure they are not given the article to read. Articles involved were accepted, so it did not do any harm! Especially in more esoteric areas, where experts are few, it is a good idea, because the chance that the article will come their way are relatively high.
April 30, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Mmm, I’m rather stunned at this post since I’ve had worked published in journals but I’ve never written a cover letter to accompany my submissions. I’ve never been advised to write a letter beforehand. I do, and I’ve been advised to, send an abstract in advance, to ask if the journal would be interested in considering an article on that particular topic. It saves me time working out whether the editorial board are really interested in the article in the first place and as Alessandra says above, means it can go directly to peer-review, having already been approved by the editorial board as an abstract. I’d also rather find out based on an abstract that the journal is or isn’t a good ‘home’ for the article. I’d rather put my efforts into writing an article that has a ‘home’ already rather than worrying whether it will be nixed on the grounds its not what the editorial board is looking for.
May 3, 2013 at 5:39 pm
A killer cover letter is a must to even get a review by the top science journals. The letter should be short to the point and emphasize the conceptual advance to the field. Some see it needs to be flashy. Skip the bits about introducing yourself.
August 8, 2013 at 12:38 pm
In my field, the cover letter should state why the contents of the article are of particular interest to the journal’s readership. The broader the journal’s readership, the broader appeal the article should have and the case needs to be made in the cover letter. This should take the form of stating how the topic fits with the journal’s stated aims / mission; why the research is timely, and what readers would be interested in it. It should only take 2-3 sentences. Sometimes journals require other formalities after this: the work was approved by an IRB and any COI disclosures. I ALWAYS include a statement that the work has not been published nor is under consideration elsewhere.
September 27, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Thank you very much for this article. I had no clue what a cover letter for a manuscript should look like. I will put this on my blog too, which I rarely update. 🙂
November 10, 2013 at 9:01 pm
I want to resubmit the revised version of my paper to proposed journal, but I do not know how do I start letter for reviewers ? Can help me?
January 16, 2014 at 4:50 am
Actually, am a graduate student and this is my first paper to be published.Don`t know, where to start.
May 1, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I am now submitting to a journal (Maternal and Child Health Journal) that requires as part of its online process naming three reviewers.
May 19, 2014 at 5:46 am
This is my time that I am going write journal article cover letter. But I am confused with the last part of the cover letter i.e. adding reviewers. Is it really necessary or I can proceed without it too?
September 26, 2014 at 3:25 am
I submitted a paper and I got a R&R 🙂 There are no indications on how to present changes. Do I have to highlight the new parts directly in the text? underlying them? quoting? thank you very much best,
February 29, 2020 at 3:47 am
Regarding the latter, is it acceptable to submit the same article (or very similiar) to serveral journals at the same time?
March 1, 2020 at 5:34 pm
absolutely not.
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When you submit your article to a journal, you often need to include a cover letter. This is a great opportunity to highlight to the journal editor what makes your research new and important. The cover letter should explain why your work is perfect for their journal and why it will be of interest to the journal's readers.
These 15 sample cover letters demonstrate the diverse range of topics, research designs, and perspectives that can be effectively communicated to journal editors. By highlighting the significance, novelty, and relevance of their work, these cover letters make a compelling case for why the submitted articles deserve to be considered for ...
A cover letter is often the first thing an editor reads when reviewing your submission. As your first pitch to the editor, the cover letter helps them gauge the suitability of your manuscript for publication in their journal. Imagine your work shaping the future of your field, gathering citations, and sparking discussions.
Cover Letter Template for a Journal Article Submission. A cover letter is an important component of manuscript submission for publication in a journal. Using a template can help ensure that your cover letter includes all the necessary information and follows the proper format. Here is a guide to creating a cover letter template for a journal ...
Keep all text left justified. Use spelling and grammar check software. If needed, use a proofreading service or cover letter editing service such as Wordvice to review your letter for clarity and concision. Double-check the editor's name. Call the journal to confirm if necessary.
A cover letter should be written like a standard business letter: Address the editor formally by name, if known. Include your contact information, as well. This information is probably available through the journal's online submission system, but it is proper to provide it in the cover letter, too. Begin your cover letter with a paragraph that ...
1. Start With the Proper Cover Letter for Journal Submission Template. Appearances matter. You wouldn't wear a baggy T-shirt and shorts to an academic conference. In the same way, you don't want your cover letter for journal submission to look sloppy. Follow these steps to create a professional template: Cover Letter for Journal Submission ...
Writing a cover letter. The cover letter gives you the opportunity to present an overview of your manuscript to the editor. Your cover letter should include. The objective and approach of your research. Any novel contributions reported. Why your manuscript should be published in this journal. Any special considerations about your submission.
In essence, the cover letter for your journal submission is your advocate, concierge, and first ambassador all rolled into one. It champions your manuscript, ensuring it gets the consideration and review it deserves. So, mastering the effective cover letter is not just about following a format—it's about understanding its role in your ...
1. Title of the paper and corresponding author details: Although mentioning these details seems obvious, you should ensure that these are included in your cover letter. 2. A short summary of your findings: In just 3-4 sentences, you should summarize the most important findings of your study.
Submitting your manuscript to Editage ensures that your cover letter adheres to journal-specific requirements while also being compelling and polished. We understand that the cover letter can be the first point of contact between your work and the editor, potentially influencing the entire review process (Bahadoran et al., 2021).
A journal publication letter, also known as a journal article submission cover letter, is a cover letter written to a peer-reviewed journal to advocate for the publication of a manuscript. Not all journals ask for a publication letter. Some see publication letters as optional, but many peer-reviewed academic journals request or require them. ...
Then, write a letter that explains why the editor would want to publish your manuscript. The following structure covers all the necessary points that need to be included. If known, address the editor who will be assessing your manuscript by their name. Include the date of submission and the journal you are submitting to.
The cover letter is your chance to market your research article and capture the journal editor's interest. It should go beyond requesting the editor to consider your research paper for publication. Our promise to you…. You must love every aspect of our quality and service or we insist on refunding you in full—cheerfully and without ...
Cover Letters. The cover letter is a formal way to communicate with journal editors and editorial staff during the manuscript submission process. Most often, a cover letter is needed when authors initially submit their manuscript to a journal and when responding to reviewers during an invitation to revise and resubmit the manuscript.
An inquiry letter should have three main sections: introduction and top-line message, a captivating synthesis of the manuscript, and the inquiry followed by a wrap-up. A manuscript inquiry letter should catch the editor's attention and communicate that your research is something new and innovative, which has the potential to change the field.
A cover letter introduces your submission to the target journal's editors and gives them a brief overview of its contents and major details. As such, your cover letter should function as a sales pitch to the journal editors. In other words, it needs to sell the notion of why your manuscript deserves to be published in their journal and also ...
Cover letters can be submitted as normal text files, such as Word, or input directly in a field in the journal's online submission system. Let's look at some tips for each section. And don't forget to download the template, which shows these tips already in place. 1. Addressee's information and date of submission.
3.1. First Cover Letter (Submit Letter) One point of view is that the cover letter's content should be covered in the manuscript's abstract ().A typical cover letter includes the name of editor (s) and the journal, date of submission, the characteristics of the manuscript (i.e., title, type of the manuscript, e.g., review, original, case report), the importance of the work and its ...
Begin the cover letter with the manuscript title and the journal name for article submission. Mention clearly the category of the article type (letter, article, brief, review) pertaining to the particular journal. Background and context. Briefly, in a couple of sentences, describe the background of the research to bring context to your work.
Addressing the Letter to a Specific Journal Editor. Check the journal website for information about the editor-in-chief. If you can find their name on the website, you want to place it in the upper left-hand of the cover letter page. Address them by name or with "Dear editor" in case no name is featured. Don't, however, address the editor with ...
It will have proper letter heading material, ie, the date and the address of the recipient at the top left, under the letterhead. It will address the editor by name, if the name is known. It will then have four short paragraphs. The first introduces the writer, and follows the basic format of the intro para of the job cover letter described in ...
A cover letter for a journal article submission is a document that provides a brief insight into the research and findings that your article is about. You may highlight the importance of your research, or you can include reasons why your article is a good match for a journal. When submitting an article to a journal, it's common for the journal ...