Writing a cover letter to a journal
What to write in a cover letter?
Cover letters to journals do not vary that much – they all have a similar format and will even have some identical
sentences. They will all have these main sections
Why write a cover letter?
The cover letter you send to your chosen journal is how you and your manuscript make a first impression. And you
want to make a good first impression.
You can use your cover letter to describe your study, its importance and why it will be interesting to the journal’s
readers. It’s also an opportunity to give the journal the factual information they need – e.g. conflicts of interests and
author agreement.
–
Introduction – the manuscript title and authors’ names
Study Description – brief and easy to understand
Selling It – why your manuscript is interesting and good for the journal
Statements – regarding publishing, agreements and conflicts of interest
Reviewers – make recommendations if you want to or if requested
ORS has made a cover letter template to save you time. Find it at the end of this guide or request a Word version
from the office.
Key points to remember
Always research the journal before writing – do they have guidelines for cover letters?
Check and double check the spelling of the editor’s name
Ask someone to proofread and, if needed, edit your letter before sending
Be concise – your letter should be no more than 1.5 pages
You need to sell your manuscript not only describe it
Allow time for writing a good cover letter – a bad cover letter may mean your manuscript is never read
More info
www.aje.com/en/arc/writing-cover-letter/ - guide and example from the company American Journal Experts
precisionscienceediting.com/scientific/write-great-cover-letter-scientific-manuscript/ - tips from an editing company
www.edanzediting.com/resources/cover-letter-template - template and information video from Edanz
If you have any questions about this guide or would like to suggest other topics for our Learning Center please email
mahidol.tropmed@gmail.com.
Published June 2016
