Handling
editors
Tanita Casci
Head of Research Policy
tanita.casci@glasgow.ac.uk
@tanitacasci
Research Quality Workshop
COSE, 10 December 2015
About the Nature Publishing Group
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Highly selective journals
Full-time professional staff
Editorially independent
Each journal is independent from each other
• Editors serve the academic community
Commissioning editor in genetics & genomics for 12 years
Getting published
Avoidable mistakes
Seven reasons journals reject your paper
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
It lacks focus
It can’t be trusted: be specific about methodology
Does not fit the journal
It adds nothing new: “So what?”
Inexperienced writing
Poor structure
Too local and small, not enough of it
Assuming you have avoided all the above…
Your cover letter
Your cover letter
You have 10 minutes alone with the editor…
Impress them by writing an excellent cover letter.
This is CRUCIAL!!!
Answer ALL the questions the editor wants to know about:
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What is the big research question
What have you done to advance the field
What is the state of the art
What’s so special about you
Why should anyone care
Pre-empt obvious concerns
Your cover letter
Dear editor,
My colleagues and I would be grateful if you would consider our
work on [short sentence].
The big problem
We show that [1 sentence on the one main finding].
The main finding
Our findings are important because [2 sentences on context and
prior art: how was the field impeded by lack of understanding?
How did you succeed where others did not?].
Context and prior
art: Why you?
Our results have implications for [2 sentences that convey how
findings will improve understanding, methodology or technology.
Be specific and make it relevant to the readership of the journal.
Avoid clichés, e.g. paradigm shifts/holy grails].
Who should care?
Why?
I enclose the contact details of [3-4] experts who are qualified to
review the manuscript.
Display knowledge
of the field
Kind regards,
Corresponding author, on behalf of all the authors
[Where relevant,
preempt concerns]
Your abstract
Writing small, communicating BIG
How to write a good abstract
Abstracts of scientific papers are sometimes poorly
written, often lack important information, and occasionally
convey a biased picture.
What (big)
problem are
you trying to
solve?
Based on sampling 300 years of research literature, we
provide guidance, with examples, for writing the
background, methods, results, and conclusions sections of
a good abstract.
What have
you done?
The primary target of this paper is the young researcher;
however, researchers at every career stage may find it
useful for presenting their ideas to peers, funders, or the
public.
Why should
we care?
“Write each abstract as though it were for Nature”
Peer review
Feel familiar?
A hurdle … and
an opportunity for
dialogue
Responding to reviewers
Make it easy for the editor to understand what you have done
• Agree on revisions in advance with the editor
• Respond in-line to each referee’s comment
• Write a short cover letter
• It’s fine to disagree
• Don’t get tangled up. Relate your responses to the core
purpose of article
• Always remain calm and professional
• Observe the 24h rule
And if things don’t go your way….
Appeals
Should you appeal an unfavourable editorial decision?
– It depends
What works
• New data – to a point. Do not slice your data too thinly
• Referee or editor made factual errors
• Specific evidence of bias by referee (hard to prove)
• Where possible, appeal to editor to overturn his/her decision
What doesn’t
• “Referees are unfair”, “You published an even worse paper”
• Requests for a new editor
• Guesses at referee identity followed by personal attacks
• Cosmetic rewriting of the paper
• Statements about the authors’ reputation
• Celebrity endorsements
What makes an excellent output?
An excellent (4*) output articulates within it its
originality, significance and rigour
Must express the following:
- What broader research question are you addressing?
- What have you done to advance the field? Focus: one message only.
- What is the state of the art? Provide context for your advance.
- What’s so special about you?
- Why should anyone care? Identify your audience(s).
- Any caveats/limitations
It must also:
- Inspire confidence
- Be well written and accessible beyond sub-specialism
An excellent paper has:
Focus
Highlight a clear and
specified research
focus.
What big question is it
addressing?
Originality and
significance
Place research in its
proper context.
What was the state of
the art and how has
this research advanced
the field?
Style
Write the output well. It should be logically structured
and accessible to a non-specialist audience.
Use:
• Short, descriptive title
• Clear abstract
• Lucid synthesis
Rigour
Reach
Make clear connections between the hypothesis, the
methods, the results and the conclusions.
Inspire confidence.
Describe the reach of
the paper.
Substance, depth and longevity
Use well explained
methodology that is
expertly and rigorously
implemented.
Who is going to benefit
from your findings or
insight?
Ensure that the study is complete and that it
describes new and important knowledge.
Calibration
Visibility
Publishing the paper is just the beginning…
Present it where others can see it, e.g. at
conferences, via online sharing tools.
Distinguishing ‘very good’ papers from ‘excellent’
ones can be difficult.
Seek calibration from those with more experience or
from outside your immediate subfield.
Style: A good story does not write itself
Take the time to right the output well
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Think of your audience(s)
Find the right hook
Clarity of writing <=> lucidity of thought
Inspire confidence (≠ hype)
Provide a clear synthesis
Can readers cite your work from reading the abstract alone?
It is not that easy
Ask others for advice
Visibility: Engage with others
• Pre-submission enquiries, pre-prints, post-prints
• A publication is more than the sum of its parts. Take your paper
apart – share it in bits: data, figures, software, etc
• Engage with editors:
• Be a constructive referee
• Find out and influence what they think: connect at conferences,
via social media
• Don’t miss opportunities
• Make yourself more visible:
• Improve your website
• Open an ORCID account
• Make wise use of social media for:
• Professional networking
• Engagement (funders, collaborators, publishers, peers)
• Self promotion
Questions?