The email is received sooner than you anticipated. There is the journal editor on the subject line. Your heart sinks. It is a “desk reject.” This implies that the editor has not even sent your paper to reviewers. Even your studies did not go to the master’s of your discipline.
A desk rejection seems like a door being slammed into your face. In many cases, it is not even about the quality of your science. Rather it is caused by preventable formatting and scoping errors. Here at Mars Publications, we have Reviewer Response Support offered to authors to enable them to rebound, however, we recommend not to get to the desk in the first place.
The following are five very vital points to consider in order to have your paper pass through the desk of the editor.
The “Out of Scope” Trap
Each journal has a certain Aims and Scope page. The percentage of papers that are rejected by the editors due to the inability to fit the mission of a journal is enormous. When you write up a very technical paper on physics, and send it to a theoretical physics journal, you would be turned down instantly.
Read the three issues of the journal before submitting. Is your research similar to the articles they print? The editor will probably concur with you when your work looks like an outlier. The cover letter should also always be customized to ensure that it explains how your work contributes to the particular discussions that are going on in that journal.
Denying the “Instructions for Authors“
The purpose of the instructions to authors is not in vain in journals. These rules define the number of words used, style of citation and resolutions of figures. By not taking into consideration these, the message you are sending to the editor is that you are not detail-oriented.
There are submissions and editors are in charge of hundreds of submissions. They seek justification to build the heap. An essay with more than 2,000 words exceeding the limit or with a different reference format offers them a great opportunity to press the Reject button.
- Word Count: Be very specific when it comes to abstracts and main text.
- Citation Style: When the journal requires the use of APA, then do not submit it in Vancouver style.
- Anonymization: Provided that the journal is blinded-reviewed, make sure that your name is not mentioned anywhere in the document properties or the text.
Inadequate Abstract and Title Optimization
Your title and your abstract are the first things that the editor reads. This is your “elevator pitch.” In case you have a generic title or your abstract does not mention the so what of your study, the editor will be uninterested.
In your abstract you need to state the problem, the method, the main finding and the implication. Do not use too thick jargon in these sections. You have a wish that the editor grasps the significance of what you have done in half a minute.
Poor-quality Figures and Tables
Illustrative information normally serves as the front of your paper. When your graphs are pixelated, blurred, or they are not clearly marked, it is unprofessional. Sloppy pictures equate to sloppy science by editors.
Make sure that your pictures are of at least minimum DPI (Dots Per Inch). Apply the same fonts on all charts. Ensure that your tables are clean and they look in accordance with the specific formatting rules of the journal. Good images prove that you are serious with what you are doing.
Poor English and Grammatical mistakes
The genius of discovery can be covered by bad language, even in the most brilliant discovery. However, even though the editors attempt to be objective, the paper is hard to read because of constant grammar mistakes and clumsy wording. When an editor has a problem in understanding a sentence, they will think that reviewers will also have the same problem.
Professional intervention is essential in this place. We polish your words to international standards of publication at Mars Publications. We make sure your active voice will take the reader through your methodology and discussion without confusion.
Mars Publications: The Saviour of your Submission
We understand that a well-written paper could be subjected to a Revise and Resubmit or a rejection on review. You do not go through that process unaccompanied by our Reviewer Response Support. We assist you in writing polite and point-to-point rebates on reviewer comments. Mars Publications will make sure that your edited version of your work will cover all of your points that need to be considered, and the originality of your results will be preserved.
We are your railing below against the “Desk Reject.” Our consulting firm has a look at your scoping, verifies your formatting to journal standards, and refines your writing.
Concluding remarks: Present a Justifiable Case to Your Research
Declining in a desk rejection is a waste of time and effort of your team. It makes you wait weeks or months before you get published. Giving consideration to scoping, formatting, and language, you have a great chance to get to the peer-review stage.
The lack of a margin or a vague title is not a reason to take your discovery away to the world. And either take the time that you need in your submission, or have the professionals work through the details on your behalf.