How to Write a Cover Letter for Journal Submission (Tips from a Journal Editor)

I was recently invited to serve as a First Editor for the British Journal of Nutrition, which means I might be one of the first people to read your manuscript — before it ever reaches a peer reviewer. The cover letter for your academic paper is an important part of your submission. It’s your first opportunity to make a case for why your paper belongs in this journal.

What Exactly Is a Cover Letter for a Journal Submission?

When you submit a manuscript to an academic journal, you are almost always asked to include a cover letter addressed to the editor. Think of it as a one-page pitch. Don’t just summarize your abstract. Make an argument that explains why your work is important, its novelty, and why it will appeal to readers of that journal.

How to Address the Editor

Journals list their editors on their websites. Use that information. Starting your letter with "Dear Editor" tells us you didn't bother to find out who you were writing to. Check the etiquette for the country where the journal is based. In the UK and US, you address editors by their last name: "Dear Dr. Smith" or "Dear Professor Jones." When in doubt, it’s always better to be more formal than less.

What to Include in Your Cover Letter

DO THIS: State the Title and Type of Your Manuscript in the Opening Sentence

Don't make the editor guess. In your first sentence, give them the title of your paper and what kind of manuscript it is: original research, a systematic review, a meta-analysis, a brief communication. Editors and editorial staff handle extremely high volumes of submissions. Make their job easy.

Example: "We are pleased to submit our original research article, 'Dietary patterns and glycemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes,' for consideration by the British Journal of Nutrition."

DO THIS: Explain Why This Journal Should Publish Your Manuscript

Look at the journal's scope and aims. Look at papers they have recently published. Is your work consistent with that body of literature? Say so — in your own words, not copied from the journal's website.

Example: "Our findings on the relationship between processed meat consumption and inflammatory markers align with the BJN's recent focus on dietary patterns and metabolic health outcomes."

DO THIS: Summarize Your Key Finding — Not Your Methods

One or two sentences on what you found and why it matters. Don’t simply copy and paste your abstract. What the editor needs from you here is the so what: why should a reader in this field care about your result?

DO THIS: Address Novelty and Significance

Some, but not all, journals are looking for novel approaches or findings. They are looking to push the field forward, not simply repeat previous work. [Although replication is very, very important, in my opinion!] If your study is the first of its kind in a specific population, let the editor know. If it replicates an important finding with a more rigorous or innovative design, say that, too.

Common Mistakes That Lead to Desk Rejection

DON'T DO THIS: Use Generative AI to Write Your Cover Letter

The editor can tell. The structure is identical across submissions, the phrasing is similar, and there is nothing in the letter that could only have been written by someone who actually did the work. A cover letter written by AI tells me the author did not invest time in this submission process. It also makes me wonder what else they used AI for in the manuscript. That is not a great start if I’m on the fence about sending our manuscript out for review or simply rejecting it before we start the process. Use AI to correct your language if you need to — particularly if English is not your first language — but the ideas, the argument, and the voice should be yours.

You can check out our other AI-related posts here.

DON'T DO THIS: Forget the Housekeeping

At the end of your letter, confirm the following:

• The manuscript has not been submitted elsewhere and is not under review at another journal.

• All authors have approved the submission.

• Any conflicts of interest are disclosed (or that there are none).

• Suggested editors, if the journal requests them.

Leaving these components out can slow down the editorial process or result in an outright desk rejection.

Your Cover Letter Template

• Opening: Title, manuscript type, journal name.

• The pitch: What you found and why it matters.

• Journal fit: Why this journal, specifically.

• Novelty: What makes this work new or important.

• Housekeeping: Competing interests, author approval, prior submission statement.

• Closing: Brief and professional.

The opening and closing should go at the beginning and end, respectively, but the other components can flow naturally. Here's an example:

September 21st, 2030

Dear Professor Smith:

We are pleased to submit our original research manuscript, Sleep and Dietary Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic, for consideration to be published in Journal.

This study characterized and compared health behaviors (sleep, dietary risk, alcohol misuse) of higher education students in seven countries, including Canada, France, Indonesia, Malawi, Russia, and the United States, during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored whether changes in sleep quality and duration during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic were related to these health behaviors. Surveys comprised of validated tools were administered through online platforms. A total of 2,947 students completed the survey. We observed:

·      Health behaviors and measures of students across all countries were largely similar,

especially in terms of sleep quality. Average sleep quality among students in all countries

was considered poor.

·      The negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health behaviors disproportionately

affected students in European countries.

·      Students who indicated poorer sleep quality during the pandemic had higher dietary risk

scores.

We think this manuscript is an important contribution to the literature as this study provided insights into health behavior risks of higher education students during this particularly and uniquely stressful time. Our research adds support to the importance of addressing sleep problems in this population and adds to the available knowledge by examining how changes in sleep behaviors were associated with health behaviors and outcomes. Our findings align with Journal’s focus on population health and would be of interest to its readership. 

The manuscript is not presently under consideration elsewhere, and it has not been previously submitted to Journal. All authors approve of this submission, and there are no conflicts of interest. We suggest Dr. XXX and Dr. YYY for editing our manuscript, as they have expertise with this topic.

Thank you for your consideration,

Your Name

Corresponding Author

The cover letter will not save a weak paper. But a weak cover letter can bias an editor against a strong one.

Editors are human. If your letter is sloppy, generic, or obvious AI output, that impression doesn't disappear when they open your manuscript. At high-volume journals where editors are looking for reasons to desk reject, rather than reasons to dig deeper, a weak cover letter is not neutral. It acts as a strike against you before your work has been read. You spent months, maybe years, on this research. Spend some time on the letter.

You might also be interested in this blog post that identifies five common English mistakes that prevent publication.

If you need help writing or editing your cover letter, book an appointment with us: www.absolutelyenglish.com/book-online

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