Author: Ana Pérez-Escoda Translation: Erika-Lucia Gonzalez-Carrion
The scientific manuscript has become in the jewel of the crown in the current academic standards of accreditation and recognition of research sections, thus the importance of moving to the review process when the authors send their manuscript to a publication becomes a fact of vital importance in the academic cycle. Undoubtedly, the theoretical and methodological quality of the work, as well as its results and contributions to the field of science that is studied will be fundamental for a positive evaluation of the reviewers.
But what is the categorical element for the editor or editorial team, once the article is uploaded to the platform, to open the door of our work to the review process of the journal? The cover letter.
The cover letter is the first document that the editor will open when a submission is made to a scientific journal, it will be the first thing that will be checked to decide, without opening your manuscript, if your submission begins the long-awaited evaluation process or by the opposite sends you a letter of dismissal for underestimating formal aspects. It is, then, the key that will allow any author to start or not the evaluation process.
The cover letter can be a default template for the publication:
or a freestyle document in which it is essential to include the following sections, always addressed to the Editor or Chief Editor of the publication:
- Complete data of all authors (usually each journal specifies what these data should be).
- Title and keywords in Spanish and English.
- Financing entity (if any).
- Small text specifying: originality of the work, authorship of the signatories, assignment of rights to the journal and declaration of conflicts of interest.
- Signature of all authors.
It is essential that the authors pay adequate attention to the cover letter that will guarantee the possibility of starting the long-awaited review process in any scientific journal.
