Journal Cover Letter: Template and Guide

An editor often decides whether a manuscript is even worth sending to reviewers partly based on the cover letter — a generic or thin letter doesn't help your case. Here's what belongs in it.

What to include

• Manuscript title and type — and confirmation it hasn't been published or is under review elsewhere.
• One-paragraph summary — the research question, key finding, and why it matters, in plain language.
• Fit statement — explicitly why this manuscript fits the journal's scope and readership, ideally referencing a recent related article the journal has published.
• Novelty/significance statement — what's new here that existing literature doesn't already establish.
• Author and conflict-of-interest disclosures — funding sources, conflicts of interest, and confirmation all authors approved the submission.
• Suggested/excluded reviewers — if the journal allows it, this is worth using thoughtfully.

Worked example

Dear Dr. [Editor Name],

Please find enclosed our manuscript, "[Title]," submitted as an Original Research article for consideration in [Journal Name].

[One paragraph: research question, design, key finding, and why it matters clinically or theoretically.]

We believe this manuscript is a strong fit for [Journal Name] given its focus on [specific scope alignment], and builds directly on your journal's recent publication of [related article citation, if applicable].

This manuscript has not been published and is not under consideration elsewhere. All authors have approved the submission and have no conflicts of interest to disclose. [Funding statement, if applicable.]

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Corresponding author name and affiliation]

Common mistakes

• A cover letter that just restates the abstract instead of making a case for fit and significance.
• Addressing it to "Dear Editor" when the journal's specific editor-in-chief or handling editor is publicly listed.
• Forgetting required disclosures the journal explicitly asks for in its author guidelines — always check the specific journal's requirements before submitting.