Manuscript
Preparation &
Submission
Rachel Won, PhD
Associate Editor
Nature Photonics
10 April 2010
Rachel Won
Overview
• Manuscript preparation
• Manuscript submission
• Editorial process
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nature and Nature Research Journals
• Flagship journal of Nature Publishing Group
• First ever issue was published on 4 November 1869
• The world's most highly cited multidisciplinary science journal
• Nature's impact factor for 2008 is 31.434 (IF 2007=28.751)
(Source: Journal Citation Reports, Thomson Scientific)
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NPG’s Physical Sciences Division
Nature Materials
Launched in 2002
Impact factor 23.132
Nature Physics
Launched in Oct 2005
Impact factor 16.821
Nature Nanotechnology
Launched in Oct 2006
Impact factor 20.571
Nature
Climate
Change
Nature Photonics
Launched in Jan 2007
Impact factor 24.982
Nature Geoscience
Launched in Jan 2008
Nature Chemistry
Launched in April 2009
To be launched
in April 2011
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Nature Photonics
• A monthly journal from NPG that publishes peerreviewed, top-quality research in all areas of
photonics
• Contains a unique mixture of research papers,
review articles, News and Views pieces, business
news and market analysis
• Editorial Headquarters in Tokyo
www.nature.com/naturephotonics
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Nature Photonics
The Editorial Team
Chief Editor
Oliver Graydon
Tokyo
Since Feb 2006
Associate Editor
Rachel Won
Tokyo
Since June 2006
Associate Editor
David Pile
Tokyo
Since Nov 2008
Associate Editor
Noriaki Horiuchi
Tokyo
Since Sept 2009
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Manuscript preparation
How to get your point across…
HINT: Write for both the beginner
and the expert
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Steps to a great paper
• Thoughtful research
• Thorough preparation
• Logical explanation
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Before writing a paper
(Before starting a research topic)
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Why does the topic interest YOU?
What was thought/known/done before this work?
What are the key findings of your work?
What’s the main message for your readers?
How does new data change the thinking, or
support current approach, or open new avenues
or research?
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What makes a great paper?
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High degree of novelty or innovation
Interesting to a broad range of readers
Significant step forward
Breakthrough in performance
High impact in the field
Important advance in scientific
understanding that provides new directions
for research
• Data persuasively supports conclusions
Conceptual OR technological advance + interesting + convincing
publication
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Title
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Clear and attractive
Not too general or vague
Not too long but short and precise
Does not normally include numbers, acronyms,
abbreviations or punctuation
• Instead of:
“Record electro-optic coefficient of 170 pm/V and
V of 1V at 1.55 μm in hybrid crosslinkable
polymer/sol-gel waveguide modulators”,
why not:
“Hybrid polymer/sol-gel waveguide modulators with
exceptionally large electro-optic coefficient”?
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Summary/Introductory paragraph
How to lose your reader at the introduction?
• Write a thesis instead of an intro
• Include too many unrelated branches of
thought
Hint:
• Introduce the field, clearing a path for the
reader to follow.
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Summary/Introductory paragraph
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The most-read section of any paper
Aimed at readers in other disciplines
Key points:
• One or two broad general statements to orient
the reader, set the stage, and provide context
• Concise description of results, with mention of
methodology used
• Major conclusion
• How this advances the field - why this is
significant for readers
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Summary/Introductory paragraph
More specifically,
• 2-3 sentences on basic introduction to the field
• a brief account of the background and
motivation of the work
• one-sentence statement of the main conclusions
starting with 'Here we show…' or equivalent
phrase
• 2-3 sentences putting the main findings into
general context
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Main text
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Materials
Methods
Principles
Mechanisms
Results with displays
Discussion
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Discussion
• Comparison to previous work
• Theoretical or practical implications
• Conclusion regarding the
significance of the work
• Limitations
• Future work
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Methods
• If brief (less than 200 words in total), include them
in the text at an appropriate place
• Cite a reference to methods published before to
save space; with the new addition or variation briefly
stated
• Can also create a new section called “Methods”; 
1000 words, not counted as main text
• More information and video/movie clips can be
submitted as Supplementary Information
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Write with the readers in mind!
• Focus on a single main question
• Plan the content and organization with
an outline especially the flow of
reasoning
• Use simple, direct and concise wording
• Check that all parts are connected with
persuasive reasoning, appropriate
structure, linkage and context
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Paper writing tips
• Write in active voice; for example, “We did…”
rather than “It was done…”, “We demonstrate…”
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rather than “It is demonstrated…”
State the present work in present tense
State already published work in past tense
Be concise; limited space for a paper; put
lengthy method and simulation details in
separate sections at the end of the paper if you
need more space
Express appropriate level of confidence:
impossible implausible
unlikely
plausible
possible probable likely
certain
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Paper writing tips
• Do not extend your conclusions beyond those
that are directly supported by your results
• Clearly put your work into context, explain the
importance of your findings in relationship to
previous papers
• Give potential impact and future work
• Make sure that you reference relevant
previous literature
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Things to avoid…
• Vague titles
• Hype
• Fairy tales
• Claims without sufficient evidence
• Poor referencing
• Poor-quality figures
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Manuscript Submission
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Which journal?
• Nature is for broadest or deepest impact
• Research journals overlap
• Depends on the editorial scope of the journal and your
target audience
…
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Presubmission enquiry
Ask us!
• All Nature journals have a presubmission
enquiry procedure on the submissions page
• It is not compulsory
• Simply send in a fully referenced summary with
a cover letter and we’ll tell you within 2–3
working days if it’s suitable
• Editors cannot make an absolute
commitment to have a contribution refereed
before seeing the entire paper
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NPG Manuscript Transfer System
Declined manuscripts can be automatically transferred
to other Nature research journals
• all Nature research journals are editorially independent
• rejection from one does not mean rejection from others
• each journal is editorially independent with own selection
criteria
• cover letter, manuscript, supplementary information files
• referee reports (optional)
• authors can still choose to submit a ‘fresh’ manuscript
www.nature.com/naturephotonics
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Cover Letter
• A letter that you submit together with your
manuscript but in a separate file only to the
editors
• Authors are encouraged to write cover letter
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Cover Letter
• Restate main message and significance of paper
• Explain in clear and simple terms why the findings are
important and what is their potential impact
• Can suggest referees and include their areas of expertise
• Can suggest exclusion list: who should NOT be
approached to review the MS because of conflicts of
interest
• Statements that experiments done comply with
animal care and human subject laws
• Statement that manuscript is not simultaneously
being considered at another journal
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Cover Letter
How not to write a cover letter:
What’s wrong ?
- Too brief
- No explanation as to why paper is important
- No suggested list of qualified referees or exclusions
- No details of format, length
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Cover Letter
A good example:
- Explains paper is
letter format
- Explains and
emphasizes main
important points of
the paper
- Gives a list of
referees
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Editorial Process
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Editorial Process
What happened to your paper?
• Assess the likely impact and appeal of the paper to the
entire optics community
• Read relevant references; look at previous publications
• Aim to reject papers that are not in line with the scope of
journal within 7 - 10 days
• Discuss with other editors in the team
• When in doubt, send it out for review
• Use referee reports to help guide decision on paper
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Editorial Process
Submission
Editorial
assessment
Revision
requested
~7-10days
Decline
External
peer review
~2 weeks
Editorial
decision
Accept
Decline
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Possible Editorial Decisions
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ACCEPT, with or without editorial revisions
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REVISION requested to address specific
concerns
• REJECT, with an option of resubmission
with significant new data
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REJECT OUTRIGHT
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How are referees chosen?
• independence from authors and their institutions
• technical expertise
• broad knowledge of field
• previous record of fair and valuable reviewing
• availability to assess a manuscript within requested time
• exclusions are honoured wherever possible
• database of many thousands of reviewers
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A thoughtful review
• Is returned on time!
• Gives a brief synopsis of paper
• Critiques the approach, technical validity and
conclusions of the manuscript
• Suggests experiments to address flaws
• Gives citations if analysis is ‘not new’
• Offers an opinion on the potential impact and general
interest of the paper
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Common reasons for rejection
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Failure to meet editorial criteria for a discipline
Incremental advance over published literature
Lack of new insights
New but not large enough step in the field
Only interesting to specialists in a subfield
Technical concerns raised by referees
Results too preliminary, requiring more study
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Appeal
• Editors do carefully consider appeals against rejection
(although priority is given to new submissions)
• only few appeals ultimately succeed
• Successful appeals generally involve new facts or
information not available at the time of the original
decision, including pointing out actual errors or
misunderstandings on behalf of referees or editors
•All appeals are seen by more than one editor
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How to make an appeal?
• Write (not phone) and explain why you believe we
(referees and editors) have overlooked or
misunderstood something
• Revised manuscripts normally go back to the same
referees; need a strong case to replace a referee as
they normally come back with new set of points
• The paper must not be submitted for publication
elsewhere during this time
• It is likely that some time will elapse before we can
respond
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How not to appeal?
• “Referees are unfair”
• Guesses at referees’ identity followed by personal
attacks
• Celebrity or personal endorsements
• Cosmetic rewriting
• Statements about the authors’ reputation
• “Our paper is better than horrible paper X that
you published…”
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Summary
• Plan your paper when you plan your research
• Consider the reader/listener
• Organize your material well
- focus sharply
- outline
- provide appropriate structure, linkage and context
• Carefully choose the journal and follow the guidelines
• Visit the website of the journal
• Seek and value feedback and criticism
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Thank you!
Manuscript preparation
& submission
Rachel Won, PhD
Associate Editor
Nature Photonics
r.won@natureasia.com
Rachel Won
Helpful websites
• SciDev.Net’s “How do I?”
www.scidev.net/ms/howdoi/
• Inter-Biotec gives free online writing course to help
biomedical scientists
www.inter-biotec.com
• Human Frontier Program’s “Websites and searching for
collaborations”
www.hfsp.org/pubs/HFSP_articles/websites-scol.php
• Element of Style by William J. Strunk is free online
www.bartleby.com/141/
• Nature has one-page downloadable information sheet on
“summary paragraph” and many more…
www.nature.com/authors/author_services/how_write.html
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SPIE – The International Society for
Optics and Photonics
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Top Speakers
Students and SPIE
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SPIE
• The International Society for
Optics & Photonics founded
in 1955
• Offices in the EU & USA
• A not-for profit educational society
• 16,000 members, 4,300 student members, 425
corporate members
• 190,000 active constituents representing 143
countries
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SPIE Services
• Education & training: short courses, DVDs, incompany training (over 800 courses)
• SPIEWorks jobsite (www.SPIEWorks.org)
• Digital Library with 290,000 papers
• 7 peer reviewed journals
• SPIE Newsroom – photonics news & articles
• Membership and networking
• 38,000 attendees at 26 SPIE conferences and
16 exhibitions annually
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SPIE Non-profit Activities
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$292,000 USD in Scholarships annually
$90,000 USD in Outreach Grants annually
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Connecting Students to the Global
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Who are we? Future Colleagues!
• 141 Student Chapters, 27 countries
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San Diego Student Leadership Workshop 2009
Workshops held at: Photonics West, Photonics Europe, and Optics & Photonics
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Student Chapter - Benefits
• Real Leadership Experience
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Chapter Activity Grant
Chapter Officer Travel Grant
Leadership Workshops
Assistance for science
education outreach to local precollege students
• Visiting Lecturer Grant
• Collaborative Conference Grant
Angela Dudley (CSIR, South Africa) represents her
chapter at an information table in the Exhibit Hall of
SPIE Optics + Photonics 2009
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More to life (and a career) than the
lab…
Personal Growth
– Leadership experience - organizing & facilitating groups to plan
and execute a project
– Grant writing, teaching, forming partnerships - experience
– Student independence
Community Growth
– Students dispersed among departments - bring optics sections
together
– Meet members of the local optics industry – jobs
– Expand network of connections – worldwide
– Give back to the community – teach the next generation
• Network, network, network
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What now? - Take charge of your career
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Develop your leadership & communication skills
Be a mentor to your peers and younger students
Build your network of contacts
Explore options in industry, government
Influence the direction of your profession
Check us out!
http://spie.org/students
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Learn more about SPIE at www.spie.org
Maria Yzuel, 2009 SPIE President
Maria.yzuel@uab.es
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