Write a submission cover letter that makes the editorial questions clear

1. Check what the journal actually requests

Some journals use a letter, others collect the same information in submission fields, and some require both. Read the current instructions for the intended article type. List the required declarations and their locations so that the letter does not contradict the form or leave a required field unanswered. A remembered requirement from another journal is not a reliable substitute.

ICMJE describes a cover letter or submission form addressing related reports, relevant declarations, author responsibility and useful handling information. Follow the target journal’s actual implementation. If a requested statement cannot yet be confirmed, resolve it with the responsible author before submission rather than pasting a standard assurance.

Reference: ICMJE: sending the manuscript to the journal

2. Create a one-page evidence sheet

Record the exact manuscript title, article type, corresponding author, study design, population or source material, central question and one restrained sentence about the contribution. Copy these from the approved manuscript and its supporting records. Do not add a larger sample, stronger design or completed analysis merely to make the letter more persuasive.

Add a separate declaration column for author approval, competing interests, funding, prior dissemination and any permissions requested by the journal. Give each entry an evidence owner and status. An unanswered message to a co-author is not approval. A previous conference abstract should be identified accurately rather than omitted because the full manuscript contains more detail.

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3. Explain fit with a specific connection

Connect the paper to a stated reader or subject in the journal’s scope. For example, a study of appointment records may address outpatient service organisation. That is more informative than calling the journal prestigious or the paper groundbreaking. Explain what the study adds within its limits, such as a documented local service question or an analysis of an under-described process.

Avoid unsupported priority claims such as “the first study in the region”. Establishing that claim would require an appropriate, reproducible literature assessment, and the claim may still be unnecessary. A cover letter can give a useful reason to consider the manuscript without asserting that no comparable work exists.

4. Draft the factual core

The following fictional paragraph uses only the facts in the preparation sheet. Bracketed fields require the real title and journal name; the paragraph does not include a claim that the unresolved author approval has been obtained.

5. Keep the letter consistent with the package

Check the title, article type, author list and attachment names against the actual uploaded files. If the letter refers to a checklist or related report, verify that it is included in the correct location. If the journal masks author identities for review, use its designated letter or title-page channel rather than placing identifying information in the masked manuscript.

Inspect a generated submission preview when available. A correct local letter can still be paired with an outdated manuscript during upload. Record the final filenames and version date, and ask the corresponding author to confirm the package as a whole. Do not send confidential reviewer correspondence from a previous process unless the journal’s requirements and applicable permissions have been considered.

6. End with a clear, modest request

Ask the editor to consider the manuscript in the stated category and provide a reliable contact for questions. Keep the tone courteous and direct. Remove praise that says nothing about fit, duplicated abstract text and claims of guaranteed clinical benefit that the study did not establish.

Before submission, resolve every open declaration on the evidence sheet. Keep a copy of the submitted letter or form with the exact manuscript version. The useful outcome is an accurate editorial introduction and a consistent submission package; the editor may still decide that the paper is outside scope or does not warrant external review.

Questions for a practical final check

• The current article-type instructions were checked.
• Design, population and contribution match the manuscript.
• Related dissemination is identified.
• Every declaration has a confirmed owner and status.
• The letter and uploaded package use the same version.
• No speed, acceptance or unsupported priority claim remains.