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How to get your paper accepted in a Journal

This document provides guidance on how to get a research paper accepted in a journal, emphasizing the importance of conducting publishable research, writing effectively, and choosing the right journal. Key points include understanding the submission process, avoiding common reasons for rejection, and the significance of a well-crafted cover letter. The author also encourages networking and collaboration within the academic community.

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muhammad ali
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3 views

How to get your paper accepted in a Journal

This document provides guidance on how to get a research paper accepted in a journal, emphasizing the importance of conducting publishable research, writing effectively, and choosing the right journal. Key points include understanding the submission process, avoiding common reasons for rejection, and the significance of a well-crafted cover letter. The author also encourages networking and collaboration within the academic community.

Uploaded by

muhammad ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to get your paper

accepted in a journal?

Dr Javaid Iqbal
MBBS, MRCP, FRCPE, FESC, FACC, PhD
Consultant Cardiologist, Sheffield, UK
Why should I deliver this talk?
Author:
100+
Papers

Reviewer:
Multiple
Journal

Editor: Associate Editor of EuroIntervention 2014-2022


What is this talk about?

• How to conduct a publishable research


What would be your headline!

Is this project/paper worth the time and effort?


What would be your headline!

Jehangir Ali Shah, NICVD, Pakistan


What is this talk about?

• How to conduct a publishable research

• How to write a paper


Research and publication Ethics!

STOP! Go ahead;
Plagiarism is stealing No one will know
What is this talk about?

• How to conduct a publishable research

• How to write a paper

• Assuming above two are done properly:


Tips for getting paper published
1 Right destination!
Choose right journal
• Look at references in your paper
• Impact factor – Be realistic!
• Discuss with co-authors and
mentor(s)

Understand the perspective:


Authors: want to publish easily, quickly and in a famous journal
Readers: want to read less and from reputed journal/author
Editors: want to improve impact factor of their journal
will this paper be cited and does it cite our recent papers
2 Know the path!
Paper Submitted

Check compliance with Journal Instructions

Initial Decision

Upfront Decide to Review


Rejection
Assign Reviewers

Reviewers Accept Invite

Reviews Completed

Accept Revise Reject


3 Beware of why papers get rejected!

Reject Upfront (~40% EIJ) Reject after peer-review


1. Out of scope of Journal 1. Adds little to literature
2. Not followed Instructions 2. Statistical issues
3. Ethical concerns 3. Writing/structure/referencing
4. Methodological flaws 4. Title and conclusion does
5. No novelty not match results
5. Topic of limited interest/
generalizability
6. Unlikely to be cited
7. Single center, retrospective
4 Follow rules of the game!
• Follow the instructions to authors religiously!
– Word count
– Sections
– Formatting
– References etc
• Include all what is required (coi forms;
checklists etc.)
• Never submit to more than one journal
simultaneously
5 What is in the Title?

• Many people will only read Title!


• Is the advertisement for the article
• Do not use abbreviations and jargon
• Search engines/indexing databases
• Describes the paper’s content and study design
What is in the Title?
What is in the Title?
6 Cover letter is not just a formality!

Dear Editor,
It is not clear why a cover letter is required except to fulfil the silly British
preoccupation with letterhead and other emblems of status.
Please accept my correspondence.

Sincerely,

Adapted from Tanita Casci


What to include in cover letter

• Cover letter is VITAL. You have 5 min alone with the


editor…

• Answer ALL the questions the editor wants to know


about:
• What is the big question/clinical problem?
• What is the novel/most important finding?
• What’s so special about you/your study?
• Why should anyone care (implications)
Cover letter – your selling pitch!
formality!
7 Suggest reviewers!
8 Revision is a deferred
acceptance!

• Respond point by point to each and every


comment raised by the reviewer

• Make it easy for the editor/reviewer to


understand what you have done

• It is OK to disagree with Reviewer but in a polite


and professional way. Give your rationale
Revision and Resubmission!
9
Rejection is part of the game!
• No need to be depressed!
• Plan submission to the next appropriate journal
• Reformatting paper (and references)
according to the new journal
• Address the reviewers’ comments from
previous journal
• No need to hide previous rejection
– Many experts are on the panel of multiple journal

You can also appeal against Rejection!


10
Be part of the network!

Be a journal reviewer
Compete less; collaborate more

Find a good mentor Network, collaboration and mentor


Thank you for listening!

[email protected]

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