| Symptom | First action | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| The draft keeps growing | Cut it back to one page and use a formal yet engaging tone | Remove detail the editor can find in the manuscript itself |
| You do not know who to address | Check the journal website for the Editor-in-Chief’s name | Do this before drafting, so the salutation is not an afterthought |
| You are unsure which declarations to add | Look for ethics, conflict of interest or other required statements in the journal’s instructions | Some journals require them, and a sample statement is shown below |
| You cannot see where the letter goes | Look for a separate file option in the submission system | Some journals accept the letter as a separate file |
| The paper was invited | Name the community editor or Editor-in-Chief who invited it | Put this near the top, because it changes how the editor reads the submission |
| You are resubmitting after a negative decision | Explain how you responded to the earlier suggestions | Write a different letter from a first submission |
The table draws on ASABE’s cover letter guidance and a journal-publishing.com template guide.
Here is how to write a cover letter for journal submission: address the Editor-in-Chief by name, state your title and manuscript type, explain why the journal suits the work, and add any required declarations. Keep it within one page.
Journal choice comes first, and our guide to african academic journals helps with that. If your shortlist includes a regional title, the explainer on the african scientist journal shows what one such journal looks like. The steps below build the letter paragraph by paragraph, then show a sample and a shorter resubmission variant.
Before you draft: three checks on the journal
A cover letter works best when it is written for one journal, so spend a short time on the journal’s own pages before opening a blank document. These checks decide what the letter says, and they stop you reusing a letter written for a different title.
Read the author guidelines first
The University of Michigan’s PREPSS author resources note that every journal has different formatting and informational requirements, so you should check the author guidelines before submitting. The Adroit Journal makes the same point in its own advice, saying that different publications may have different requirements for their cover letters. If the guidelines prescribe the content, length or declarations, follow them over any template, including the sample later here.
Find the Editor-in-Chief’s name
Generic salutations make a letter look recycled. The journal-publishing.com guide advises you to check the journal’s website for the Editor-in-Chief’s name. Write the name into your notes now so it goes straight into the salutation.
Match the manuscript to the aims and scope
Open the journal’s aims and scope page and read it alongside your abstract. IFERP advises authors to briefly explain how the work fits within the journal’s expectations or recent publications. Jot down the phrases from the scope statement that your paper genuinely addresses, and look at recent titles from the journal so you can describe the fit accurately. If you cannot write that fit sentence honestly, the journal is probably the wrong target, and it is better to choose another before you submit.
Writing the letter paragraph by paragraph
A cover letter has a small number of jobs: identify the paper, say why it belongs in this journal, and give the editor the declarations they need. Each paragraph below handles one of those jobs, so the letter stays short.
Contact block and salutation
Start with the corresponding author’s details. The journal-publishing.com guide lists name, affiliation, institution and department, email and phone number as the information that belongs at the start. Then address the Editor-in-Chief by name. If the paper was invited, ASABE’s guidance is to identify the community editor or Editor-in-Chief who made the invitation, and the salutation or opening line is the natural place for that.
Opening paragraph: title and manuscript type
Give the full title and say what kind of manuscript it is, such as original research, a review or a case study, as the same template guide suggests. State that you are submitting it for consideration and name the journal. Keep this paragraph to a sentence or two, because the editor already sees the title in the submission system.
Fit and novelty without overclaiming
This is the paragraph that needs the most judgement. ASABE’s sample wording is modest: “We believe the paper may be of particular interest to the readers of your journal because…” followed by a brief synopsis. Complete that sentence with a concrete description of what the study did and which part of the journal’s scope it serves. IFERP’s advice is to not exaggerate the importance of your findings and let the quality of your research speak for itself.
- Say what is new in plain terms. Name the gap, the method or the setting your work adds to, and avoid words such as “groundbreaking” or “first ever” unless a literature check clearly supports them.
- Tie it to the readership. Refer to the journal’s stated scope or to recent articles, rather than to your own career or institution.
- Leave the verdict to reviewers. Peer review exists to weigh significance, so the letter only needs to make the case that the paper is a reasonable fit to send out.
Length and tone
Keep the whole letter within one page, avoid unnecessary details and use a formal yet engaging tone, as the journal-publishing.com guide advises. Do not paste in the abstract, because the editor will have it in the submission. A letter that runs over one page usually has a long synopsis or repeated results, and those are the first things to cut.
Declarations that belong in the letter
Declarations answer the editor’s routine questions before they have to ask. The journal-publishing.com guide notes that some journals require specific statements of ethics, conflicts of interest or declarations, so the guidelines decide which ones you need. Where the submission system asks for the same statements in a form, keep the wording consistent between the form and the letter.
Originality and prior publication
ASABE’s sample letter includes this statement: “Neither the entire paper nor any part of its contents has been published or has been accepted elsewhere.” Use a line like this only when it is true of your manuscript, and adjust it if parts of the work have appeared in a thesis or preprint that the journal’s policy allows you to mention.
Simultaneous submission
The Adroit Journal, writing for literary submissions, says authors should always include information on simultaneous submissions as a matter of professional courtesy. Research journals set their own policies, so read yours. If it does not allow parallel submission, a sentence confirming the paper is not under consideration elsewhere answers the question directly.
Conflicts of interest and ethics
ASABE’s sample conflict of interest statement reads “There are no conflicts of interest to declare.” That sentence fits only when it is accurate. If any author has a relevant funding, employment or personal interest, state it and follow the journal’s format rather than copying the sample. Add ethics statements, such as approvals for studies involving people or animals, when the journal’s guidelines call for them in the letter.
A worked sample letter
The template below uses placeholders in square brackets and wording taken from the guidance above. Delete any line that does not apply to your paper or that the journal’s guidelines handle elsewhere. The sample assumes a first submission with no invitation.
[Corresponding author’s name, affiliation, institution and department, email, phone number]
Dear Dr [Surname of Editor-in-Chief],
Please consider our [original research / review / case study] manuscript, “[Full title],” for publication in [Journal name].
We believe the paper may be of particular interest to the readers of your journal because [brief synopsis of what the study did and what it adds]. It addresses [phrase from the journal’s aims and scope] and relates to recent work in your journal on [topic].
Neither the entire paper nor any part of its contents has been published or has been accepted elsewhere. [The manuscript is not under consideration by any other journal.] There are no conflicts of interest to declare. [Add ethics approval or other statements the journal requires.]
Thank you for considering our submission. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[Name], corresponding author, on behalf of all authors
The sample follows the order an editor expects: who is writing, what the paper is, why it fits, what the authors declare. Rewrite the fit paragraph for each journal, because that is the part editors can tell has been copied.
Adding the letter in the submission system
Many journals take manuscripts through an electronic submission system. The University of Michigan resource mentions electronic systems such as Manuscript Central as a common route. Where the letter goes depends on the journal’s setup. ASABE, for example, states that cover letters may be included as a separate file when a manuscript is submitted to ScholarOne. Look for a cover letter field or an optional file upload on the relevant step, and check the journal’s instructions if you see neither.
Use the final review screen if the system offers one. IFERP notes that many submission portals allow a final preview before clicking the submit button, which is a good moment to confirm that the right file is attached and the journal name in the letter matches the journal you are submitting to.
Cover letter for resubmission
A resubmission letter has a different job from a first-submission letter. Instead of introducing the paper, it tells the editor what has changed since the earlier decision and where to find the detail.
After a request for revision
Keep the letter short and point to the detailed reply. The journal-publishing.com guide suggests a line saying that a detailed point-by-point response to the reviewers’ comments is provided in a separate document. The letter then only needs to thank the editor, summarise the main changes in a sentence or two and name the attached files. Our guide on how to respond to reviewer comments covers building that separate response.
After a negative decision
If the paper is being resubmitted after a negative decision, ASABE says the authors should explain how they have responded to previous suggestions. Be specific and courteous: say which editor or reviewer points you acted on and what you changed. If you disagree with a point and kept the original approach, give the reason briefly rather than leaving the editor to find out.
Dear Dr [Surname],
Please find our revised manuscript, “[Title],” resubmitted to [Journal name] [following the reviewers’ comments / following the earlier decision]. The main changes are [brief summary]. A detailed point-by-point response is provided in a separate document. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, [Name], corresponding author
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does every journal require a cover letter? | Requirements differ between publications, so check the author guidelines of your target journal. Where a letter is accepted or requested, follow the journal’s instructions on content and format. |
| Should I say that my English was checked? | Some letters state that the article has been checked by a native speaker with expertise in the field, as in ASABE’s sample wording. Include such a line only if it is true and the journal’s guidelines make it relevant. |
| What contact details should the letter carry? | The corresponding author’s name and affiliation, institution and department, email and phone number, placed at the start of the letter. |
| Is the letter the place to list reviewer responses? | No. Use the letter to summarise changes briefly and put the full point-by-point response in a separate document. |