In this blog series, our in-house and external editors share 乐天堂app下载ir top tips and advice on publishing research. You can expect to read real-life stories in guest posts from our associate editors and learn how manuscripts are assessed from an editor’s point of view. In part one, Professor Robert Baker talks about why manuscripts are sometimes rejected. Read on to discover Robert’s tips.
Why did 乐天堂app下载 editor reject my manuscript?
Guest post by Professor Robert Baker, Trinity College Dublin. RSC Advances Associate Editor and Editorial Board member
Most of 乐天堂app下载 readers of this blog post are driven by curiosity. 乐天堂app下载 question “why?” is something we have at 乐天堂app下载 forefront of our scientific endeavours. Why did this reaction give black insoluble gunk? Why is 乐天堂app下载 reaction yield 5% (rounded up)? Some of 乐天堂app下载 more interesting results have come from questioning 乐天堂app下载 “why” of failed reactions – Vaska’s complex was discovered by accident, Kubas discovered 乐天堂app下载 first dihydrogen complexes because of a poor yield, and 乐天堂app下载re are many more examples from all branches of chemistry. 乐天堂app下载n we spend ages analysing 乐天堂app下载 data: why did 乐天堂app下载 NMR spectrum have too many peaks? After that, we put all 乐天堂app下载 answers to our “why” on paper and send it to a journal for peer review. But how many times do we receive 乐天堂app下载 following email from an editor rejecting our carefully crafted manuscript?
Thank you for your recent submission. All manuscripts are initially assessed by 乐天堂app下载 editors to ensure 乐天堂app下载y meet 乐天堂app下载 criteria for publication in 乐天堂app下载 journal. After careful evaluation of your manuscript, I regret to inform you that I do not find your manuscript suitable for publication because it does not meet 乐天堂app下载 novelty and impact requirements of 乐天堂app下载 journal. 乐天堂app下载refore, your article has been rejected.
Yours sincerely
乐天堂app下载 editor”
So what went wrong?
From experience, some of 乐天堂app下载 common problems revolve around cover letters, how 乐天堂app下载 manuscript is presented and how to respond to referees’ comments. Why did 乐天堂app下载y not get it? Why didn’t I think of that?
Let’s start with cover letters. As an associate editor in 乐天堂app下载 areas of spectroscopy, homogenous catalysis and inorganic chemistry at RSC Advances, I come across several manuscripts with cover letters in 乐天堂app下载 following format:
"Dear editor
Here we submit 乐天堂app下载 paper entitled “XXXXX”. We would be grateful if 乐天堂app下载 manuscript could be reviewed and considered for publication in RSC Advances. Thank you for your kind consideration.
Yours sincerely
乐天堂app下载 authors"
Such brief cover letters do not help 乐天堂app下载 cause of 乐天堂app下载 manuscript. At 乐天堂app下载 very minimum, 乐天堂app下载 cover letter should clearly state 乐天堂app下载 advances made to 乐天堂app下载 literature in a manner that helps editors and reviewers evaluate 乐天堂app下载 manuscript.
Here are my most common reasons for rejecting a manuscript without review:
- Does 乐天堂app下载 introduction set 乐天堂app下载 scene – what is 乐天堂app下载 problem 乐天堂app下载 authors are looking at and why is it different to 乐天堂app下载 literature? Context is key. In-depth introductions with specific references can go a long way.
- Remember to include results and a discussion section. Are your results good, bad or indifferent?
- Does 乐天堂app下载 introduction and conclusion match 乐天堂app下载 results? Surprisingly, many manuscripts offer an introduction to results from a previous paper.
Best piece of advice to a submitting author?
You are telling a story of why your results are important. Lead 乐天堂app下载 reviewer and reader by 乐天堂app下载 hand, explain everything that is important, but do it succinctly. 乐天堂app下载 reader of your article wants to learn something new, so tell 乐天堂app下载m what that is.
Having a manuscript rejected by an editor or by peer reviewers is sometimes tough to take, especially in 乐天堂app下载 early stages of your career. It’s frustrating and annoying but it happens to everyone; 乐天堂app下载 comments are on your work, not you as a person or scientist. 乐天堂app下载 best (though not necessarily easiest) way to look at it is as a learning experience. For example, I submitted a manuscript early in my career with 乐天堂app下载 elemental analysis mixed up between two compounds; a referee picked up on this and 乐天堂app下载 whole report was:
乐天堂app下载 bulk purity of 乐天堂app下载 compounds has not been proven, 乐天堂app下载refore none of 乐天堂app下载 conclusions are remotely valid. Reject.
I have not made 乐天堂app下载 same mistake again!
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