Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Basic rules of writing
- 2 Comments on scientific language
- 3 Drafting the manuscript
- 4 Choosing a journal
- 5 Preparing a graph
- 6 How to design tables
- 7 Title
- 8 Authors
- 9 Abstract
- 10 Introduction
- 11 Methods
- 12 Results
- 13 Discussion
- 14 Acknowledgments
- 15 References
- 16 Numbers
- 17 Abbreviations
- 18 Common statistical errors
- 19 Typing
- 20 The covering letter
- 21 Dealing with editors and referees
- 22 Correcting proofs
- 23 Authors' responsibilities
- Literature needed on your desk
- Further reading
- Literature cited
- Index
20 - The covering letter
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Basic rules of writing
- 2 Comments on scientific language
- 3 Drafting the manuscript
- 4 Choosing a journal
- 5 Preparing a graph
- 6 How to design tables
- 7 Title
- 8 Authors
- 9 Abstract
- 10 Introduction
- 11 Methods
- 12 Results
- 13 Discussion
- 14 Acknowledgments
- 15 References
- 16 Numbers
- 17 Abbreviations
- 18 Common statistical errors
- 19 Typing
- 20 The covering letter
- 21 Dealing with editors and referees
- 22 Correcting proofs
- 23 Authors' responsibilities
- Literature needed on your desk
- Further reading
- Literature cited
- Index
Summary
It is time to write the covering letter. In most cases a letter like the following one (Figure 20.1) will suffice. Note that the second paragraph gives the essence of the paper. But you must also inform the editor in your letter if you have:
(1) cited unpublished observations, personal communications, or a paper “in press”;
(2) been involved in a financial conflict of interest; or
(3) divided the reporting into two papers on two aspects of the same study.
The other letter (Figure 20.2) covers all these situations. You are welcome to use those paragraphs which are relevant to your case. The new paragraphs are marked in the margin; the rest of the letter is identical with the content of the previous one.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- How to Write and Illustrate a Scientific Paper , pp. 109 - 111Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003