11-18 Writing and Publishing Scientific Articles
Unclear Letters and Comments
Unclear Letters
Sometimes it is difficult to tell from the decision letter whether your manuscript was rejected outright or whether you may submit a revised version. Below is an example. The letter tells you your manuscript is not acceptable, but would the journal review a revision?
Dear Dr. X:
Thank you for submitting your manuscript to [name of journal]. Your manuscript has been reviewed by experts in the field, and based on their comments, we are unable to accept the manuscript for publication in its current form. The reviewers’ comments are enclosed for your consideration.
We appreciate your support of [name of journal].
Sincerely, Editor-in-Chief
If you are not sure whether the journal will allow you to submit a revision, call the journal office and ask for clarification.
Unclear Comments
Even if the decision letter is clear, the reviewers’ comments may be vague, which makes revising the manuscript difficult. In this case, too, consider calling the journal office and asking for assistance, especially if the comments involve additional experiments. Unclear comments about the quality of the writing can be even more problematic, because the reviewers may not be able to tell you how to change the writing — they may only feel it is not right. Your colleagues and editor may be able to help you interpret what reviewers meant if the reviewers criticize your writing. Here are some specific questions to ask your colleagues and editor.
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software