On Arrival

The Care and Management of Manuscripts

All authors wonder what happens to their hard work when it arrives at a journal office. Does an intern chuck the document in a file labeled, “Return with nice note in one month”? Does the editor pore over every comma and laugh maniacally over every typo? Does the receptionist use it for scrap paper?

But many journals now use electronic tracking systems, so you can log in via the web for updates on the status of your submission.

A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine addresses the fears and concerns of authors, as part of an overall effort to demystify the mysteries of scholarly publishing:

“We appreciate that, from the perspective of a submitting author, having a manuscript in the review process is like having a child away at camp. ...On the Web site an author can see when a paper was logged into our manuscript-tracking system, when it was assigned to an editor, when it went out for review (but not the names of the reviewers), when the reviews were returned, and when we have made an initial or subsequent decision.”¹

You may want to review some online submission and tracking systems as a way to understand the first part of the editorial process. Take a field trip now, using this Scavenger Hunt on Online Submissions Guide to record your findings.

Record this information in your journal profile form.

page 5 of 20

• Introduction
• Module 1
  Overview of Scholarly Journal Publishing
  Module 1
  Overview of Scholarly Journal Publishing
  Publish or Perish The Scope and Purpose of this Tutorial Taking Your Place in the History of Scholarship Self Assessment Description of a Scholarly Journal An Overview of the Scholarly Publishing Process Roles in Scholarly Publishing Conflicts Among the Players Changing Business Models in Scholarly Publishing The Open Access Model Open Access Business Models The Impact of OA on Authors Types of Articles You can Propose and Publish Collaboration and its Discontents The Responsibilities of Authorship Managing Your Citations Learning About the World in which You Write Get Yourself a Mentor and a Friend Scholarly Publishing is a Long-distance Run What do You Know?
• Module 2
  Laying the Groundwork: Ideas, Journal Research & Queries
  Module 2
  Laying the Groundwork: Ideas, Journal Research & Queries
  Objectives Preparing to Publish - Idea Generation KISS: Keep It Simple; Streamline! Quiz: Are you a KISS-er? Discover Your Next Article Focus Your Ideas Identify Appropriate Scholarly Journals Consult Disciplinary Journal Guides Review Reference Lists and Bibliographies Use Academic Journal Indices Talk to Your Colleagues Balancing Impact with Acceptance Rates Measuring Impact Circulation Figures The Nuances of Journal Characteristics Journal Queries Sending a Query Response Times and Next Steps Progress with Profiling Concept Review
• Module 3
  Deadlines & Details - Manuscript Prep & Submission
  Module 3
  Deadlines & Details - Manuscript Prep & Submission
  Objectives The Research Context Searching the Literature Resources for Searching the Literature The Literature Search as a Non-Linear Process Recording and Organizing Your Information The Writing Process: Overview and Tips Practical Elements of the Writing Process University of Colorado Writing Centers Writing Resources on the Web Understanding Your Disciplinary Style Ethical Issues in Research and Writing Avoiding Plagiarism Other Ethical Pitfalls Using Human Subjects and Animals in Research Attribution of Authorship Obtaining Permission to Use Copyrighted Material Following Instructions for Authors Next Steps: Colleague Review Submitting Your Manuscript Manuscript Checklist Summary and Review
• Module 4
  From Good to Great - The Editorial Process
  Module 4
  From Good to Great - The Editorial Process
  Objectives Submitting a Manuscript Types of Peer Review Masked and Open Reviews The Care and Management of Manuscripts Making the Cut Entering the Review Zone Peer Review Quiz Reviewer Considerations in Evaluating Manuscripts Waiting for Responses Making the Most of In-Between Times What to Expect When You're Expecting Feedback Rejection is Never Fun Requests for Resubmission with Revisions Revision, Revision, Revision Resubmitting your Manuscript You've Been Accepted! Now What? The Production Process Creating Your 'Need to Know' List The A to Z of the Review and Editorial Process
• Module 5
  Making it Yours - Customizing Your Publishing Plan
  Module 5
  Making it Yours - Customizing Your Publishing Plan
  Objectives From Overwhelmed to on Top of it All Identify Where You Want to Go Of Index Cards and Spiral Notebooks Low-Tech Solutions Going for Technology Best Practices in Sustaining Creative Development Continuing Your Education Mastering Scholarly Publishing