Navigating the Peer Review Process 11-21
Here is an example of a cover letter for a revised manuscript:
Dear Dr. [name of editor-in-chief]:
Thank you for reviewing our manuscript “X and Y Gene Expression in Z Cancer: Possible Treatment by Inhibition of X and Y” (manuscript 1286). [Refer to the manuscript by the number the journal assigned it.] We have revised the manuscript in response to the reviewers’ comments. Enclosed are a detailed response to the reviewers’ comments and the revised manuscript. [Check the journal’s author instructions and the original decision letter to see exactly what to send with the revised manuscript.] We believe that we have addressed the revie wers’ concerns, and we appreciate the opportunity to revise and resubmit our paper. Please contact me if you need any more information. [Standard polite thanks to the journal.]
Yours truly, John Author, M.D., Ph.D.
What happens after the revised manuscript is received by the journal editorial office? If the manuscript was returned for major revisions, the editor may send your manuscript back to the original reviewers for another review. If the requested revisions were minor, the editor may make a decision himself or herself. You can expect to wait from a week to a month for the final decision. If after a month you have still not heard from the journal, then it is acceptable to call and politely inquire about the status of your manuscript. Eventually, when your revisions are deemed adequate, you will receive a decision letter like this:
Dear Dr. X:
Your manuscript has been reviewed by experts in the field, and I am pleased to inform you that it has been accepted for publication in [name of journal]. It will be processed for production by [name of publisher], and you will receive page proofs and information regarding reprints directly from the publisher. Should you have any questions in the interim, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for submitting your manuscript to [name of journal].
Yours truly, Editor-in-Chief
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