Practical Guide for First-Time Journal Authors: Submission & Peer Review Tips

Entering the world of academic publishing can feel a lot like stepping onto a new stage—equal parts excitement and anxiety. For first-time authors, navigating submission portals, formatting requirements, and the labyrinth of peer review can often feel overwhelming. Today, let’s demystify this process and offer practical, confidence-boosting insights for early-career researchers.

Understanding the Arena: What’s Really Expected?

Journals love clear, original, and relevant work. Before you submit, review the scope of your target journal. Ask yourself: Does my research answer questions this journal’s readers care about? Carefully align your manuscript with their “Instructions for Authors”—from word counts to reference formatting.

• For inspiration, see Elsevier’s Guide for Authors 

Choosing the Right Journal

Don’t simply aim for the highest impact factor; consider:

• Audience fit: Will your peers find it here?
• Time to publication: Some journals offer preprint or early view options.
• Open access options: Weigh visibility vs. potential fees.
• Peer review model: Single-blind, double-blind, or open review—each has pros and cons.

Check out Think. Check. Submit. for a checklist to verify journal quality, and use Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) to find reputable open journals.

Preparing to Submit: A Pre-Flight Checklist

• Cover letter: Personalize it. State why your research matters and why it fits here.
• Figures & tables: Ensure clarity and resolution.
• Supporting information: Share datasets or code as supplements if possible (Figshare, Zenodo).
• Formatting: Use journal templates if available—desk rejection often happens for poor formatting. Many journals share MS Word or LaTeX templates.

What Happens After You Click “Submit”?

The process typically unfolds like this:

1. Editorial Screening: Initial assessment (scope, novelty, ethics, formatting).
2. Peer Review: Anonymized experts independently evaluate your work
3. Revision: Almost every paper gets “minor” or “major” revisions before acceptance.
4. Decision: Accept, revise, or reject.

Peer Review: Prepare for Feedback… and Rejection

• Responding to reviewers: Address every comment point-by-point (How to write a response to reviewers).
• Resubmission: If rejected, use feedback to strengthen your paper before submitting elsewhere. It’s normal—even Nobel laureates get rejections.

Real-World Tips from Recent First-Time Authors

• “Join writing groups—peer feedback before submission boosts quality.” Try AuthorAID for mentoring and resources.
• “Read published peer reviews in open peer review journals to know what to expect”.
• “Document all steps. Editors value transparency and reproducibility”

Final Thoughts

Your first submission will teach you more than a dozen writing workshops: resilience, scholarly rigor, and the collaborative nature of science. Celebrate the journey—and remember, every published paper was once a nervous submission!