Submission Prep

Submission Preparation Guide

This guide covers preparing a manuscript for journal submission.

When to Use This Skill

• Writing cover letters
• Preparing figures and tables for submission
• Checking manuscript against requirements
• Resubmitting revised manuscripts

Combine with: human-writing for cover letter prose, manuscript-writing for structure.

Pre-Submission Overview

Required Components (Typical)

Before You Start

1. Identify target journal - Match scope to your work
2. Read author guidelines - Every journal differs
3. Check recent issues - Understand what they publish
4. Note specific requirements - Word limits, figure formats, etc.

Cover Letter Essentials

Purpose

• Introduce your manuscript to the editor
• Explain why it fits the journal
• Highlight significance
• Address any special circumstances

Key Elements

1. Editor's name (if known)
2. Manuscript title
3. Statement that work is original and not submitted elsewhere
4. Brief summary of findings and significance
5. Why this journal is appropriate
6. Any required statements (conflicts, prior posting, etc.)
7. Suggested/excluded reviewers (if requested)

Cover Letter Length

• Keep to one page
• 3-4 paragraphs maximum
• Be specific but concise

See COVER_LETTER_TEMPLATES.md for templates.

Figure and Table Basics

Figures

Resolution requirements:

Common formats:

• TIFF (preferred for final submission)
• EPS (vector graphics)
• PDF (often accepted)
• JPEG (only for photos, maximum quality)

Size guidelines:

• Single column: ~85 mm (3.3 in)
• 1.5 column: ~114 mm (4.5 in)
• Double column: ~170 mm (6.7 in)

Tables

Best practices:

• One table per concept
• Clear, descriptive title
• Column headers with units
• Footnotes for abbreviations and statistics
• No vertical lines (typically)
• Consistent decimal places

See FIGURE_TABLE_GUIDELINES.md for detailed specifications.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Manuscript

• Exceeding word/page limits
• Missing sections required by journal
• Incorrect reference format
• Inconsistent terminology
• Missing ethics statements

Figures

• Resolution too low
• Text too small to read when printed
• Colors not accessible (colorblind-friendly)
• Missing scale bars
• Inconsistent labeling (A vs a vs (a))

Tables

• Too complex (split into multiple tables)
• Redundant with figures
• Missing units
• Inconsistent formatting

Submission System

• Wrong file formats
• Missing metadata
• Incorrect author order
• Forgetting supplementary files

Submission Checklist

See SUBMISSION_CHECKLIST.md for comprehensive checklist.

Quick Check

• Cover letter complete
• All sections present and within limits
• All authors listed with correct affiliations
• Figures high-resolution, correct format
• Tables formatted correctly
• References complete and correctly formatted
• All required statements included
• Files named according to guidelines

Resubmission Specifics

When resubmitting after revision:

Cover Letter Adjustments

• Reference original manuscript number
• Summarize major changes
• Thank editor and reviewers
• Note any author changes

Required Documents

• Response to reviewers (point-by-point)
• Revised manuscript (clean copy)
• Revised manuscript (tracked changes)
• Updated figures if changed
• Updated supplementary if changed

Checklist Additions

• All reviewer comments addressed
• Page/line numbers in response letter match manuscript
• Both clean and tracked versions submitted
• Any new authors properly added
• Cover letter references previous submission

Related Files

• COVER_LETTER_TEMPLATES.md - Template letters
• SUBMISSION_CHECKLIST.md - Complete checklist
• FIGURE_TABLE_GUIDELINES.md - Technical specifications

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