Academic Journal Manuscript Submissions: A Checklist
November 3, 2022 | Blog, Learning Center
Achieving publication in an academic journal is no easy feat. The competition is fierce, and to succeed you must be thorough, well prepared, and meticulous. Regardless of the quality of your research, failing to meet the target journal’s submission standards and guidelines will land your manuscript in the rejection pile. This journal manuscript submission checklist will help ensure you’ve addressed every detail. Before submitting your manuscript, ask yourself the following questions:
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- Is the manuscript within the recommended minimum and maximum word limits?
- Have you applied the formatting required by the journal (font, line spacing, alignment, etc.)?
- Have you used the correct style and referencing guidelines (e.g., APA, Oxford, Harvard, etc.)?
- Have you written in the required dialect (US English/UK English)?
- Will the manuscript receive a single/double-blind review? If so, be sure to remove any identifying information. The journal may have specific guidance on how to anonymise your manuscript; be sure to check.
- Do you require permission to use any secondary materials included from other sources?
- Have you included a cover letter that highlights why your manuscript is a good fit for the journal’s audience and scope and makes a compelling case for the importance of your work?
- Has the manuscript been thoroughly proofread and edited, preferably by a professional editor?
- Have you conformed to academic writing conventions? The following elements are often found to be flawed and corrected by our editors:
- Title: Clear, accurate, and compelling description of the manuscript.
- Abstract: Follows the required format (e.g., structured/unstructured) and is within the required word limit.
- Keywords: Relevant to the topic for indexing and discoverability; check how many keywords are allowed by the journal.
- Introduction: Outlines the research context, significance, and objectives.
- Hypotheses or research questions: Clear, unambiguous, and answerable.
- Methodology: Includes the research design, data collection methods, analysis techniques, and any constraints/limitations.
- Analysis and discussion: Coherent and well supported.
- Tables, illustrations, and figures: Necessary, clearly labeled, and referenced in the text. Check the journal’s requirements regarding image files, which must usually be in a specific format and have a specific minimum resolution. Also see whether the tables and figures should be keyed into the text with placeholders and supplied after the text proper, which is common.
- Results and key findings: Presented in a clear, logical format.
- Conclusion: Summarizes findings, contributions, implications, and limitations, and suggests potential directions for future research.
- References: Correct format (e.g., APA, IEEE, MLA, Chicago, etc.), cross-referenced to ensure each citation matches an entry in the reference list.
Once your manuscript is ready, it’s important to submit it to the correct person for review. This may seem obvious, but it’s actually a common mistake among authors. Check the journal’s website for instructions; there might be an online submission process, or you may need to send your manuscript directly to the journal’s editor.
Need assistance ensuring your manuscript conforms to your target journal’s guidelines? Our expert editors are ready to help. Get an instant quote on our order page, and be sure to specify your target journal in the order notes so our editors can confirm whether your work meets the journal’s guidelines.