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How to Write a Cover Letter for Your Manuscript? Here are the Tips and Examples

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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. A powerful cover letter is thus the first step to making that vision into a reality.   

In this article, we will guide you through the process of writing an effective cover letter and explain how you can get it right every time with examples. First, let us get started with the basics!  

Getting the Basics Right  

When writing a cover letter, it is crucial to address the editor by their correct and complete name¹ . If there are multiple co-editors, you can address your letter to the right person, based on their specialization or designated responsibilities. If unsure, it is okay to go with a more general salutation, such as “Dear Editors”¹ .   

Presenting your Research  

Provide a clear and concise title for your submission and specify whether it is an article, communication, review, perspective, or a manuscript belonging to some other category. If the journal guideline recommends, consider including a list of all authors in the manuscript.   

After covering the preliminary information, briefly explain your paper’s central theme or focus to give the editor an idea of its contents. Ensure this stays a brief outline, without going into too much detail.   

Conveying the Importance of Your Work  

How you communicate the impact of your work can make or break your cover letter. To make a strong impression on the editor, articulate the significance of your research clearly, emphasizing its relevance to the field. Additionally, show how your work aligns with the journal’s scope and mission.  

Including a Formal Declaration  

Some journals require a set of declarations from you to ensure that your manuscript adheres to its ethical code and the larger ethical standards of scientific publishing. Here are the required declarations in a cover letter:  

  • Originality of work:  
  • Confirm that your work is original and has not been published elsewhere. This tells the editor your research is unique.  
  • Conflict of interest statement:  
  • Be clear about any potential conflicts of interest. This includes any personal, financial, or professional connections that might affect your research.  
  • Funding source (if applicable):  
  • Tell where your research funding came from, if any. This includes any support or grants from organizations.   

Including Personal Suggestions for Reviewers on a Separate Page (optional)  

If there is no part of the submission process that collects researcher suggestions for reviewers, and there are special requests from the researcher for reviewers (e.g., recommending the inclusion or suggesting the exclusion of a specific reviewer, etc.), you may also make a note about this in the cover letter.  

Combining these five points, here is a good example of a cover letter for researchers’ reference:  

Example of a Cover Letter

(This image is intended to demonstrate the norms of formatting and tone of expression in a cover letter, it is to be used only by the researcher as a reference in writing² .)  

Conclusion  

A strong cover letter can go a long way in ensuring success for researchers looking to publish their manuscripts! Your cover letter is the opening act, setting the stage for how editors perceive your manuscript. So, look at it not as just another formality but as a crucial opportunity to make a strong impression.   

Understanding what to include, what is optional, and what is best left unsaid can be tricky. That is where our team of experts at Elsevier Language Services can step in. We will provide personalized recommendations and expert guidance to help you craft a cover letter that perfectly complements your manuscript. Reach out to us today to make a great first impression and embark on a successful academic journey!  

Reference  

  • Nicholas, D. (2019). How to choose a journal and write a cover letter. Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia, 13(5), 35. https://doi.org/10.4103/sja.sja_691_18  
  • Loyola University Chicago. (n.d.). JCSHESA Sample Cover Letter. https://ecommons.luc.edu/jcshesa/cover_letter_template.pdf  

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Journal of Applied Surface Science(JASS)

Issn: 2993-5326 | doi: 10.33140/jass.

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Author Guidelines

Journal doi: 10.33140/jass.

Journal of Applied Surface Science is an international peer reviewed journal for those involved in teaching or  practice in the fields of surface and nanostructures as well as organizational development and education connected  to these areas of interest. We particularly welcome high-quality original research that advances knowledge on these  topics energy conversion, biointerfaces, nanotechnology and nano devices, techniques for surface assembly and 2D  assembly. In addition to research papers we welcome short reports.

Plagiarism: Manuscript Duplicity is a crime thus Plagiarism should be completely avoided. Figures and Tables  extracted from any sources are considered as malpractice. The Data extracted must be cited and this journal does not  encourage exact reproduction of any content.

Article Publication Charges for Journal of Applied Surface Science are $2599 payable on acceptance of each  paper. 

We publish all types of Original Articles, Review, Mini Review, Case Reports, Editorial, and Letter to the Editor,  Commentary, Rapid Communications and Perspectives, Case in Images, Clinical Images, and Conference  Proceedings.

In general the Manuscripts are classified in to following groups based on the criteria noted below. The author(s) are  encouraged to request a particular classification upon submitting (please include this in the cover letter); however  the Editor and the Associate Editor retain the right to classify the manuscript as they see fit, and it should be  understood by the authors that this process is subjective to some degree. The chosen classification will appear in the  printed manuscript above the manuscript title.

Note: Authors must prepare and submit a cover letter with their manuscript

Manuscript Formatting Guidelines

Manuscript Title: The title should be limited to 25 words or less and should not contain abbreviations. The title  should be a brief phrase describing the contents of the paper .

Author Information: Complete names and affiliation of all authors, including contact details of corresponding author  (Telephone, Fax and E-mail address).

Abstract: The abstract should be informative and completely self-explanatory, briefly present the topic, state the  scope of the experiments, indicate significant data, and point out major findings and conclusions. The abstract  should summarize the manuscript content in 300 words or less. Standard nomenclature should be used and  abbreviations should be avoided. The preferable format should accommodate a description of the study background,  methods, results and conclusion. Following the abstract, a list of keywords (3-10) and abbreviations should be  included.

Text Introduction: The introduction should set the tone of the paper by providing a clear statement of the study, the  relevant literature on the study subject and the proposed approach or solution. The introduction should be general  enough to attract a reader’s attention from a broad range of scientific disciplines.

Materials and Methods: This section should provide a complete overview of the design of the study. Detailed  descriptions of materials or participants, comparisons, interventions and types of analysis should be mentioned.  However, only new procedures should be described in detail; previously published procedures should be cited and  important modifications of published procedures should be mentioned briefly. Capitalize trade names and include  the manufacturer’s name and address.

Results: The results section should provide complete details of the experiment that are required to support the  conclusion of the study. The results should be written in the past tense when describing findings in the authors’  experiments. Previously published findings should be written in the present tense. Results and discussion may be  combined or in a separate section. Speculation and detailed interpretation of data should not be included in the  results but should be put into the discussion section.

Acknowledgement: This section includes acknowledgment of people, grant details, funds, etc.

References: Only published or accepted manuscripts should be included in the reference list. Meetings abstracts,  conference talks, or papers that have been submitted but not yet accepted should not be cited. All personal  communications should be supported by a letter from the relevant authors. Authors are requested to provide at least  one online link for each reference as following (preferably PubMed).

Copyright Submission of a manuscript implies that the work described has not been published before (except in the  form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, or thesis) and that it is not under consideration for publication  elsewhere.

All works published by Journal of Applied Surface Science is under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution  License. This permits anyone to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt the work provided the original work and source  is appropriately cited.

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What should be included in a cover letter?

You may be required to submit a cover letter with your submission. Individual journals may have specific requirements regarding the cover letter's contents, so please consult the individual journal's Guide for Authors.

A cover letter is a simple, brief business letter, designed to introduce your manuscript to a prospective Editor.  If the Guide for Authors does not specify what to include in your cover letter, you may wish to include some of the following items:

  • Specify special considerations that should be given to the paper (if any).
  • A brief background regarding the research involved or how the data was collected.
  • Details of any previous or concurrent submissions.
  • It's also useful to provide the Editor-in-Chief with any information that will support your submission (e.g. original or confirmatory data, relevance, topicality).
  • The inclusion (or exclusion) of certain Reviewers (if  propose/oppose reviewers  isn't an available step in the submission process).
  • Bring to the Editor’s attention any  Conflict of Interest or Permissions information  which may be relevant.  Be sure to upload any accompanying forms or declarations as required to your submission.

Please note: When your manuscript is received at Elsevier, it's considered to be in its 'final form' ready to be reviewed, so please check your manuscript carefully before you submit it to the Editor. A guide to the publication process and getting your article published in an Elsevier journal is available on the Elsevier Publishing Campus .

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