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Academic English & Research vocabulary · Peer Review and Publishing

Cover letter

Meaning in academic english & research, with examples

nounCore term

In academic english & research, cover letter means: A short letter to a journal editor sent with a manuscript, explaining what the paper is about and why it suits the journal.

In Turkish: editöre mektup, sunum mektubu, ön yazı

How it is used

It usually gives the title and article type, summarizes the main contribution, confirms that the work is original and not under consideration elsewhere, and declares any conflicts of interest. A weak cover letter can contribute to a desk rejection.

Example sentences

  1. In the cover letter, explain in two sentences why your study matters to the journal's readers.

  2. We state in the cover letter that the manuscript has not been submitted elsewhere.

Common collocations

  • write a cover letter
  • cover letter to the editor
  • submit with a cover letter
  • cover letter template
  • editorA person responsible for deciding which manuscripts a journal or book publishes and for managing the peer review process.
  • submitTo formally send a piece of work, such as an article, thesis, abstract or application, to the people who will judge it.
  • manuscriptThe text of an article or book that an author submits to a journal or publisher before it is accepted and published.
  • desk rejectionThe rejection of a manuscript by the editor before it is sent to reviewers, often because it does not fit the journal's scope or standards.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Peer Review and Publishing

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