Paper Rejected by Journal. Now what?

After finally finding the perfect idea, conducting years of research and maybe several months of careful writing, correcting and revising a manuscript, it is disheartening, at best, when your paper has been rejected by your target journal.
But that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road. In fact, the first thing you need to know is that rejection is part of the process. Even Nobel Laureate authors have experienced rejection at some point, accepting the fact that their paper actually needed improvements, and eventually leading to a better article in the end.

Thinking of publishing a paper?

If you are thinking of publishing a paper and want to avoid rejection by your target journal, consider the checklist below. These are things that reviewers pay attention to before recommending a paper’s acceptance.

• Technical screening
  • Make sure that the paper doesn’t contain any plagiarized or unauthorized elements. Also, do not republish articles or submit them to more than one journal at the same time.
  • The article must be complete. It should not lack key elements such as title, authors, affiliations, keywords, main text, references, tables, and figures. References, especially, should always be complete and never outdated.
  • Consider professional writing services for your paper. The English must be perfect for the peer-review process. If you feel yourself struggling with the language, consider professional writing and/or translation services to make sure your text is perfectly understandable.
  • Make sure that images and figures are complete and clear enough to be fully understood.
  • Adjust your article to meet the Guide for Authors of the journal it will be submitted to. If you are not sure what this means, or if you simply prefer to focus on your work rather than technicalities, the Language Editing Plus service, provided by Elsevier, might be the answer.

• Aim, scope and relevance
  • The paper should focus on a specific scientific field, relevant for the target journal, rather than gravitate around it.
  • Ensure that your final product is relevant and adequate for your target journal and its readers.
  • Scientific text doesn’t need to be boring. Maintaining the reader’s interest throughout the article is just as important as its content. If you are not sure about the quality of your text, consider Elsevier’s language editing services, where professionals are fully committed to enhancing the written quality of your work.

• Scientific accuracy
  • Make sure your product is a full study rather than just mere observations.
  • Procedures and data analysis must comply with recognized methodologies (clear control groups and other comparison metrics, statistically valid analysis, old data, etc…)
  • Keep your article well-structured and organized. Finish with a strong conclusion based on your findings. Elsevier provides language editing by native speakers guaranteeing both scientific and correct English.

Even with carefully made decisions throughout the submission process, your paper may still be rejected by a journal. If that is the case, don’t give up. There are several options after rejection:

Appeal the Rejection

Appealing a rejection is a right that you have as an author. Not only can you clarify any errors, but you can also address any comments and concerns expressed by the reviewers. This information can greatly improve your article, and you can resubmit it after your edits.

Choose Another Journal

Our advice is to, instead of appealing a rejection, consider the feedback from the first journal, make the necessary adjustments, and resubmit the paper to a new journal. Maybe the new reviewers will find your article better fitted for their publication.

Find out how to choose a journal to submit your article.

Ask for Professional Writing Services

Don’t let all your efforts go down the drain just because of avoidable errors in your writing. Even small grammar mistakes can lead to confusion about your data and result in multiple rejections.

Consider a Native English Editor

If the target language of the journal is not your native language, translation services with native language editors and reviewers might play a decisive role in the article’s acceptance. Even for fluent English speakers, professional language editing is recommended to achieve high proficiency in your written text.

Language Editing Services by Elsevier Author Services:

Language Editing Express is a comprehensive, yet speedy service. Typically, depending on the length of the manuscript, the edit and review is completed within five business days. Use our Language Editing simulator to learn about the final price and off you go!