Strategies to Prevent Delays for Journal Submissions

Strategies to Prevent Delays for Journal Submissions
The amount of time it takes to receive a response when submitting writing to academic and scientific journals varies widely, but wait times can be very long indeed, and even a few weeks can seem like an age when you are anxious to publish innovative and ground-breaking work. Many factors play a part in effective submissions, of course, and there is no infallible method for ensuring success, but there are two strategies that can be employed when preparing your work for submission that will earn your paper the serious attention it deserves and prevent unnecessary delays.

First and foremost is the need to observe all submission procedures. This includes sending your document (or documents) to the journal in the right way, which usually means via an online form these days, and in the requested file formats (tables and figures in a separate and perhaps different type of file, for instance). Ensure that you provide all the necessary information in the correct places: for a blind reviewing process, for example, you will probably need to remove all traces of your identity from the paper itself and provide personal information elsewhere in your submission. It is also essential to read with care and follow to the letter all instructions regarding the preferred format and structure of articles and their individual parts. If the journal requirements call for four main sections, do not divide your paper into three or five; if the abstract should be no more than 300 words long, 350 will not do; if an APA style of referencing is requested, use it and do so with consistency and accuracy. Although some of these matters may seem insignificant when compared with the content of a paper, they are nothing of the sort to journal editors, and your work can and very likely will be rejected or returned for revisions if you do not observe the guidelines. The result will then be a longer overall wait time and the loss of a perfect opportunity for a good first impression.

The second strategy is to blow your own horn a little and to do so with precisely the right tune. This can most easily be done in a covering letter. Covering letters are not required as often as they used to be when submitting writing for publication, but it is always wise to include one if the journal guidelines do not prohibit it. A covering letter should explain why you believe your paper is a perfect fit for the journal and perhaps how your research relates to other work published by the journal. It also provides an opportunity to highlight the innovative aspects of your methodology and the importance of your findings, but be sure to be both precise and reasonable in your assessment of the value of your work. Finally, since the covering letter is likely to be the first piece of your prose encountered by the editor, it will act as a sample of your writing, so it is essential to compose, proofread and polish it with the utmost care if you wish to create a first impression that inspires the editor to read on.