Publishing a Journal Article: Top Tips

Researchers usually spend months, even years planning and conducting research. Once the research work is completed, the next step is to present the new data in a well-written document that can be published in reputed journals.

Let’s face it, even if you are a senior researcher who has published several papers, collating data and presenting your research as a journal article is a mammoth task. Manuscript preparation becomes even more challenging if you are a student trying to publish for the first time or if you are a non-native English speaker. Even if you are ready with the first draft, coordinating with co-authors for inputs adds another layer of complexity. For all researchers, whether they are students or professors, time is a precious commodity.

Once the first draft of your research article is complete with inputs from all authors, you can save a lot of time and effort by hiring a journal article editing service to polish your writing. Some editing services, like the Premium Editing Service offered by Editage, also allow for multiple rounds of editing wherein you can submit your manuscript even when it is not complete with inputs from co-authors.

As an author, you will find several online editing services. However, as a researcher, you should look for services that specialize in journal article editing. Getting your research paper edited, formatted, and proofread by professional journal article editing services will help make your manuscript more appealing to your target journal.

Below, we have provided a few tips for successfully publishing a journal article.

• Select the right journal: Several papers get rejected because the study conducted is out of the scope of the journal and is intended for a different readership – something that can be easily avoided. When selecting a journal, check whether your paper is a fit in terms of scope. Go through the “About the Journal” or “Aims and Scope” section of your target journal. To further check for fit, see whether the previously published journal articles are similar to yours.
• Hire a professional journal article editing service: Whether you are a published author, novice researcher, or a non-native English speaker, hiring expert journal article editors will help you submit a manuscript that is grammatically correct, academically sound, and formatted as per the journal’s author guidelines. It is important that your manuscript describes your work in a clear, succinct and logical manner. It is equally important that your article is formatted in accordance with the journal’s instructions.
• Prepare a compelling cover letter: All journal articles need to be accompanied with a cover letter before getting submitted. The cover letter is your opportunity to convey the significance of your study and the possible impact it can have in your area of research. A compelling cover letter will help create a good impression of your manuscript. Under the Premium Editing Service, the editor will also help you draft a powerful cover letter.
• Be patient with the process: It’s a long road to publication. Submission is just the first step – your journal article has just entered the publication process. The time taken by reviewers for responding to your submission varies from journal to journal. Although a lot of effort goes into preparing the manuscript for submission, some revisions and changes may have to be made as per the journal’s response.
• Anticipate post-submission changes: If the journal responds to your article with a revise and resubmit message, you will have to make appropriate revisions and address each reviewer’s comment in a separate letter. The scope of changes may range from a simple proofread to conducting more experiments and including new data. It is very rare that journals accept a paper without recommending changes.