It is a significant point to submit your carefully prepared research paper to a scholarly journal. You have spent hours in the research, writing and revision process. Nevertheless, the way between a completed draft and an acceptance letter often complicates the process due to the important, although sometimes easily brushed off, task of decoding and following the specific submission requirements of the journal. These frequent violations cause desk-rejection of manuscripts, which usually do not even undergo peer review.
At Fast Publications, we have the stakes. This is the reason why we stress that the effective way to go through the submission process is in a systematic manner. Do not consider the guidelines as a setback, but as your blueprint to successful publication. This is the vital checklist that will assist in your Journal submission Assistance requirements to guarantee the refinement of your piece of writing, its adherence, and its readiness to undergo examination.
Pre-Submission Checklist: The Essentials
Go through this important checklist before clicking on submit. These arguments touch upon the most frequent causes of an immediate rejection.
Scope and Fit Confirmation
- Confirm Alignment: Have you carefully verified that your research subject and research methodology are well within the bounds stipulated by the Aims and Scope of the Journal?
- Considered Recent Issues: Have you gone through the past several issues of the journal to determine whether the kind of articles that the journal publishes fits the style of your manuscript (e.g., empirical or theoretical or review)?
- Target Audience: Does the language and details level suit the core audience of the journal?
- Manuscript Structure and Style.
- Word Count: Does your text comply with the suggested word count of the type of article (e.g. original research, short communication)? Do not overlook to determine whether the abstract and references are counted or not.
- Font and Spacing: Have you used the necessary font (e.g. Times New Roman, Arial) and font size and the line spacing as indicated (e.g. double spaced)?
- Margins: Have you properly set your document margins (e.g. 1 inch on all sides)?
- Page Numbering: Have you used continuous page and line numbering, as requested?
Structural Compliance
- Section Headings: Does your section heading (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion) conform to the nomenclature that the journal requires? Other journals are rather demanding, including merging Results and Discussion.
- Abstract: Have you made sure the abstract is the required wording and format (e.g. structured vs. unstructured)?
- Keywords: Have you used the necessary number of keywords?
Sources and References: Accuracy is Everything
Checking of references is not only a dull task but a must. Unstable or inaccurate bibliography is a massive warning to editors.
- Style Adherence: Have you ensured that all the individual citations in the text and all the entries in the bibliography have adhered to the required citation style of the journal (e.g. APA, MLA, Vancouver, Chicago)?
- Consistency: Does the reference list and the in-text citations match flawlessly? Each in-text citation should be accompanied by a reference, and the same.
- Tool Usage: Generally reference management software (such as Mendeley or Zotero) set to journal-style should be used to ensure consistency.
Figures and Tables: Technical Requirements
Pictorial materials should be publishable. Graphics of low quality or improper format will not be accepted by the editors.
- File Format: Do you have your figures in the required format (TIFF, EPS, high-resolution JPEG)
- Resolution: Are your images of the required minimum resolution (DPI) (300 DPI color, 600-1200 DPI line)
- Labels and Captions: Have you inserted all captions of figures and title of tables in a separate list or in the manuscript text (not in the image files themselves) as we requested?
- Permission: Have you used and referenced any permission to reuse any figures or tables of other published works?
Supplementary Documents that are required
The manuscript file is not always enough to be contained in journals. Make these supporting documents well in advance.
Cover Letter
- Content: Does your cover letter well indicate the title of your manuscript, its novelty, why the journal is the best place and confirming that the work has never been published or presented elsewhere?
- Authorship Confirmation: Have you ensured that all the authors were content with submission?
Authorship and Conflict of Interest (COI) Forms
- Individual Forms: Have each of the authors filled out and signed any necessary individual Authorship Contribution or Conflict of Interest forms?
- Financial Disclosures: Have you clearly given details on any financial support or conflict of interest in the manuscript and/or the necessary form?
Ethics and Data
- Ethical Approval: Did you include a statement of institutional ethical review board approval and consent procedures in your research, in case you were doing research involving human subjects or animals?
- Data Availability: Have you provided a Data Availability Statement of the location where people can access the data to support your findings?
The Final Proofread
It is your best opportunity to make mistakes. Even a very obedient paper can be summarized as being rejected due to a bad language use.
- Grammar and Spelling: have you made a final spell and grammar check?
- Clarity and Flow: Have you verified the flow of the arguments, and did you make sure that all sentences are written in a clear and unambiguous and active voice?
- Technical Terminology: Have you been consistent on the usage and proper definition of all the technical terms and acronym?
Collaborating with Fast Publications
These elaborate requirements may overwhelm. In this respect, professional Journal submission Assistance comes in handy. Fast Publications is also the one that prepares your manuscript packet to require each and every guideline and have your research the attention it warrants. We carefully examine all the formatting, cross-reference quotations and prepare conforming supplementary reports. Allow no technicality to set back your labor. We assist you in ensuring that your next submission is your ultimate submission.
Are you prepared to make the process of submitting smooth and stand the highest chances of success? Contact Fast Publications now to receive professional Journal submission Services.
