Peer Review
Why was my article rejected without being peer-reviewed?
Why was my article rejected without being peer-reviewed? You have worked so hard on your research, and then even harder to write your article. You spent a long time selecting the right journal for your article. Finally, you submit your article, and anxiously await the result of the peer review. […]
Number one reason for acceptance of an article
Number one reason for acceptance of an article There are many factors that you need to get right before your article is accepted. It has to present the results of good research with good data analysis. It has to be well written, and well supported by appropriate references. However, when […]
Reviewer comments and how to respond
Reviewer comments and how to respond Reviewer: The English is not good enough for publication Author: Some of the reviewer’s comments were so badly written, how can he be a good judge of English! It’s true that many reviewers do not have English as their first language. Perhaps they found your […]
Request for revision – be clear
Request for revision – be clear The Editor-in-Chief may deal with thousands of papers. He may not remember the details of your paper, and he certainly will not have the time to go through your revision line by line. Impress the Editor with your clear response. Tips on making your […]
Request for revision – be fast
Request for revision – be fast Why is it important to be fast? First, most research is time-sensitive. Perhaps some other group is working on the same problem as you. You want to be first to publish. Second, the speed of publication is an important metric for a journal. Authors […]
Request for revision – be polite
Request for revision – be polite Remember that you are dealing with people, not just a faceless submission system. The Editor-in-Chief and the reviewers are just like you—they have feelings, likes and dislikes, and many othercalls on their time. They are not infallible, but offer their comments to help you […]
Handling a request for revision
Handling a request for revision After submitting your paper to a journal, you must wait for the Editor-in-Chief (or his deputy) to make a decision on your paper. If your paper goes through the full review process, the Editor will ask reviewers to make recommendations. Finally, the great day arrives […]
A reviewer asks for additional experiments – what are your options?
A reviewer asks for additional experiments – what are your options? Requests for additional experiments typically fall into one of three categories: The suggested experiments are fundamental to proving your argument. You cannot accept/reject your null hypothesis without these experiments. You have provided sufficient proof for your argument; however, additional […]
Your title and abstract are key to attracting the right reviewers
Your title and abstract are key to attracting the right reviewers Potential referees are typically only given the title and abstract when sent an invitation to peer review an article. It is only upon acceptance of the invitation that they will be given the full paper and supporting materials. It […]
My paper was rejected. What are my options?
My paper was rejected. What are my options? Almost every scholar has had a paper rejected. Journal acceptance rates are typically low, ranging from 5% for higher impact journals (e.g., The Lancet) to 69% for “pay-to-publish” open access journals (e.g., PLoS ONE), whose criteria exclude the perceived importance of the paper. However, […]