How to Write a Cover Letter for Journal Submission
A strong cover letter introduces your paper to the editor, signals scope fit, and can increase your chances of being sent to peer review.
Guide
Most journals require a cover letter with manuscript submission. While not the primary factor in acceptance, a poorly written or missing cover letter is a red flag for editors and can contribute to desk rejection. A strong cover letter takes 30 minutes to write and signals professionalism, scope awareness, and respect for the editor's time.
What to include in your cover letter
A journal submission cover letter should contain these core elements:
Address the editor by name if known (check the journal website)
State the manuscript title and article type
One sentence on why this paper fits the journal's scope and audience
Two to three sentences summarizing the key finding and its significance
A statement that the paper is original and not under review elsewhere
Any required disclosures: conflicts of interest, prior related work, suggested or excluded reviewers
Your contact information
What NOT to include
Editors read many cover letters. Avoid these common mistakes:
Lengthy summaries that repeat the abstract word for word
Excessive praise for the journal ('your prestigious journal')
Unsubstantiated claims about impact or importance
Information that contradicts the manuscript (different author list, different title)
Complaints about previous reviews of the same paper
Suggested reviewers
Many journals ask you to suggest 3-5 potential reviewers. Choose researchers who are active in your specific area, have no recent co-authorship or collaboration with your team, and are not from the same institution. Providing strong, non-conflicted reviewer suggestions shows awareness of your field and speeds up the review process.
A simple cover letter template
Dear Dr. [Editor name], I am pleased to submit our manuscript titled '[title]' for consideration for publication in [journal name] as an [article type]. This paper [one sentence on main finding and significance]. This work addresses [one sentence on the gap in the literature]. We believe this paper will be of interest to [journal]'s readers because [scope fit reason]. This manuscript is original, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration by another journal. All authors have approved the manuscript and consent to submission. [Any required disclosures.] We suggest the following reviewers: [names and institutions]. Thank you for considering our manuscript. Sincerely, [Corresponding author]
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Frequently asked questions
Most journals require a cover letter. Even when optional, including one is strongly recommended. Some submission systems have a dedicated field; others ask you to upload a separate document.
One page maximum. Editors prefer brevity. Three to five short paragraphs covering the key points is ideal.
You are generally not required to disclose a previous rejection unless the previous journal was in the same publisher family or you received substantive peer review feedback that you used in your revision. Some journals ask explicitly; answer honestly if asked.
Yes. A cover letter that does not demonstrate scope fit, makes contradictory claims, or omits required disclosures can trigger desk rejection. The cover letter is your first impression.