Many authors consider a research paper cover letter a mere formality. But keep in mind that the cover letter is the first information that the editor will read about your paper. If it is poorly written – it might be the last.
At the bottom of this post, you can download a research paper cover letter template that will help you to get published in the best journals. But before starting to write, let’s see what an editor expects from a good cover letter.
What to include in a paper cover letter?
In essence, a cover letter offers the editor a brief overview of the manuscript. It should be formatted as a standard business letter by addressing the editor by name (if known). Include your name, contact information, and the date. Here are the key parts of a paper cover letter:
- Begin the cover letter by stating the title of the paper and the type of paper you are submitting (e.g. review, research, short communication, replication study, etc.).
- Concisely explain why your research study was performed, what was done, and what are the key findings. You could mention why the results are important and what impact they might have in the field.
- Include in the cover letter information about any previous work that you have performed if it is relevant, especially if parts of the submissions overlap.
- Mention how your approach and findings relate to the scope of the journal. This should show why the article would be of interest to the journal’s readers.
- Add suggested reviewers if required by the journal. You can also ask not to include persons who you think might not be fully objective (for example, if you know they have competing interests).
- Remember to state in the cover letter that the work is original and you have not submitted it for publishing in another jorunal or scientific conference.
- Make a note that all authors agree to the submission of the article to this particular journal.
- Some journals will ask what was the contribution of each author for including it at the end of the published paper. Here is a list of possible roles here according to the CRediT approach: http://credit.niso.org.
- At the end of the cover letter, state that there are no conflicts of interest or if there are – disclose them.
Finally, check the guide for authors – there might be other requirements for specific statements that have to be included in the paper cover letter. You might also be required to submit additional forms.
Before writing the paper cover letter you will have to select the most appropriate journal. Here are six journal selection parameters that you should consider. In case you were wondering, the Impact Factor is not the most important of them.
If you are writing a research paper, consider writing the key sentences first. In this article, you will find the key sentence skeleton and a template for writing research papers.
Learn to write papers that get cited
Since you are writing the cover letter, I assume you have completed the research paper already. But have you done all you can to make sure the papers are well received (read – they get cited). More importantly – did you have fun writing the paper?
Hi! My name is Martins Zaumanis and in my interactive online course Research Paper Writing Masterclass I will show you how to write research papers efficiently using a four-step system called “LEAP”. I will show you how to visualize your research results, frame a message that convinces your readers, and write each section of the paper. Step-by-step.
And of course – you will learn to respond the infamous Reviewer No.2.
Hey! My name is Martins Zaumanis and I am a materials scientist in Switzerland (Google Scholar). As the first person in my family with a PhD, I have first-hand experience of the challenges starting scientists face in academia. With this blog, I want to help young researchers succeed in academia. I call the blog “Peer Recognized”, because peer recognition is what lifts academic careers and pushes science forward.
Besides this blog, I have written the Peer Recognized book series and created the Peer Recognized Academy offering interactive online courses.
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