Upload
edanz-group
View
173
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Andrew Jackson, PhD Senior Editor
Increasing your Chances of Manuscript Acceptance
Nagasaki University
6 July 2015
About Andrew …
S
Be an effective communicator
Your goal is not only to be published, but also to be widely read/cited
Importance of publishing
Effectively communicate your ideas in English
Logically present your research in your manuscript
Section 1
Academic publishing
Academic publishing
Publication success = Academic success
S
Publication Metrics and Success on the Academic Job Market van Dijk et al. Current Biology. 2014; 24: R516-R517.
• >25,000 researchers in PubMed • Determined which factors positively correlated
with academic success
• Number of publications • Impact factor of the journal • Number of citations • University ranking • Gender
Academic publishing
What do journal editors want?
Increase impact
High quality research
Interesting to journal’s readership
Original and novel research Well-designed study
Logically organized Real-world applications
Well-written manuscript
Academic publishing
Research that has impact
1. Read primary literature
2. Identify trends: reviews, editorials
3. Identify an important question
• Do you have the expertise/resources? • What is new? • How is it useful? • Is the question focused?
Academic publishing
Do not plagiarize
Do not fabricate or falsify data
Authorship: Study design, data analysis Writing the manuscript Final approval (responsibility)
Declare conflicts of interest: Financial Personal
Publication ethics
Academic publishing
Do not plagiarize
Do not fabricate or falsify data
Authorship: Study design, data analysis Writing the manuscript Final approval (responsibility)
Declare conflicts of interest: Financial Personal
Publication ethics
Academic publishing Altmetrics
Academic publishing ORCiD
Identify yourself!
Academic publishing ORCiD
Which Tanaka Yoshihiro are
you looking for?
Academic publishing ORCiD
Academic publishing ORCiD
Effective writing
Section 2
Customer Service Effective writing Improving readability
Use short sentences Limit your sentences to 15–20 words
One idea per sentence
Use active voice More simple, direct, and easier to read
“Nature journals prefer authors to write in the active voice” (http://www.nature.com/authors/author_resources/how_write.html)
Customer Service Effective writing Use strong verbs
Avoid nominalizations
Converting a verb into a noun
Estimate Estimation
Decide Decision
Confirm Confirmation
Assess Assessment
Customer Service Effective writing
…estimation?
…decision?
…confirmation?
We made a…
Subject Verb
Still no idea what this sentence is about!
Use strong verbs
…cake?
By Puschinka, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Customer Service Effective writing Use strong verbs
We estimated…
We decided…
We confirmed…
We made a…
Subject Verb
Still no idea what this sentence is about! Clear and direct
Customer Service Effective writing
We conducted an evaluation to determine if the program increased the recruitment of students and the maximization of faculty time.
Use strong verbs
Customer Service Effective writing
We evaluated if the program recruited more students and maximized faculty time.
20 words
12 words
We conducted an evaluation to determine if the program increased the recruitment of students and the maximization of faculty time.
Use strong verbs
Customer Service Effective writing Academic English writing style
Readers focus at the end of the sentence to determine what is important.
1. You deserve a raise, but the budget is tight.
Which sentence suggests that you
will get a raise?
2. The budget is tight, but you deserve a raise.
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/flow/
Stress position
Customer Service Effective writing
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/flow/
The stress position also introduces the topic of the next sentence
The topic position introduces the idea of the current sentence
Academic English writing style
The budget is tight, but you deserve a raise. Your salary will
increase at the beginning of next year. Stress position Topic position
Customer Service Effective writing
TiO2 surface modification of the scaffold considerably
improved its catalytic efficiency. The increased efficiency was
prominent early in the reaction but decreased over time. The
lack of long-term effects of TiO2 surface modification was likely
due to the reaction being conducted in an aqueous
environment. Evaluating additional solvents to improve the
catalytic efficiency over time is currently being investigated.
idea idea idea idea
Topic link
sentence
Academic English writing style
Customer Service Effective writing
Following early breakthrough reports on vacuum-deposited small molecule and solution-processed conjugated polymer organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs),1 tremendous progress has been made in commercializing smartphone, tablet, and television display products. OLED lighting offers additional challenges including very demanding efficiency requirements set by the ≈100 lm W–1 luminous power efficiency of fluorescent lamps. Vacuum-processed OLEDs have recently passed this 100 lm W–1 target,2 thereby stimulating continued interest in large area lighting applications. However, vacuum processing at scale, especially where shadow-masked pixellation is required, remains challenging and costly. Strong and growing interest has consequently been shown in solution-based processes to address these limitations and achieve the ultimate potential of plastic electronics in large-area, low-cost, high-throughput device fabrication.
Realizing solution-processed multilayer OLEDs with efficiency comparable to vacuum-deposited devices remains extremely challenging,4 and Table 1 summarizes the performance of a selection of state-of-the-art devices fabricated using different approaches. We focus here…
Perumal et al. Adv Mater. 2015; 27: 93–100.
Topic sentence
Stress sentence Topic sentence
Supporting sentences
Academic English writing style
Customer Service Effective writing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language
What does this map represent?
English is official language English is commonly used
Customer Service Effective writing
To ascertain the efficaciousness of the program, we interrogated the participants upon completion.
Complex words
Customer Service Effective writing
To ascertain the efficaciousness of the program, we interrogated the participants upon completion.
To determine the success of the program, we questioned the participants upon completion.
Complex words
Customer Service Effective writing Avoid complex words
Preferred Enough Clear Determine Begin Try Very Size Keep Enough End Use
Avoid Adequate Apparent Ascertain Commence Endeavor Exceedingly Magnitude Retain Sufficient Terminate Utilization
Customer Service Effective writing Unnecessary words
“A number of studies have shown that the charged group...”
“...as described in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
“As a matter of fact, such a low-temperature reaction…”
“That is another reason why, we believe…”
“It is well known that most of the intense diffraction peaks...” “It is well known that most of the intense diffraction peaks...”
“As a matter of fact, such a This low-temperature reaction…”
“A number of studies have shown that the charged group...”
“That is another reason why Therefore, we believe…”
“...as described previously in our previous study.”
“...at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min.”
Customer Service Effective writing
Avoid At a concentration of 2 g/L At a temperature of 37C At a wavelength of 340 nm In order to In the first place Four in number Green color Subsequent to Prior to
Preferred At 2 g/L At 37C At 340 nm To First Four Green After Before
Unnecessary words
When should you choose a journal?
1. After you have written your manuscript?
2. Before you write your manuscript?
Journal selection
Section 3
Journal selection
Author guidelines • Manuscript structure • Word limits • Reference style
Aims and scope • Topics • Readership • Be sure to emphasize
Relevant references
When to choose a journal?
Choose the journal before you write your manuscript
*Recently published articles
Journal selection Evaluating significance
How new are your findings? Low or high impact journal
Novelty
Identify new material to be used as a photocatalyst • Medium to high impact factor journal Improve the photocatalytic efficiency of an existing material • Low to medium impact factor journal
Journal selection
How broadly relevant are your findings? International/regional & general/specialized
Relevance
Applicable only to Asia • Regional journal is more appropriate Applicable worldwide • International journal is more appropriate (need to emphasize)
Evaluating significance
Journal selection
How broadly relevant are your findings? International/regional & general/specialized
Relevance
Applicable only to specific field • Specialized journal is more appropriate Applicable for other fields • Broad-focused journal is more appropriate (emphasize)
Evaluating significance
Journal selection Factors to consider when choosing a journal
Which factor is most important to you?
Aims & scope Readership
Open access Impact factor Indexing
Journal selection Open access
Author retains copyright
Less restrictions on word/figure limits (online only)
Published immediately online
Increased accessibility
• Researchers worldwide can download/read your paper
• Government/industry1
• Emerging markets
Increased downloads
• OA articles downloaded more often2
• Social network advantage3
• More impact in the field
1. Davis PM. Faseb J. 2011; 25: 1–6. 2. http://www.nature.com/press_releases/
ncomms-report2014.pdf 3. Allen et al. PLoS ONE. 2013; 8: e68914
Journal selection
The quality of OA journals is not good
OA journals have the same peer review process as subscription-based journals
IFs are lower partly because they are newer
• Less visibility in the field • Fewer citations
Open access myths
Journal selection 164 BMC journals have a 2013 IF
2013 Impact Factor
5.29
5.4
5.49
5.88
6.22
6.22
6.99
7.28
7.43
10.5
0 5 10 15
Molecular Neurodegeneration
Molecular Cancer
Molecular Autism
Breast Cancer Research
Clinical Epigenetics
Biotechnology for Biofuels
Particle and Fibre Toxicology
BMC Medicine
BMC Biology
Genome Biology
Journal selection Predatory journals
Some OA journals are not good
Easy way to get money from authors
• Promise quick and easy publication • Often ask for a ‘submission/handling’ fee
If you are ever unsure, please check the Beall’s List of Predatory Publishers
http://scholarlyoa.com/2012/12/06/bealls-list-of-predatory-publishers-2013/
Journal selection Trustworthy journals
Reputable publisher Springer, Elsevier, Wiley, PLoS, etc.
Editorial board International and familiar
Indexed Indexed by common databases
Authors Do you recognize the authors?
Fees Only paid after acceptance
Journal selection Journal Selector www.edanzediting.co.jp/journal_selector
Insert your proposed abstract or keywords
Journal selection
Filter by: • Field of study • Impact factor • Indexed in SCI • Open access • Publishing frequency
Journal Selector www.edanzediting.co.jp/journal_selector
Journal’s aims & scope, IF, and publication frequency
Journal selection
• Author guidelines • Journal website
Are they currently publishing similar articles?
Similar published articles
Have you cited any of these articles?
Journal Selector www.edanzediting.co.jp/journal_selector
Journal selection
First impression for journal editors
Significance Relevance
Writing style Interesting to their readers?
Why your work is important!
Cover letters
Journal selection
Dear Dr Lippman,
Please find enclosed our manuscript entitled “Evaluation of the Glasgow prognostic score in patients undergoing curative
resection for breast cancer liver metastases,” which we would like to submit for publication as an Original Article in the Breast
Cancer Research and Treatment.
The Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) is of value for a variety of tumours. Several studies have investigated the prognostic value of the GPS in patients with metastatic breast cancer, but few studies have performed such an investigation for patients undergoing liver resection for liver metastases. Furthermore, there are currently no studies that have examined the prognostic value of the modified GPS (mGPS) in these patients. The present study evaluated the mGPS in terms of its prognostic value for postoperative death in patients undergoing liver resection for breast cancer liver metastases.
A total of 318 patients with breast cancer liver metastases who underwent hepatectomy over a 15-year period were included in this study. The mGPS was calculated based on the levels of C-reactive protein and albumin, and the disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival rates were evaluated in relation to the mGPS. Prognostic significance was retrospectively analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Overall, the results showed a significant association between cancer-specific survival and the mGPS and carcinoembryonic antigen level, and a higher mGPS was associated with increased aggressiveness of liver recurrence and poorer survival in these patients. This study is the first to demonstrate that the preoperative mGPS, a simple clinical tool, is a useful prognostic factor for postoperative survival in patients undergoing curative resection for breast cancer liver metastases. This information is immediately clinically applicable for oncologists treating such patients. As a premier journal covering the broad field of cancer, we believe that the Breast Cancer Research and Treatment is the perfect platform from which to share our results with the international medical community.
Give the background to the research
What was done and what was found
Interest to journal’s readers
A good cover letter
Editor’s name Manuscript title
Article type
Break
Any questions?
Follow us on Twitter
@EdanzEditing
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/EdanzEditing
Download and further reading edanzediting.co.jp/nagasaki201506
Manuscript structure
Section 4
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Introduction
Background information
Specific aims Aims
What is currently known
Problem in the field
Why does your study need to be done?
Worldwide relevance? Broad/specialized?
Up-to-date International
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Problem
Therefore, it is of great interest to investigate whether reduction in obesity is associated with improvement in insulin secretion and sensitivity. However, the relationship between the changes in obesity and insulin resistance has not been well characterized.
Here, we investigated the associations between changes in obesity and insulin secretion and sensitivity in obese Japanese participants over a 1-year period.
Aims
Identify an important problem State aims that directly address this problem
Writing the Introduction
Modified from: Goto et al. PLoS ONE. 2013; 8: e57964.
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Common mistakes in the Introduction
Ideas are not logically organized
Introduce topics that are not discussed later (Results/Discussion)
Not introduce important topics that are discussed later (topics introduced in the Discussion)
Cited studies are not up-to-date
Cited studies are geographically biased
Why study needs to be done?
Keep focused
Write last
<5 years
International
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Methods/Experimental
How it was done
• General methods • Specific techniques – (discuss controls)
• Quantification methods • Models/equations • Statistical tests
What/who was used
• Samples or participants • Materials
How it was analyzed
Consult a statistician
What did you do?
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Results
1. Initial observation 2. Characterization 3. Application
Logical presentation
What did you find?
Example:
1. Fabricate new membrane for water treatment
2. Evaluate physical and chemical properties (e.g., under different temperatures/pressures)
3. Efficacy in removing particulate contamination
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Results
1. Initial observation 2. Characterization 3. Application
Each subsection corresponds to
one figure
What you found, not what it means
Logical presentation
Subsections
Factual description
What did you find?
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Combined
Results–Discussion
Results Interpretation
Figure 1
Results Interpretation
Figure 2
Results Interpretation
Figure 3
Results Interpretation
Figure 4
Initial observation
Logical presentation
Characterization
Application
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Discussion
Summary of findings
Relevance
Conclusion
Similarities/differences Unexpected/negative results Limitations
Implications
How contributes to the field?
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Nitrogen pollution in household wastewater tends to lead to eutrophication in natural waters, which can diminish water quality and ecosystem services. However, the comparative cost and effectiveness of conventional and alternative wastewater treatment strategies to reduce nitrogen have not been clearly evaluated. In this study, we found that the most cost-effective alternatives for mitigating nitrogen are decentralized systems, paired with conventional septic systems as necessary. Sensitivity analysis shows that...
Re-introduction
Conclusion
Modified from: Wood et al. J Environ Manage. 2015; 150: 344–354.
Writing the beginning of your Discussion
State the major conclusion of the study
Problem
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Modified from: Ketola & Hiltunen. Ecol Evol. 2014; 4: 3901–3908.
Compare your findings with those published by others
Writing the middle of your Discussion
Comparison with previous studies
Current finding
Potential reasons
Our observations suggest that fluctuating growth conditions did not select for generalism at the tested salinity levels. This finding is in contrast to several studies where evidence for an evolved generalism was found to be the consequence of fluctuating environments (Buckling et al. 2006, Ketola et al. 2013, 2014; Condon et al. 2014). One explanation for the lack of expected adaptation in fluctuating environments in the current study could be that our salinity fluctuations were too coarse-grained…
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
In this study, we found that leaf N, P and N:P of the desert flora were unrelated to mean annual precipitation and only weakly related to mean annual temperature (Fig. 3). Possibly, the range in temperature (5.8–8.8°C) and precipitation (40–200 mm) at our study site was too small to detect strong patterns with leaf N and P. Leaf N and P stoichiometry of different desert plants can temporally fluctuate because of seasonal climate variation that can obscure the spatial relationships between this stoichiometry and mean annual climate parameters. Future studies should evaluate these patterns in other areas throughout the year to address this issue.
Describe any unexpected/negative results
Suggest future directions
Modified from: He et al. Sci Rep. 2014; 4: 6932.
Writing the middle of your Discussion
Possible reasons
Negative results
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Although this study used T. gondii as a model organism for evaluating terrestrial pathogen transport in coastal ecosystems, the polymer-mediated mechanisms identified here are likely relevant to disease transmission of numerous terrigenous pathogens that pose health risks to marine hosts or humans.
Although the estimated quantum efficiency of the Pt-modified C3N4 catalyst is rather low, this study opens new directions for the search of energy production schemes, using thermally and oxidation-stable polymeric organic semiconductor structures as the functional material that are cheap and commonly available.
Describe your limitations
Writing the middle of your Discussion
Modified from: Shapiro et al. Proc R Soc B. 2014; 281: 20141287.
Modified from: Wang et al. Nat Mater. 2008; 8: 76–80. Limitations related to: • Data analysis • Study design
Limitation
Limitation Application
Application
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
In this paper, we successfully prepared PThTA nanoparticles with Fe3+-catalyzed oxidative polymerization and surfactant-free oxidative polymerization in an aqueous medium. The quantum efficiency increased with polymerization time from 1.43 to 3.22. Moreover, the maximum emission wavelength significantly shifted from 450 nm to 520 nm as the chain length increased as a function of monomer conversion. Our results provide new insights on surfactant-free oxidative polymerization and may serve as guidelines for the preparation of new conjugated polymer emulsion systems for potential optoelectronic devices. Future studies should extend our surfactant-free oxidative polymerization to substituted polythiophene nanoparticles.
Conclusions
Conclusion
Implications
Future directions
Modified from: Ryu et al. Polymer. 2014; 55: 806–812.
What do you want people to remember?
Key findings
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Common mistakes in the Discussion
Do not restate your results
After policy implementation, cadmium levels at sites adjacent to the factory significantly decreased from 113.9±12.6 g m–2 to 53.4±6.3 g m–2 (p=0.034). This demonstrates that this policy is effective in reducing cadmium contamination and should be considered in other similar regions as well.
Our results demonstrate that the implementation of the new policy was effective in reducing cadmium contamination at factory-adjacent sites by 53.1%. This suggests that this policy may also be effective in reducing cadmium levels in other similar regions as well.
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Do not overgeneralize your findings
Our results demonstrate that the implementation of the new policy was effective in reducing cadmium contamination at factory-adjacent sites by 53.1%. This proves that this policy will be effective in reducing industrial contamination worldwide.
Policy implementation in Japan reduces cadmium contamination
Our results demonstrate that the implementation of the new policy was effective in reducing cadmium contamination at factory-adjacent sites by 53.1%. This suggests that this policy may also be effective in reducing cadmium levels in other similar regions as well.
Common mistakes in the Discussion
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Linking your ideas
Background information
Objectives
Methodology
Results and figures
Summary of findings
Implications for the field
Relevance of findings
Problems in the field
Current state of the field Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Logically link your ideas together
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Linking your ideas
Contamination of the soil by heavy metals is a serious environmental problem...
However, little is known how heavy metals affect membrane lipid metabolism…
Here, we showed that Cd stress altered membrane structure and function by changing the profiles of individual polar lipids and unsaturation levels.
Background
Problem
Conclusion
Discussion
Introduction
Modified from: Elloumi et al. Botanical Studies. 2014; 55: 61.
Our aim was to assess how Cd stress affects the composition and biosynthesis of lipids and fatty acids……
Objective
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure
Important points
Summarize key finding Contains keywords Less than 20 words
Avoid
Effective titles
Your title should be a concise summary of your most important finding
Questions Describing methods Abbreviations “New” or “novel”
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Abstracts
First impression of your paper
Importance of your results
Validity of your conclusions
Relevance of your aims
Judge your writing style
Probably only part that will be read
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Sections of an abstract
Aims
Background
Methods
Results
Conclusion
Why the study was done
Your hypothesis
Techniques/analyses
Most important findings
Conclusion/implications
Concise summary of your study
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Unstructured abstract
In the Tahe oilfield in China, heavy oil is commonly lifted using the light oil blending technology. However, due to the lack of light oil, the production of heavy oil has been seriously limited. Here, we aimed to reduce light oil usage and maintain heavy oil production using a new compound technology of light oil blending and electric heating. We developed a pressure and temperature coupling model based on mass, momentum and energy conservation. The heat-transfer parameters and pressure drop are calculated by using the Hasan–Kabir and Hagedorn–Brown methods, respectively. This model also considers the effects of blending light and heavy oils as well as heating the electric rods. Our calculations demonstrate that electric heating coupled with light oil blending is much more effective than either alone. In conclusion, our study shows that the amount of light oil used can be reduced by combining the electric heating technology. This novel method should improve heavy oil production in regions lacking light oil.
Modified from: Zhu et al. J Petrol Explor Prod Technol. 2014; DOI: 10.1007/s13202-014-0126-x.
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Unstructured abstract
Conclusion In conclusion, our study shows that the amount of light oil used can be reduced by combining the electric heating technology. This novel method should improve heavy oil production in regions lacking light oil.
Results
We developed a pressure and temperature coupling model based on mass, momentum and energy conservation. The heat-transfer parameters and pressure drop are calculated by using the Hasan–Kabir and Hagedorn–Brown methods, respectively. This model also considers the effects of blending light and heavy oils as well as heating the electric rods. Our calculations demonstrate that electric heating coupled with light oil blending is much more effective than either alone.
Aims/ methods
Here, we aimed to reduce light oil usage and maintain heavy oil production using a new compound technology of light oil blending and electric heating.
Background In the Tahe oilfield in China, heavy oil is commonly lifted using the light oil blending technology. However, due to the lack of light oil, the production of heavy oil has been seriously limited.
Modified from: Zhu et al. J Petrol Explor Prod Technol. 2014; DOI: 10.1007/s13202-014-0126-x.
Implications
Coverage and Staffing Plan Manuscript
structure Writing your abstract
In the Tahe oilfield in China, heavy oil is commonly lifted using the light oil blending technology. However, due to the lack of light oil, the production of heavy oil has been seriously limited. Here, we aimed to reduce light oil usage and maintain heavy oil production using a new compound technology of light oil blending and electric heating. We developed a pressure and temperature coupling model based on mass, momentum and energy conservation. The heat-transfer parameters and pressure drop are calculated by using the Hasan–Kabir and Hagedorn–Brown methods, respectively. This model also considers the effects of blending light and heavy oils as well as heating the electric rods. Our calculations demonstrate that electric heating coupled with light oil blending is much more effective than either alone. In conclusion, our study shows that the amount of light oil used can be reduced by combining the electric heating technology. This novel method should improve heavy oil production in regions lacking light oil.
Modified from: Zhu et al. J Petrol Explor Prod Technol. 2014; DOI: 10.1007/s13202-014-0126-x.
Why study needs to be done
Aims and methods to address problem
What you found
How study contributes to the field
Peer review
Section 5
Peer review What reviewers are looking for
The science
The manuscript
Relevant hypothesis Good experimental design Appropriate methodology Good data analysis Valid conclusions
Logical flow of information Manuscript structure and formatting Appropriate references High readability
Abstract and Introduction Methods Results and Figures Discussion
Peer review Unclear decision letter
10 January 2015
Dear Dr. Robens,
Manuscript ID JOS-11-7839: “Prediction of the largest peak nonlinear seismic response of asymmetric structures under bi-directional excitation”
Your manuscript has been reviewed, and we regret to inform you that based on our Expert reviewers’ comments, it is not possible to further consider your manuscript in its current form for publication in the Journal of Seismology.
Although the reviews are not entirely negative, it is evident from the extensive comments and concerns that the manuscript, in its current form, does not meet the criteria expected of papers in the Journal of Seismology. The results appear to be too preliminary and incomplete for publication at the present time.
The reviewer comments are included at the bottom of this letter. I hope the information provided by the reviewers will be helpful to revise your manuscript in future. Thank you for your interest in the journal and I regret that the outcome has not been favorable at this time.
Decision
Reason
Comments
Peer review
The Reviewer comments are not entirely negative.
It is not possible to consider your manuscript in its current form.
I hope the information provided will be helpful to revise your manuscript in the future.
I regret that the outcome has not been favorable at this time.
Editor may be interested in your work
Peer review
We cannot publish your manuscript
Your study does not contain novel results that merit publication in our journal.
We appreciate your interest in our journal. However, we will not further consider your manuscript for publication.
We wish you luck in publishing your results elsewhere.
Editor is not interested in your work
Peer review Why send an unclear decision letter?
Publication time
Long revisions = long publication times
Editors hope you fully revise and then resubmit as a new publication
Peer review Clear decision letter
10 January 2015
Dear Dr. Robens,
Manuscript ID JOS-11-7839: “Prediction of the largest peak nonlinear seismic response of asymmetric structures under bi-directional excitation”
Your manuscript has been reviewed, and we believe that after revision your manuscript may become suitable for publication in Journal of Seismology. The reviewer concerns are included at the bottom of this letter.
You can submit a revised manuscript that takes into consideration these comments. You will also need to include a detailed commentary of the changes made. Please note that resubmitting your manuscript does not guarantee eventual acceptance, and that your resubmission may be subject to re-review by the reviewers before a decision is made.
To revise your manuscript, log into https://www.editorialmanager.com/JSeis/ and enter your Author Center, where you will find your manuscript title listed under "Manuscripts with Decisions." Under "Actions," click on "Create a Revision." Your manuscript number has been appended to denote a revision.
…
Manuscript ID number
Decision
How to re-submit
Peer review Clear decision letter
How to respond
Due date for resubmission
…You will be unable to make your revisions on the originally submitted version of the manuscript. Instead, revise your manuscript using a word processing program and save it on your computer. Please also highlight the changes to your manuscript within the document by using bold or colored text. Once the revised manuscript is prepared, you can upload it and submit it through your Author Center.
When submitting your revised manuscript, you will be able to respond to the comments made by the reviewer(s) in the space provided. You can use this space to document any changes you make to the original manuscript. In order to expedite the processing of the revised manuscript, please be as specific as possible in your response to the reviewer(s).
IMPORTANT: Your original files are available to you when you upload your revised manuscript. Please delete any redundant files before completing the submission.
Because we are trying to facilitate timely publication of manuscripts submitted to BBE, your revised manuscript should be uploaded by 10 May. If it is not possible for you to submit your revision in a reasonable amount of time, we may have to consider your paper as a new submission.
Once again, thank you for submitting your manuscript to Journal of Seismology and I look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.
Peer review Writing response letters
Revise your manuscript according to reviewer comments
Communicate revisions to the journal editor
Peer review Writing response letters
Respond to every reviewer comment
Read by the journal editor, not the reviewers
Highlight the text
Easy to see changes
Refer to line and page numbers
Use a different color font
Highlight the text
Strikethrough font for deletions
Peer review
Reviewer Comment: In your analysis of the data you have chosen to use a somewhat obscure fitting function (regression). In my opinion, a simple Gaussian function would have sufficed. Moreover, the results would be more instructive and easier to compare to previous results.
Response: We agree with the reviewer’s assessment of the analysis.
Agreeing with reviewers
Agreement
Journal editors want to know why you agree and what changes you made
Peer review
Reviewer Comment: In your analysis of the data you have chosen to use a somewhat obscure fitting function (regression). In my opinion, a simple Gaussian function would have sufficed. Moreover, the results would be more instructive and easier to compare to previous results.
Response: We agree with the reviewer’s assessment of the analysis. Our tailored function, in its current form, makes it difficult to tell that this measurement constitutes a significant improvement over previously reported values. We describe our new analysis using a Gaussian fitting function in our revised Results section (Page 6, Lines 12–18).
Agreeing with reviewers
Agreement
Revisions
Location
Why you agree
Peer review
Reviewer Comment: In your analysis of the data you have chosen to use a somewhat obscure fitting function (regression). In my opinion, a simple Gaussian function would have sufficed. Moreover, the results would be more instructive and easier to compare to previous results.
Response: It is clear that this reviewer is not familiar with the current analytical methods in the field. I recommend that you identify a more suitable reviewer for my manuscript.
Disagreeing with reviewers
Peer review Disagreeing with reviewers
Reviewer Comment: In your analysis of the data you have chosen to use a somewhat obscure fitting function (regression). In my opinion, a simple Gaussian function would have sufficed. Moreover, the results would be more instructive and easier to compare to previous results.
Response: Although a simple Gaussian fit would facilitate comparison with the results of other studies, our tailored function allows for the analysis of the data in terms of the Smith model [Smith et al., 1998]. We have now explained the use of this function and the Smith model in our revised Discussion section (Page 12, Lines 2–6).
Evidence
Revisions
Location
Support your claim with evidence
Peer review
Reasons why reviewers might make these comments
• Current results are not appropriate for the scope or impact factor of the journal
• Reviewer is being “unfair”
Reviewer comment: Currently, the authors’ conclusion that this questionnaire is appropriate for cross-cultural analyses is not completely valid because their participants all resided in Japan. They should also show the questionnaire’s validity in participants living in other countries.
“Unfair” comments
Peer review
What should you do?
First, contact the journal editor if you feel reviewer is being unfair
• Do the experiments, revise, and resubmit
• Withdraw submission and resubmit current manuscript to a journal with a different scope or lower impact factor – In this example, a regional journal may be more appropriate
“Unfair” comments
S
Be an effective communicator
Your goal is not only to be published, but also to be widely read/cited
Importance of publishing
Effectively communicate your ideas in English
Logically present your research in your manuscript
Thank you!
Any questions?
Follow us on Twitter
@EdanzEditing
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/EdanzEditing
Download and further reading edanzediting.co.jp/nagasaki201506
Andrew Jackson: [email protected]