How to Write a Journal Submission Cover Letter

A cover letter introduces your manuscript to the editor. It should be brief, accurate and professional: state what you are submitting, why it suits the journal and make the required declarations. It does not replace the abstract and should not oversell.

Typical content

1. Greeting and manuscript details: title, article type, journal name.
2. What the study did and found, in two or three sentences.
3. Why it is suitable for this journal.
4. Declarations the journal requires: originality and no simultaneous submission; all authors approved; ethics and consent; conflicts of interest and funding; registration.
5. Corresponding author details, and, if asked, suggested or excluded reviewers.

Writing tips

• Keep to one page.
• Use the editor's name if available, but check it is correct.
• State the main finding with a number, but do not exaggerate.
• Mention prior related work or preprints honestly, including any overlap with previous publications or presentations.
• Follow the journal's instructions: some systems collect declarations on a form and ask for a short or no letter.

Illustrative example

Invented for teaching. "Dear Dr Lee, We submit 'Early surgery and delirium after hip fracture: a retrospective cohort study' for consideration as an Original Article in [Journal]. In 1,000 older adults, surgery within 48 hours was associated with lower delirium (adjusted OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.86). We believe this will interest readers concerned with orthogeriatric care. The manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere; all authors approved it; ethics approval and funding details are in the manuscript. Sincerely, [Name]." (Invented example.)

Common pitfalls

• Overstating significance ("groundbreaking").
• Omitting required declarations.
• Reusing a letter addressed to another journal.

Key takeaways

• Short, accurate and matched to the journal.
• Use MRN's free cover letter template.

This page is general educational information about research methods. It is not medical, legal or regulatory advice; follow your institution's ethics board and your target journal's instructions.