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How to write a cover letter for journal submission

Download our cover letter template.

When you submit your article to a journal, you often need to include a cover letter. This is a great opportunity to highlight to the journal editor what makes your research new and important. The cover letter should explain why your work is perfect for their journal and why it will be of interest to the journal’s readers.

When writing for publication, a well-written cover letter can help your paper reach the next stage of the manuscript submission process – being sent out for  peer review . So it’s worth spending time thinking about how to write a cover letter to the journal editor, to make sure it’s going to be effective.

To help you, we’ve put together a guide to explain how to write a cover letter for journal article submission. You will receive cover letter instructions of what you should include and what you shouldn’t, and a word template cover letter.

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What should my cover letter include?

Before you start to write, please check the  instructions for authors  (IFAs) of your chosen journal, as not all journals will require one. You should also check the IFAs for any journal specific information on what to include. This may include a list of relevant articles written by you or your co-authors that have been or are currently being considered for publication in other journals.

Key points to include in your letter to the editor:

Editor’s name (you can usually find this on the journal page on  Taylor & Francis Online ).

Your manuscript’s title.

Name of the journal you are submitting to.

Statement that your paper has not been previously published and is not currently under consideration by another journal.

Brief description of the research you are reporting in your paper, why it is important, and why you think the readers of the journal would be interested in it.

Contact information for you and any  co-authors .

Confirmation that you have no  competing interests  to disclose.

Things to avoid:

Don’t copy your abstract into your cover letter, instead explain in your own words the significance of the work, the problem that is being addressed, and why the manuscript belongs in the journal.

Don’t use too much jargon or too many acronyms, keep language straightforward and easy to read.

Avoid too much detail – keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page, as an introduction and brief overview.

Avoid any spelling and grammar errors and ensure your letter is thoroughly proofed before submitting.

Click to enlarge your PDF on key information to include in your cover letter .

Cover letter template

If you need further help to write a cover letter for a journal, you can download and use our sample template as a guide.

You might find that the submission system for your chosen journal requires your cover letter to be submitted into a text box rather than as a separate document, but it is still a good idea to write a draft first to make sure you have included everything.

Always make sure to check the journal’s  instructions for authors  for any specific additional information to include.

Submission ready

Use our submission checklist  to make sure you’ve included everything you need to.

If you need more guidance, take a look at our other  information and resources to help you make your submission .

Rapid constructive feedback

Consider the Taylor & Francis Rapid Technical Review service to help you meet your deadline, through peer-review-like comments on your manuscript.

Related resources

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Guide to improve your submission experience

Article submission checklist

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How to Write a Cover Letter for Your Manuscript? Here are the Tips and Examples

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Table of Contents

A cover letter is often the first thing an editor reads when reviewing your submission. As your first pitch to the editor, the cover letter helps them gauge the suitability of your manuscript for publication in their journal. Imagine your work shaping the future of your field, gathering citations, and sparking discussions. A powerful cover letter is thus the first step to making that vision into a reality.   

In this article, we will guide you through the process of writing an effective cover letter and explain how you can get it right every time with examples. First, let us get started with the basics!  

Getting the Basics Right  

When writing a cover letter, it is crucial to address the editor by their correct and complete name¹ . If there are multiple co-editors, you can address your letter to the right person, based on their specialization or designated responsibilities. If unsure, it is okay to go with a more general salutation, such as “Dear Editors”¹ .   

Presenting your Research  

Provide a clear and concise title for your submission and specify whether it is an article, communication, review, perspective, or a manuscript belonging to some other category. If the journal guideline recommends, consider including a list of all authors in the manuscript.   

After covering the preliminary information, briefly explain your paper’s central theme or focus to give the editor an idea of its contents. Ensure this stays a brief outline, without going into too much detail.   

Conveying the Importance of Your Work  

How you communicate the impact of your work can make or break your cover letter. To make a strong impression on the editor, articulate the significance of your research clearly, emphasizing its relevance to the field. Additionally, show how your work aligns with the journal’s scope and mission.  

Including a Formal Declaration  

Some journals require a set of declarations from you to ensure that your manuscript adheres to its ethical code and the larger ethical standards of scientific publishing. Here are the required declarations in a cover letter:  

• Originality of work:  
• Confirm that your work is original and has not been published elsewhere. This tells the editor your research is unique.  
• Conflict of interest statement:  
• Be clear about any potential conflicts of interest. This includes any personal, financial, or professional connections that might affect your research.  
• Funding source (if applicable):  
• Tell where your research funding came from, if any. This includes any support or grants from organizations.   

Including Personal Suggestions for Reviewers on a Separate Page (optional)  

If there is no part of the submission process that collects researcher suggestions for reviewers, and there are special requests from the researcher for reviewers (e.g., recommending the inclusion or suggesting the exclusion of a specific reviewer, etc.), you may also make a note about this in the cover letter.  

Combining these five points, here is a good example of a cover letter for researchers’ reference:  

(This image is intended to demonstrate the norms of formatting and tone of expression in a cover letter, it is to be used only by the researcher as a reference in writing² .)  

Conclusion  

A strong cover letter can go a long way in ensuring success for researchers looking to publish their manuscripts! Your cover letter is the opening act, setting the stage for how editors perceive your manuscript. So, look at it not as just another formality but as a crucial opportunity to make a strong impression.   

Understanding what to include, what is optional, and what is best left unsaid can be tricky. That is where our team of experts at Elsevier Language Services can step in. We will provide personalized recommendations and expert guidance to help you craft a cover letter that perfectly complements your manuscript. Reach out to us today to make a great first impression and embark on a successful academic journey!  

Reference  

• Nicholas, D. (2019). How to choose a journal and write a cover letter. Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia, 13(5), 35. https://doi.org/10.4103/sja.sja_691_18  
• Loyola University Chicago. (n.d.). JCSHESA Sample Cover Letter. https://ecommons.luc.edu/jcshesa/cover_letter_template.pdf  

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Written Samples

15 sample cover letters for journal submission.

Submitting your research paper to a journal can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially when you’re unsure of how to craft a compelling cover letter.

A well-written cover letter can make all the difference in catching the editor’s attention and increasing your chances of publication.

Sample Cover Letters for Journal Submission

In this article, we’ll explore 15 sample cover letters that showcase various strategies for effectively communicating the significance of your research and its potential impact on the field.

These examples will serve as a valuable resource for researchers across disciplines, providing inspiration and guidance for crafting their successful cover letters.

Let’s dive in and discover the key elements that make these cover letters stand out from the crowd.

Cover Letter One

Subject: Submission of Research Article – “The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health”

Dear Editor,

I am writing to submit my research article titled “The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health” for consideration in your esteemed journal. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes among adolescents, offering valuable insights for mental health professionals, educators, and policymakers.

The article presents findings from a large-scale survey of 5,000 adolescents aged 13-18, exploring their social media habits and mental health status. The results reveal a significant correlation between excessive social media use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Furthermore, the study identifies specific social media behaviors that contribute to negative mental health outcomes, such as cyberbullying and exposure to unrealistic beauty standards.

I believe that this research makes a substantial contribution to the existing literature on adolescent mental health and social media use. The findings have important implications for developing targeted interventions and educational programs to promote healthy social media habits among young people. The article also highlights the need for further research to understand the long-term effects of social media on mental health and to develop evidence-based guidelines for safe and responsible use.

Thank you for considering my submission. I look forward to the opportunity to share this research with your readers and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on this critical issue.

[Your Name]

[Your Affiliation]

Cover Letter Two

Subject: Submission of Original Research – “Exploring the Potential of Renewable Energy in Developing Countries”

I am pleased to submit my original research article titled “Exploring the Potential of Renewable Energy in Developing Countries” for consideration in your respected journal. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities for implementing renewable energy solutions in developing nations, with a focus on solar and wind power.

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the current state of renewable energy adoption in five developing countries across Africa and Asia. Through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys, interviews with key stakeholders, and geospatial analysis, the study identifies the major barriers to widespread renewable energy adoption, such as lack of infrastructure, limited access to financing, and inadequate policy support.

However, the research also highlights the significant potential for renewable energy to transform the lives of millions of people in developing countries by providing access to clean, affordable, and reliable electricity. The article presents case studies of successful renewable energy projects in each of the five countries, demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of these solutions.

I believe that this research makes a valuable contribution to the field of sustainable development and energy policy. The findings have important implications for policymakers, investors, and development organizations seeking to promote renewable energy in developing countries. The article also lays the groundwork for further research on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of renewable energy adoption in these contexts.

Thank you for your consideration. I am excited about the opportunity to share this research with your readers and contribute to the global effort to achieve sustainable energy for all.

Cover Letter Three

Subject: Submission of Review Article – “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges”

I am writing to submit my review article titled “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges” for consideration in your distinguished journal. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of AI applications in healthcare, exploring the potential benefits and risks of these technologies for patients, healthcare providers, and health systems.

The article begins by defining AI and its various subfields, such as machine learning and natural language processing, and discussing their relevance to healthcare. It then presents a systematic review of the literature on AI applications in healthcare, covering areas such as medical imaging, drug discovery, personalized medicine, and clinical decision support.

The review identifies several key opportunities for AI to improve healthcare outcomes, such as enhancing diagnostic accuracy, optimizing treatment plans, and reducing healthcare costs. However, it also highlights the significant challenges and risks associated with AI in healthcare, such as data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and the need for robust regulatory frameworks.

I believe that this review article makes a timely and important contribution to the ongoing debate about the role of AI in healthcare. As healthcare systems around the world grapple with the challenges of rising costs, aging populations, and the COVID-19 pandemic, AI has emerged as a potentially transformative technology. However, the adoption of AI in healthcare also raises complex ethical, legal, and social questions that require careful consideration.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this review article will be of interest to a wide range of healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the scholarly discourse on this critical topic.

Cover Letter Four

Subject: Submission of Case Study – “Implementing a Successful Remote Work Policy: Lessons from Company X”

I am pleased to submit my case study titled “Implementing a Successful Remote Work Policy: Lessons from Company X” for consideration in your esteemed journal. This study provides a detailed analysis of how one company successfully transitioned to a remote work model during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering valuable insights for organizations seeking to adapt to the changing nature of work.

The case study focuses on Company X, a mid-sized technology firm that implemented a comprehensive remote work policy in response to the pandemic. Through interviews with company leaders, employees, and external stakeholders, as well as an analysis of company documents and performance metrics, the study identifies the key factors that contributed to the success of the remote work transition.

These factors include a clear and consistent communication strategy, the provision of necessary technology and support for remote workers, a focus on maintaining company culture and employee engagement, and a flexible approach to managing work-life balance. The case study also discusses the challenges that Company X faced during the transition, such as managing cybersecurity risks and ensuring equitable access to remote work opportunities.

I believe that this case study makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of research on remote work and organizational resilience. As companies around the world continue to grapple with the impacts of the pandemic and the changing nature of work, there is a pressing need for evidence-based guidance on how to implement successful remote work policies.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this case study will be of interest to a wide range of organizational leaders, HR professionals, and researchers, and I look forward to the opportunity to share these insights with your readers.

Cover Letter Five

Subject: Submission of Original Research – “The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity: Evidence from a Long-Term Field Study”

I am writing to submit my original research article titled “The Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity: Evidence from a Long-Term Field Study” for consideration in your respected journal. This study presents findings from a 20-year field study of the impacts of climate change on biodiversity in a temperate forest ecosystem, offering new insights into the complex relationships between climate, species interactions, and ecosystem functioning.

The study combines long-term monitoring data on temperature, precipitation, and other climate variables with detailed observations of plant and animal populations in a 100-hectare forest reserve. Using advanced statistical modeling techniques, the study identifies significant changes in species composition, phenology, and interactions over the 20 years, with some species showing marked declines while others have adapted or even thrived in the changing climate.

The article discusses the implications of these findings for conservation policy and practice, highlighting the need for adaptive management strategies that take into account the complex and dynamic nature of ecosystems in a changing climate. It also identifies key areas for further research, such as the role of species interactions and ecosystem services in mediating the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.

I believe that this research makes a significant contribution to the growing body of evidence on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. As the world continues to grapple with the urgent challenges posed by climate change, there is a critical need for long-term, empirical studies that can inform effective conservation and adaptation strategies.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am excited about the opportunity to share this research with your readers and contribute to the ongoing efforts to understand and address the impacts of climate change on the natural world.

Cover Letter Six

Subject: Submission of Meta-Analysis – “The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”

I am pleased to submit my meta-analysis titled “The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” for consideration in your distinguished journal. This study provides a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of the evidence on the use of mindfulness-based interventions for the management of chronic pain, offering valuable insights for healthcare providers, researchers, and patients.

The study follows a rigorous systematic review protocol, including a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases, a standardized screening and data extraction process, and a detailed assessment of study quality and risk of bias. The meta-analysis includes data from 25 randomized controlled trials, involving a total of 2,500 participants with various types of chronic pain, including low back pain, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain.

The results of the meta-analysis indicate that mindfulness-based interventions are associated with significant reductions in pain intensity, pain-related disability, and psychological distress, as well as improvements in quality of life and well-being. The study also identifies several moderators of treatment effectiveness, such as the type and duration of the intervention, the characteristics of the patient population, and the presence of co-occurring mental health conditions.

I believe that this meta-analysis makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of research on the use of mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain management. As the prevalence of chronic pain continues to rise, there is an urgent need for effective, non-pharmacological approaches to pain management that can improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this meta-analysis will be of interest to a wide range of healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the evidence base on this important topic.

Cover Letter Seven

Subject: Submission of Qualitative Study – “Exploring the Experiences of Transgender Individuals in the Workplace: A Qualitative Study”

I am writing to submit my qualitative study titled “Exploring the Experiences of Transgender Individuals in the Workplace: A Qualitative Study” for consideration in your esteemed journal. This study provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by transgender individuals in the workplace, offering valuable insights for employers, policymakers, and advocates.

The study uses a qualitative phenomenological approach, consisting of in-depth interviews with 20 transgender individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries. The interviews explore participants’ experiences of transitioning in the workplace, including their interactions with colleagues and supervisors, their experiences of discrimination and support, and their strategies for navigating the challenges of being transgender in the workplace.

The findings of the study highlight the complex and varied experiences of transgender individuals in the workplace, from the difficulties of coming out and transitioning to the importance of inclusive policies and practices. The study also identifies several key themes, such as the role of allies and support networks, the impact of intersectionality on workplace experiences, and the potential for workplace transitions to be a source of personal and professional growth.

I believe that this qualitative study makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of research on the experiences of transgender individuals in the workplace. As more and more companies seek to create inclusive and equitable workplaces, there is a pressing need for in-depth, qualitative research that can inform best practices and policies for supporting transgender employees.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am excited about the opportunity to share this research with your readers and contribute to the ongoing efforts to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.

Cover Letter Eight

Subject: Submission of Theoretical Article – “Rethinking the Concept of Leadership in the Age of Digital Transformation”

I am pleased to submit my theoretical article titled “Rethinking the Concept of Leadership in the Age of Digital Transformation” for consideration in your distinguished journal. This article provides a novel and thought-provoking perspective on the changing nature of leadership in the context of the digital age, offering valuable insights for scholars, practitioners, and educators.

The article begins by reviewing the traditional theories and models of leadership, from trait-based approaches to transformational and servant leadership. It then argues that these models are increasingly inadequate for understanding and practicing leadership in the context of digital transformation, which is characterized by rapid change, complexity, and uncertainty.

Drawing on recent research and examples from a range of industries and sectors, the article proposes a new framework for conceptualizing leadership in the digital age. This framework emphasizes the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and innovation, as well as the need for leaders to be comfortable with ambiguity and to embrace a more distributed and networked model of leadership.

The article also discusses the implications of this new framework for leadership development and education, arguing for a greater emphasis on experiential learning, design thinking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. It concludes by identifying several key areas for further research and practice, such as the role of technology in shaping leadership practices and the need for more inclusive and diverse models of leadership.

I believe that this theoretical article makes a significant contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of leadership in the digital age. As organizations around the world grapple with the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation, there is a pressing need for new and innovative approaches to leadership that can help them navigate this complex and rapidly changing landscape.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this article will be of interest to a wide range of scholars, practitioners, and educators, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the scholarly discourse on this important topic.

Cover Letter Nine

Subject: Submission of Empirical Study – “The Relationship Between Social Support and Mental Health Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic”

I am writing to submit my empirical study titled “The Relationship Between Social Support and Mental Health Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic” for consideration in your respected journal. This study provides a timely and important examination of the impact of social support on the mental health of college students during a period of unprecedented stress and uncertainty.

The study uses a cross-sectional survey design, collecting data from a sample of 500 college students across the United States. The survey includes validated measures of social support, mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress), and demographic variables. The data are analyzed using a combination of descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression modeling.

The results of the study indicate that higher levels of social support are significantly associated with lower levels of mental health symptoms among college students during the pandemic. The study also identifies several key sources of social support, including family, friends, and faculty/staff, and highlights the importance of both emotional and instrumental support in promoting mental health.

I believe that this empirical study makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of research on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among college students who have faced significant disruptions to their academic and social lives. The findings have important implications for college administrators, mental health professionals, and policymakers seeking to support the well-being of students during this challenging time.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this study will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, practitioners, and educators concerned with the mental health and well-being of college students, and I look forward to the opportunity to share these findings with your readers.

Cover Letter Ten

Subject: Submission of Methodological Article – “Advancing the Use of Mixed Methods in Health Services Research: A Guide for Researchers”

I am pleased to submit my methodological article titled “Advancing the Use of Mixed Methods in Health Services Research: A Guide for Researchers” for consideration in your distinguished journal. This article provides a comprehensive and practical guide for researchers interested in using mixed methods approaches to study complex health services research questions.

The article begins by defining mixed methods research and discussing its key principles and benefits, including the ability to triangulate findings, explore both breadth and depth and address multiple research questions within a single study. It then provides a step-by-step guide for designing and conducting mixed methods health services research studies, from developing research questions and sampling strategies to collecting and analyzing data and integrating findings.

The article also discusses several key considerations and challenges in conducting mixed methods research, such as ensuring the quality and rigor of both quantitative and qualitative components, managing large and diverse datasets, and publishing and disseminating findings. It provides practical tips and strategies for addressing these challenges, drawing on examples from successful mixed methods studies in health services research.

I believe that this methodological article makes a valuable contribution to the growing field of mixed methods research in health services. As health systems around the world face increasingly complex and multifaceted challenges, there is a pressing need for innovative and rigorous research approaches that can capture the full range of factors influencing health services delivery and outcomes.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this article will be of interest to a wide range of health services researchers, from novice to experienced investigators, and I look forward to the opportunity to support the continued growth and development of mixed methods research in this important field.

Cover Letter Eleven

Subject: Submission of Case Report – “Successful Treatment of Refractory Chronic Migraine with Botulinum Toxin Type A: A Case Report”

I am writing to submit my case report titled “Successful Treatment of Refractory Chronic Migraine with Botulinum Toxin Type A: A Case Report” for consideration in your esteemed journal. This report describes the clinical course and successful treatment of a patient with chronic migraine who had failed multiple previous therapies.

The report presents the case of a 45-year-old woman with a 20-year history of chronic migraine, characterized by 15-20 headache days per month and significant disability. Despite trials of several preventive and abortive medications, as well as non-pharmacological therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and acupuncture, the patient’s migraines remained refractory to treatment.

The patient was initiated on treatment with botulinum toxin type A, administered according to the PREEMPT protocol. After two treatment cycles, the patient experienced a significant reduction in headache frequency and intensity, as well as improvements in quality of life and functional status. The report discusses the potential mechanisms of action of botulinum toxin in chronic migraine, as well as the implications for clinical practice.

I believe that this case report makes a valuable contribution to the literature on the management of refractory chronic migraine. As a debilitating and often treatment-resistant condition, chronic migraine poses significant challenges for patients and healthcare providers alike. This report highlights the potential of botulinum toxin as a safe and effective treatment option for carefully selected patients.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am hopeful that this case report will be of interest to neurologists, pain specialists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients with chronic migraine, and I look forward to the opportunity to share this important clinical experience with your readers.

Cover Letter Twelve

Subject: Submission of Commentary – “The Ethics of Gene Editing: Balancing Scientific Progress and Societal Values”

I am pleased to submit my commentary titled “The Ethics of Gene Editing: Balancing Scientific Progress and Societal Values” for consideration in your distinguished journal. This commentary provides a timely and thought-provoking perspective on the ethical implications of recent advances in gene editing technology, offering insights for scientists, policymakers, and the general public.

The commentary begins by discussing the scientific background and potential applications of gene editing, from treating genetic diseases to enhancing human traits. It then explores the ethical considerations raised by these applications, including questions of safety, equity, and the moral status of human embryos.

Drawing on principles of biomedical ethics and recent public debates, the commentary argues for a balanced approach to the regulation and oversight of gene editing research and applications. It emphasizes the importance of public engagement and dialogue, as well as the need for clear and enforceable guidelines to ensure responsible and socially beneficial use of the technology.

The commentary also highlights the global nature of the gene editing debate, discussing the need for international cooperation and governance to address the transnational implications of the technology. It concludes by calling for ongoing ethical reflection and analysis as the science of gene editing continues to evolve.

I believe that this commentary makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing public and scholarly discourse on the ethics of gene editing. As this transformative technology continues to advance, there is an urgent need for informed and nuanced perspectives that can guide its responsible development and use.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this commentary will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders, from scientists and bioethicists to policymakers and the general public, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to this important conversation.

Cover Letter Thirteen

Subject: Submission of Systematic Review – “The Effectiveness of School-Based Interventions for Preventing Adolescent Substance Use: A Systematic Review”

I am writing to submit my systematic review titled “The Effectiveness of School-Based Interventions for Preventing Adolescent Substance Use: A Systematic Review” for consideration in your respected journal. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of the evidence on school-based prevention programs for adolescent substance use, offering valuable insights for researchers, educators, and policymakers.

The review follows a rigorous protocol, including a pre-specified search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data extraction and quality assessment procedures. It includes studies published in peer-reviewed journals over the past 20 years, encompassing a range of school-based interventions, from educational programs to skills training and peer leadership.

The findings of the review indicate that school-based interventions can be effective in reducing adolescent substance use, particularly when they are interactive, skills-based, and implemented over an extended period. However, the review also highlights the limitations of the current evidence base, including the lack of long-term follow-up data and the need for more rigorous evaluation designs.

I believe that this systematic review makes a significant contribution to the field of adolescent substance use prevention. As rates of substance use among adolescents continue to be a major public health concern, there is a critical need for evidence-based interventions that can be implemented in school settings, where young people spend a significant portion of their time.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this review will be of interest to a wide range of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers concerned with promoting the health and well-being of adolescents, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the evidence base on this important topic.

Cover Letter Fourteen

Subject: Submission of Short Communication – “The Potential of Telemedicine for Improving Access to Mental Health Services in Rural Areas”

I am pleased to submit my short communication titled “The Potential of Telemedicine for Improving Access to Mental Health Services in Rural Areas” for consideration in your esteemed journal. This communication provides a concise and focused discussion of the role of telemedicine in addressing the significant disparities in access to mental health care in rural communities.

The communication begins by highlighting the high prevalence of mental health disorders in rural areas, as well as the numerous barriers to accessing care, including shortages of mental health professionals, long travel distances, and stigma. It then discusses the growing evidence base for the effectiveness of telemedicine in delivering mental health services, particularly for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Drawing on examples from recent research and practice, the communication argues that telemedicine has the potential to significantly improve access to mental health care in rural areas, by enabling remote delivery of services, reducing travel burdens, and increasing the flexibility and convenience of care. However, it also acknowledges the challenges and limitations of telemedicine, such as the need for reliable internet connectivity and the importance of maintaining the therapeutic alliance in a virtual setting.

I believe that this short communication makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion about the role of technology in addressing health disparities and improving access to care. As the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine across many areas of healthcare, there is a timely opportunity to explore its potential for expanding mental health services in underserved communities.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am hopeful that this communication will be of interest to mental health professionals, rural health researchers, and policymakers concerned with improving access to care, and I look forward to the opportunity to share these insights with your readers.

Cover Letter Fifteen

Subject: Submission of Opinion Piece – “The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education: A Call to Action”

I am writing to submit my opinion piece titled “The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education: A Call to Action” for consideration in your distinguished journal. This piece provides a passionate and persuasive argument for the critical role of diversity and inclusion in promoting educational excellence and social justice in colleges and universities.

The piece begins by discussing the many benefits of diversity in higher education, from enhancing learning outcomes and fostering innovation to preparing students for success in a globalized world. It then highlights the persistent challenges and barriers to achieving true diversity and inclusion in many institutions, including issues of access, equity, and campus climate.

Drawing on a range of examples and personal experiences, the piece argues that diversity and inclusion must be prioritized as core values and strategic imperatives in higher education. It calls on institutional leaders, faculty, staff, and students to take concrete actions to create more inclusive and equitable learning environments, from diversifying curricula and faculty to addressing bias and discrimination.

The piece also emphasizes the importance of accountability and assessment in driving progress toward diversity and inclusion goals and provides specific recommendations for how institutions can measure and report on their efforts. It concludes with a powerful call to action, urging all members of the higher education community to embrace their responsibility to create a more just and inclusive future.

I believe that this opinion piece makes a timely and important contribution to the ongoing national conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. As colleges and universities grapple with the urgent challenges of racial injustice, political polarization, and social inequality, there is a critical need for bold and visionary leadership on these issues.

Thank you for considering my submission. I am confident that this piece will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders in higher education, from administrators and faculty to students and community partners, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to this vital dialogue.

These 15 sample cover letters demonstrate the diverse range of topics, research designs, and perspectives that can be effectively communicated to journal editors.

By highlighting the significance, novelty, and relevance of their work, these cover letters make a compelling case for why the submitted articles deserve to be considered for publication.

Ultimately, a well-crafted cover letter can be a powerful tool for researchers seeking to share their insights and ideas with the wider scientific community.

Writing a Cover Letter for Journal Submission [Free Template]

• Research Process
• Peer Review

Journal cover letters are your chance to lobby on behalf of your manuscript. This AJE Journal Cover Letter Guide offers some useful tips for getting them right. It also includes a free journal cover letter template.

Updated on September 20, 2018

The cover letter accompanying your journal submission is your chance to lobby on behalf of your manuscript. The letter is far from just a formality and should be written with the same care as your manuscript's text (if not more). Ultimately, your cover letter is designed to influence the decision of the editor to send your manuscript out for peer review. The letter will argue that your manuscript is a good fit for the journal you are submitting it to and highlight your most important findings. Let us help you produce the most effective cover letter possible.

Getting ready to submit your manuscript? Download our comprehensive Free Journal Cover Letter Writing Guide with Template .

A cover letter should be written like a standard business letter :

Address the editor formally by name, if known. Include your contact information, as well. This information is probably available through the journal's online submission system, but it is proper to provide it in the cover letter, too.

Begin your cover letter with a paragraph that states the name of the manuscript and the names of the authors. You can also describe what type of manuscript your submission is (research article, review, case report, etc.). In this first paragraph and the next, describe the rationale behind your study and the major findings from your research. You can refer to prior work that you have published if it is directly related.

Next, write a short paragraph that explains why your manuscript would be a good fit for the journal. Do not simply state that your manuscript is “of interest to the field” or “novel.” Address specific aspects of the journal's Aims & Scope statement. If the journal expresses interest in research with a clinical application, be sure to highlight the importance of your work in terms of clinical implications. If the journal mentions that it focuses on nanostructured materials, explain how your work involved such materials. Even if your work is not a perfect fit for the journal, be sure to address some of the Aims & Scope statement, and explain why your manuscript would be of interest to the journal's readers.

Finally, close with a brief paragraph indicating the following:

• The manuscript is original (i.e., you wrote it, not copied it)
• No part of the manuscript has been published before, nor is any part of it under consideration for publication at another journal
• There are no conflicts of interest to disclose
• A list of potential reviewers (only if requested by the journal)
• Any researchers who should NOT review your manuscript

Together, this information provides assurance to the editor that your manuscript merits consideration for publication in their journal and that you are interested specifically in their journal. Sometimes great science will be reviewed regardless of the cover letter, but a well written cover letter is useful for the vast majority of scientists who want to make their research stand out.

Best of luck with your research! If you have any questions about your cover letter, write us anytime.

Ben Mudrak, PhD

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Cover Letter for Journal Submission Templates

Download a Microsoft Word template for a standard journal cover letter (also available with instructions in Chinese , Japanese , Korean , Portuguese , and Spanish ).

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How to Write a Cover Letter for Journal Submission

If you’re looking for solid advice on how to write a strong journal submission cover letter that will convince journal editors to review your research paper, then look no further! We know that cover letters  can  impact an editor’s decision to consider your research paper further.

This guide aims to explain (1) why you should care about writing a powerful cover letter, (2) what you should include in it, and (3) how you should structure it. The last segment will include a free downloadable submission cover letter template with detailed how-to explanations and some useful phrases. Finally, be sure to get journal manuscript editing , cover letter editing , and other academic editing services by Wordvice’s professional editors to ensure that you convey an academic style and error-free text, along with including all of the most important content.

Why does a good cover letter matter?

While your research paper’s role is to prove the merits of your research, a strong introductory cover letter is your opportunity to highlight the significance of your research and “sell” its concept to journal editors.

While your research paper’s role is to prove the merits of your research, a strong introductory cover letter is your opportunity to highlight the significance of your research and “sell” its concept to journal editors.

Sadly, we must admit that part of the decision-making process of whether to accept a manuscript is based on a business model. Editors must select articles that will interest their readers. In other words, your paper, if published, must make money . When it’s not quite clear how your research paper might generate interest based on its title and content alone (for example, if your paper is too technical for most editors to appreciate), your cover letter is the one opportunity you will get to convince the editors that your work is worth further review.

In addition to economic factors, many editors use the cover letter to screen whether authors can follow basic instructions . For example, if a journal’s guide for authors states that you must include disclosures, potential reviewers, and statements regarding ethical practices, failure to include these items might lead to the automatic rejection of your article, even if your research is the most progressive project on the planet! By failing to follow directions, you raise a red flag that you may be careless, and if you’re not attentive to the details of a cover letter, editors might wonder about the quality and thoroughness of your research. This is not the impression you want to give editors!

What to Include in a Cover Letter for a Journal Submission

We can’t stress this enough: Follow your target journal’s instructions for authors ! No matter what other advice you read in the vast webosphere, make sure you prioritize the information requested by the editors of the journal you are submitting to. As we explained above, failure to include required statements will lead to an automatic “ desk rejection ”.

With that said, below is a list of the most common elements you must include in your cover letter and what information you should NOT include:

Essential information:

• Editor’s name (when known)
• Name of the journal to which you are submitting
• Your manuscript’s title
• Article type (review, research, case study, etc.)
• Submission date
• Brief background of your study and the research question you sought to answer
• Brief overview of methodology used
• Principle findings and significance to scientific community (how your research advances our understanding of a concept)
• Corresponding author contact information
• Statement that your paper has not been previously published and is not currently under consideration by another journal and that all authors have approved of and have agreed to submit the manuscript to this journal

Other commonly requested information:

• Short list of similar articles previously published by the target journal
• List of relevant works by you or your co-authors that have been previously published or are under consideration by other journals. You can include copies of those works.
• Mention of any prior discussions with editor(s) (for example, if you discussed the topic with an editor at a conference)
• Technical specialties required to evaluate your paper
• Potential reviewers and their contact information
• If needed, reviewers to exclude (this information is most likely also requested elsewhere in online submissions forms)

Other disclosures/statements required by the journal (e.g., compliance with ethical standards, conflicts of interest , agreement to terms of submission, copyright sign-over, etc.)

What you should NOT do:

• Don’t use too much jargon or include too many acronyms.
• Don’t over-embellish your findings or their significance. Avoid words such as “novel,” “first ever,” and “paradigm-changing.” These types of statements show bias and will make the editor question your ability to assess your work’s merits objectively.
• Don’t name-drop. Listing people who might endorse your paper and discussing authors’ reputations do not interest editors. They want to know if your content fits their criteria, so focus solely on addressing that point.
• Don’t write a novel. While you want to adequately explain your work and sell its concept to editors, keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page. The letter is only meant to be an introduction and brief overview.
• Avoid humor . As much as we want to grab the editors’ attention, there are too many ways in which humor can go wrong!

How to Structure a Cover Letter

You should use formal language in your cover letter. Since most submissions are delivered electronically, the template below is in a modified e-mail format. However, if you send your cover letter on letterhead (PDF or hard copy by mail), move your contact information to the upper-left corner of the page unless you use pre-printed letterhead, in which case your contact information should be centered at the top of the letter.

ANNOTATED TEMPLATE Journal Submissions Cover Letter

[Journal Editor’s First and Last Name][, Graduate Degree (if any)] TIP: It’s customary to include any graduate degrees in the addressee’s name. e.g.,  John Smith, MD or Carolyn Daniels, MPH [Title] e.g.,  Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Co-Editors-in-Chief [Journal Name] [Journal Address] [Submission Date: Month Day, Year]

Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. [Editor’s last name]:

TIP: Where the editor’s name is not known, use the relevant title employed by the journal, such as “Dear Managing Editor:” or “Dear Editor-in-Chief:”. Using a person’s name is best, however.

TIP: Use “Ms.” and never “Mrs.” or “Miss” in formal business letters.

TIP:  Never   use “Dear Sirs:” or any similar expression. Many editors will find this insulting, especially given that many of them are female!

[Para.1: 2–3 sentences]  I am writing to submit our manuscript entitled, [“Title”] for consideration as a [Journal Name][Article Type]. [One to two sentence “pitch” that summarizes the study design, where applicable, your research question, your major findings, and the conclusion.]

e.g.,  I am writing to submit our manuscript entitled, “X Marks the Spot” for consideration as an  Awesome Science Journal  research article. We examined the efficacy of using X factors as indicators for depression in Y subjects in Z regions through a 12-month prospective cohort study and can confirm that monitoring the levels of X is critical to identifying the onset of depression, regardless of geographical influences.

TIP: Useful phrases to discuss your findings and conclusion include:

• Our findings confirm that…
• We have determined that…
• Our results suggest…
• We found that…
• We illustrate…
• Our findings reveal…
• Our study clarifies…
• Our research corroborates…
• Our results establish…
• Our work substantiates…

[Para. 2: 2–5 sentences]  Given that [context that prompted your research], we believe that the findings presented in our paper will appeal to the [Reader Profile] who subscribe to [Journal Name]. Our findings will allow your readers to [identify the aspects of the journal’s  Aim and Scope  that align with your paper].

TIP: Identify the journal’s typical audience and how those people can utilize your research to expand their understanding of a topic. For example, if many of your target journal’s readers are interested in the public policy implications of various research studies, you may wish to discuss how your conclusions can help your peers to develop stronger policies that more effectively address public concerns.

TIP: Include context about why this research question had to be addressed.

e.g.,  “Given the struggle policymakers have had to define proper criteria to diagnose the onset of depression in teenagers, we felt compelled to identify a cost-effective and universal methodology that local school administrators can use to screen students.”

TIP: If your paper was prompted by prior research, state this. For example, “After initially researching X, Y approached us to conduct a follow-up study that examined Z. While pursuing this project, we discovered [some new understanding that made you decide the information needed to be shared with your peers via publication.]”

e.g.,  Given the alarming increase in depression rates among teenagers and the lack of any uniform practical tests for screening students, we believe that the findings presented in our paper will appeal to education policymakers who subscribe to  The Journal of Education . Although prior research has identified a few methods that could be used in depression screening, such as X and Y, the applications developed from those findings have been cost-prohibitive and difficult to administer on a national level. Thus, our findings will allow your readers to understand the factors involved in identifying the onset of depression in teenagers better and develop more cost-effective screening procedures that can be employed nationally. In so doing, we hope that our research advances the toolset needed to combat the concerns preoccupying the minds of many school administrators.

[Para 3: Similar works]  “This manuscript expands on the prior research conducted and published by [Authors] in [Journal Name]” or “This paper [examines a different aspect of]/ [takes a different approach to] the issues explored in the following papers also published by [Journal Name].”

TIP: You should mention similar studies recently published by your target journal, if any, but list no more than five. If you only want to mention one article, replace the preceding sentence with “This paper [examines a different aspect of]/ [takes a different approach to] the issues explored by [Authors] in [Article Title], also published by [Journal Name] on [DATE].”

[Para. 4: Additional statements often required]  Each of the authors confirms that this manuscript has not been previously published and is not currently under consideration by any other journal. Additionally, all of the authors have approved the contents of this paper and have agreed to the [Journal Name]’s submission policies.

TIP: If you have previously publicly shared some form or part of your research elsewhere, state so. For example, you can say, “We have presented a subset of our findings [at Event]/ [as a Type of Publication Medium] in [Location] in [Year].”

e.g.,  We have since expanded the scope of our research to contemplate international feasibility and acquired additional data that has helped us to develop a new understanding of geographical influences.

[Para. 5: Potential Reviewers]  Should you select our manuscript for peer review, we would like to suggest the following potential reviewers/referees because they would have the requisite background to evaluate our findings and interpretation objectively.

• [Name, institution, email, expertise]

To the best of our knowledge, none of the above-suggested persons have any conflict of interest, financial or otherwise.

TIP: Include 3–5 reviewers since it is likely that the journal will use at least one of your suggestions.

TIP: Use whichever term (“reviewer” or “referee”) your target journal uses. Paying close attention to a journal’s terminology is a sign that you have properly researched the journal and have prepared!

[Para. 6: Frequently requested additional information]  Each named author has substantially contributed to conducting the underlying research and drafting this manuscript. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, the named authors have no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise.

[Your Name]

Corresponding Author Institution Title Institution/Affiliation Name [Institution Address] [Your e-mail address] [Tel: (include relevant country/area code)] [Fax: (include relevant country/area code)]

Additional Contact [should the corresponding author not be available] Institution Title Institution/Affiliation Name [Institution Address] [Your e-mail address] [Tel: (include relevant country/area code)] [Fax: (include relevant country/area code)]

Quick Cover Letter Checklist Before Submission

• Set the font to Arial or Times New Roman, size 12 point.
• Single-space all text.
• Use one line space between body paragraphs.
• Do not indent paragraphs.
• Keep all text left justified.
• Use spelling and grammar check software. If needed, use a proofreading service or cover letter editing service  such as Wordvice to review your letter for clarity and concision.
• Double-check the editor’s name. Call the journal to confirm if necessary.

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New Manuscripts

Submit a manuscript or letter.

Welcome and thank you for considering the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) as a venue for your work.

As the oldest continuously-published medical journal, our mission since 1812 has been to bring to physicians the best research at the intersection of biomedical science and clinical practice. We are interested in publishing original research that is destined to change clinical practice and teaches something new about the biology of disease . In addition to original research, NEJM publishes reviews, cases, commentary, and other content that is of interest to medical professionals.

The dedication of generations of researchers, authors, reviewers, and physician editors has made NEJM the most widely read and respected medical journal and website in the world.

Submitting to NEJM

NEJM uses highly rigorous editorial, peer, and statistical review processes to evaluate manuscripts for scientific accuracy, novelty, and importance.

Step 1: Acquaint yourself with NEJM Editorial Policies , Article Types, options for Presubmission Inquiry and Rapid Review , Statistical Reporting Guidelines (if applicable), and Key Journal Style Elements .

Step 2: Prepare materials for submission including cover letter (optional), main text, tables, figures, supplementary appendix, clinical trial protocol and statistical analysis plan (if applicable).

Step 3: Submit your manuscript to the NEJM online submission system by clicking on the red button at the top left hand side of this page.

Important to note

Authors are expected to refrain from discussing the submission of their manuscript(s) (or the intention to submit) to NEJM with anyone, including colleagues and journalists. The editors will also keep this information confidential.

NEJM accepts the submission of manuscripts that have previously been posted on a nonprofit preprint server. Authors should notify NEJM of any preprint related to a manuscript submission.

Most NEJM article types are both solicited (invited by NEJM editors) and unsolicited (submitted at author discretion via the NEJM online manuscript submission system).

Presubmission Inquiry

Authors unsure of the suitability of their manuscript for publication may save considerable time and effort by sending a Presubmission Inquiry. An NEJM editor will generally respond by email within one week.

Invited/Commissioned Articles

Certain article types, including reviews and editorials, are usually solicited by NEJM editors in advance of submission. However, authors interested in proposing ideas for these article types may also send Presubmission Inquiries .

Rapid Review

Authors may request a Rapid Review of their manuscripts. NEJM generally replies to Rapid Review requests within three business days and an initial decision on publication will typically be reached within two weeks.

Those studies that are most often approved for a rapid peer review generally:

• Deal with urgent public health concerns
• Have potential to dramatically change clinical practice or to affect mortality
• Are timed to imminent meeting presentations

Approval for Rapid Review does not guarantee acceptance of the manuscript, nor does it guarantee expedited publication if the manuscript is accepted as each of these decisions is made separately.

Our Statistical Editors recommend the following best practices in preparing manuscripts for submission to the Journal . We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the guidelines and follow them, both in the design of research studies and in reporting research findings to the Journal . The review of a manuscript takes into consideration the methods described in the protocol and statistical analysis plan. However, the scientific integrity of the analysis is of primary importance and, on occasion, may override the prespecified methods; this may lead to requests from the Journal for changes in the analysis as submitted.

• a. A protocol document (or equivalent) and a statistical analysis plan (SAP) should be submitted with each manuscript. The SAP should contain enough detail to enable someone else to replicate the analysis in a similar data set. Original and final versions of these documents are important to include if the documents have evolved. Documents should be dated, and changes in the study plans and accompanying rationale should be described. For clinical trials, formal protocol amendments and corresponding changes to the SAP will typically be available and should be included with the manuscript submission.
• b. The Methods section of the manuscript should contain a brief description of the methods for primary, secondary, and exploratory analyses, as well as a brief description of sample size considerations for the study, including statistical power computations when applicable. More detail on any aspect of the statistical methods can be placed in the supplementary appendix.
• c. To prevent confusion, we recommend that authors draw a clear distinction between statistical significance and clinical (or other nonstatistical) significance. This can be achieved by reserving the adjective “significant” to mean “statistically significant.”
• d. Significance tests should be accompanied by effect estimates with standard errors or confidence intervals.
• e. Confidence intervals for ratio quantities, such as relative risks, odds ratios, and hazard ratios, should be computed in the log-scale for inclusion in forest plots.
• f. Unless one-sided tests are required by the study design, such as noninferiority trials, all reported P values should be two-sided.
• g. In general, P values larger than 0.01 should be reported to two decimal places, and those between 0.01 and 0.001 to three decimal places; P values smaller than 0.001 should be reported as P<0.001. Notable exceptions to this policy include P values arising from tests associated with stopping rules in clinical trials or from genomewide association studies.
• h. Results should be presented with no more precision than is of scientific value and is meaningful, given the available sample size. For example, measures of association, such as odds ratios, should ordinarily be reported to two decimal places. Results derived from models should be limited to the appropriate number of significant digits.
• a. To enhance the reproducibility of study results, the Journal emphasizes the need to account for the multiplicity of hypothesis testing in the analysis and to control the probability of error. It is essential that methods to address multiplicity be explicitly prespecified in the protocol or SAP.
• b. For confirmatory analyses, such as those typically reported for end points in clinical trials, the SAP should prespecify a plan to control overall type I error (family-wise error rate). For example, this plan may include Bonferroni adjustments or prespecified hierarchical procedures. P values adjusted for multiplicity should be reported when appropriate and labeled as such in the manuscript. In hierarchical testing procedures, P values should be reported only until the last comparison for which the P value was significant. Thus, P values for the first nonsignificant comparison and for all comparisons thereafter should not be reported.
• c. For exploratory analyses, such as genomewide association studies, investigators may use methods for controlling false discovery rate; the methods should be prespecified in the protocol or SAP.
• d. When no method to adjust for multiplicity of inferences was prespecified in the protocol or SAP, reporting of secondary and exploratory end points should be limited to point estimates of effects with 95% confidence intervals. In such cases, the Methods section should state that the widths of the intervals have not been adjusted for multiplicity and that the intervals may not be used in place of hypothesis testing. The interpretation of these confidence intervals should avoid the language of definitive conclusions used to report statistically significant findings as assessed by formal hypothesis testing. These recommendations supersede previous guidance from the Journal , such as that provided in Wang et al. (N Engl J Med 2007;357:2189–94) .
• a. For the Journal’s general philosophy about handling missing data, please see Ware et al. (N Engl J Med 2012;367:1353–4) .
• b. The manuscript should report the number of participants with missing data for baseline variables (e.g., in Table 1) and for all variables used in analyses, including response and predictor variables.
• c. Unless missingness is rare, a complete case analysis is subject to potential bias and is generally not acceptable as the primary analysis. In the Abstract and Results sections of the manuscript, authors should report analyses that address missing data using appropriate methods and assumptions about missing data, such as missing at random.
• d. The Methods section of the manuscript should include a description of the approach used to address missing data, including a statement of assumptions being made about the missing data or the missing data mechanism. Because these assumptions cannot be tested with data, they should be accompanied by contextual justification.
• e. Multiple imputation, inverse probability case weights, or appropriately specified statistical models can be used when data are assumed to be missing at random. Sensitivity analyses may be necessary to assess the impact of systematic or informative missingness (for example, when the missing-at-random assumption may not be viable). Details on sensitivity analyses that assess the impact of alternative assumptions about missing data should be provided in the supplementary appendix.
• f. The guidelines on missing data provided above apply to all analyses presented in the manuscript, such as those addressing primary and secondary end points.
• a. Estimates of the hazard ratio (HR) are not directly interpretable when the assumption of proportional hazards (PH) is not consonant with the data. When reporting HR estimates, the manuscript should address the appropriateness of the PH assumption and provide corroborating evidence. If the PH assumption appears to be inconsistent with the data, HR estimates should not be reported and alternative metrics should be used to report comparisons. Please see the accompanying document, Considerations in Time-to-Event Analyses .
• b. When some censoring may be due to dependent competing events, Kaplan–Meier estimates of event-time distributions may be biased and should be replaced by appropriate estimates of cumulative incidence. HRs estimated with a Cox PH estimate may also be biased and should be replaced by measures of association that account for dependent competing risks. Please see Considerations in Time-to-Event Analyses .
• a. When a Bayesian approach to the design and analysis of a study has been chosen, the approach should be applied consistently. The design should be based on Bayesian considerations, and the analysis should be consistent with the design.
• i. the form of the likelihood function
• ii. the choice of prior distributions
• iii. the method for deriving the posterior distribution
• iv. the method for deriving summaries of the posterior distribution, on which inference will be based.
• c. The results of a Bayesian analysis should be accompanied by an adequate exploration of the sensitivity of the reported inferences to assumptions about the prior distributions.
• d. The presentation of frequentist analyses alongside the primary Bayesian analyses is not encouraged.
• a. The analysis of the primary outcome in manuscripts reporting results of clinical trials should match the analyses prespecified in the final protocol and SAP, except in unusual circumstances. Analyses that do not conform to the protocol should be justified in the Methods section of the manuscript. The editors may ask for additional analyses that are not specified in the protocol.
• b. P values should not be included in the traditional Table 1 of a randomized trial manuscript showing the distribution of baseline variables by treatment group. However, authors should note imbalances in potential confounders that could be due to chance or inconsistencies in randomization.
• c. Forest plots are often used to present results from an analysis of the consistency of a treatment effect across subgroups of factors of interest. Such plots can be a useful display of estimated treatment effects across subgroups, and the editors recommend that they be included for important subgroups. However, multiplicity considerations continue to apply to forest plots. Thus, if these analyses are not covered in the prespecified plan for multiplicity adjustment, the forest plots should not include P values for treatment by subgroup interactions.
• d. When safety outcomes do not constitute primary end points in a study, no adjustment for multiplicity is necessary for their analysis. Because information contained in the safety end points may signal problems within specific organ classes, the editors believe that experiment-wide type I error rates larger than 0.05 are acceptable. In particular, the editors may request that P values be reported for comparisons of the frequency of adverse events among treatment groups, regardless of whether such comparisons were prespecified in the SAP.
• e. Per protocol analyses that are based on an analysis dataset constructed by eliminating cases on the basis of post-randomization events (e.g., treatment discontinuation because of side effects or dose changes not specified in the protocol) are generally biased and are generally not allowed. More principled methods of analyzing a trial subject to nonadherence should be used, for example as discussed in Hernán and Robins (N Engl J Med 2017;377: 1391–8) .
• f. When possible, the editors prefer that absolute event counts or rates be reported before relative risk or hazard ratio estimates. The goal is to provide the reader with both the actual event frequency and the relative frequency.
• g. In general, relative risk estimates are the preferred quantities to report. If authors plan to rely on odds ratios in the analysis, a justification should be provided in the Methods section addressing the concerns that odds ratios may overestimate the relative risks and may be misinterpreted.
• h. Authors should provide a flow diagram in CONSORT format. The editors also encourage authors to submit all the relevant information included in the CONSORT checklist. Although all this information may not be published with the manuscript, it should be provided in either the manuscript or a supplementary appendix at the time of submission. The CONSORT statement, checklist, and flow diagram are available on the CONSORT website.
• i. In assessing robustness of findings about the primary end point, authors should distinguish between sensitivity analyses and other types of analyses (such as analyses of particular subsets). A sensitivity analysis is designed to assess the impact of statistical assumptions, analysis method, or model choice on inferences about an end point. Authors reporting sensitivity analyses should consult Morris et al. (BMC Medical Research Methodology 2014;14:11) for guidance and examples.
• a. The validity of findings from observational studies depends on several important assumptions, including those relating to sample selection, measured and unmeasured confounding, and the adequacy of methods used to control for confounding. The Methods section of observational studies manuscripts should describe how these and other relevant issues were addressed in study design and analysis.
• b. As noted in the section on general requirements, a protocol document and an SAP document must be submitted with the manuscript. If a protocol document was not compiled for the particular study, alternative sources of information may be used, including such documents as sections of grant applications and study descriptions prepared for local institutional review boards and other review bodies.
• c. In any case, an SAP document must be submitted, even if it was not prepared during the conduct of the study. The SAP should include the aims of the study, identify primary and secondary end points, and describe the eligibility criteria for the selection of cases and method of sampling from the data, with a diagram as appropriate. The SAP should also provide a detailed description of the association or causal effect to be estimated and the rationale for this choice, and describe the prespecified methods of analysis to draw inference about treatment or exposure effect or association and plans to control for multiplicity of inferences, as discussed earlier in these guidelines. The Journal encourages authors to deposit SAPs for observational studies in one of the online repositories designed for this purpose. The SAP should be dated and should make clear whether it was written before or after preliminary data analyses.
• d. Causal language (e.g., exposure X leads to outcome Y, or changes in exposure X produce changes in outcome Y) should not be used in observational studies where only associations can be estimated.
• e. In studies in which estimating a causal effect is the goal, the analysis should use methods specifically designed for causal inference and should be accompanied by a description of the assumptions required to support a causal interpretation. These methods generally attempt to mimic the benefits of randomization using techniques such as matching, instrumental variables, inverse probability weights, or standardization techniques. The choice of method should be justified and be accompanied by diagnostics.
• f. Studies reporting the association of a treatment or exposure with an outcome should show the distribution of potential confounders and other variables, stratified by exposure or intervention group. When the analysis depends on the confounders being balanced by exposure group, standardized mean differences between groups, calculated after matching, weighting, or other adjustment technique, should be reported.
• g. Complex models and their diagnostics can often be best described in a supplementary appendix. Authors are encouraged to conduct an analysis that quantifies potential sensitivity to bias from unmeasured confounding; in the manuscript, authors must provide a discussion of potential biases induced by unmeasured confounders.
• h. Authors are encouraged to retest findings in a similar but independent study or studies to assess the robustness of their findings.

Units of Measurement

Authors should express all measurements in conventional units, with Système International (SI) units given in parentheses throughout the text. Figures and tables should use conventional units, with conversion factors given in legends or footnotes. In accordance with the Uniform Requirements, however, manuscripts containing only SI units will not be returned for that reason.

Abbreviations

Except for units of measurement, abbreviations are strongly discouraged; the first time an abbreviation appears, it should be preceded by the words for which it stands.

Generic names should be used. When proprietary brands are used in research, include the brand name and the name of the manufacturer in parentheses after the first mention of the generic name in the Methods section.

Cover Letter

Though cover letters are not required, the NEJM Online Submission system contains a text field through which important information that is not in the metadata, such as a meeting presentation date or a major conflict of interest not in the manuscript, should be communicated with initial manuscript submissions.

Manuscript Text File

Compile all text, references, figure legends, and tables into a single double-spaced digital file (preferably an MS Word document). NEJM will also accept text (.txt), or Rich Text Format (.rtf) files.

Create a title page that includes:

• Manuscript title
• Each author’s name, highest degree, and affiliation/institution
• Contact information for one corresponding author

Provide an abstract of not more than 250 words with four labeled paragraphs containing the following:

• Background: Problem being addressed in the study
• Methods: How the study was performed
• Results: Salient results
• Conclusions: What the authors conclude from study results
• Trial registration number

Identifying Data

At appropriate places in the manuscript, please provide the following items:

• If applicable, a statement that the research protocol was approved by relevant institutional review boards or ethics committees and that all human participants gave written informed consent
• Identities of those who analyzed the data
• For clinical trials, registration number and registry name (see: N Engl J Med 2004;351:1250-1)
• For studies containing microarrays, accession numbers and repository name

References must be double-spaced and numbered consecutively as they are cited. References first cited in a table or figure legend should be numbered so they will be in sequence with references cited in the text at the point where the table or figure is first mentioned. List all citation authors when there are six or fewer; when there are seven or more, list the first three, followed by et al.

The following are sample references:

• 1. Shapiro AMJ, Lakey JRT, Ryan EA, et al. Islet transplantation in seven patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus using a glucocorticoid-free immunosuppressive regimen. N Engl J Med 2000;343:230-8.
• 2. Goadsby PJ. Pathophysiology of headache. In: Silberstein SD, Lipton RB, Dalessio DJ, eds. Wolff's headache and other head pain. 7th ed. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2001:57-72.
• 3. Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Grammer-Strawn LM, et al. CDC growth charts: United States. Advance data from vital and health statistics. No. 314. Hyattsville, Md.: National Center for Health Statistics, 2000. (DHHS publication no. (PHS) 2000-1250 0-0431.)
• 4. Medicare: trends in fees, utilization, and expenditures for imaging services before and after implementation of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, September 2008. ( http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d081102r.pdf .)

Numbered references to personal communications, unpublished data, or manuscripts either “in preparation” or “submitted for publication” are unacceptable. If essential, such materials can be incorporated at appropriate places in the text.

All tables should be included at the end of the manuscript text file. Double-space tables (including footnotes) and provide a title for each table. For Original Articles, there is normally a limit of five figures and tables (total) per manuscript. Extensive tables or supplementary materials will be published as supplemental materials with the digital version of the article.

Authors can either insert figures into text files (preferred) or upload figure files separately. Low-resolution images may be submitted for peer review, but be aware that NEJM may, at a later stage, request high-resolution versions that comply fully with detailed Technical Guidelines for Figures .

A manuscript’s Supplementary Appendix should be paginated, with a table of contents, followed by a list of investigators (if there is one), text (such as methods), figures, tables, and then references. Reference citations in the Appendix and the corresponding list of references should be self-contained with respect to the Appendix. The Appendix must be submitted in two formats: PDF and MS Word (or another editable text format). The Appendix will not be edited for style and will be presented online as additional information provided by the authors.

For outcome scales, provide in the figure legend or table footnotes the range, sign, and minimally important difference (if known). There must be an informative reference citation for the scale. Each figure should include a title and a legend, which should appear on the same page as the figure itself. Tables in the Supplementary Appendix should be labeled Table S1, Table S2, etc. Each table should be accompanied by a title and, if necessary, footnotes.

If needed, a protocol and statistical analysis plan will be requested. They are required for all interventional trials and may occasionally be requested for other types of manuscripts. Protocol and statistical analysis plan documents should not be redacted except for names and contact information of individuals who may have signed the documents. If the article is selected for publication, the protocol posted with the article may include redactions of proprietary information but must include information on the patient flow and outcomes.

Submit to NEJM

Click the button below to log in to the NEJM online submission system (ScholarOne Manuscripts) to submit a new manuscript. Once logged in, select Start New Submission and follow the instructions appearing on subsequent screens.

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How to submit

Online submission.

Owing to the volume of manuscripts we receive, all submissions need to be made via our  online submission system . Using this system, authors can upload manuscript files (text, figures, videos) directly to our office and check on the status of their manuscripts during the review process. In addition, reviewers can access the manuscript online, which speeds up the review process. Revised manuscripts should be uploaded via the link provided in the editor's decision letter. Please do not submit revisions as new manuscripts.

Editorial and publishing policies

Before a manuscript is submitted, please review our journal policies , and ensure that the submission complies with our policy requirements.

Submission policies

Submission to  Nature Communications  is taken to imply that there is no significant overlap between the submitted manuscript and any other papers from the same authors under consideration or in press elsewhere. (Abstracts or unrefereed web preprints do not compromise novelty). The authors must include copies of all related manuscripts with any overlap in authorship that are under consideration or in press elsewhere. If a related manuscript is submitted elsewhere while the manuscript is under consideration at  Nature Communications , a copy of the related manuscript must be sent to the editor.

The primary affiliation for each author should be the institution where the majority of their work was done. If an author has subsequently moved, the current address may also be stated.

If the manuscript includes personal communications, please provide a written statement of permission from any person who is quoted. E-mail permission messages are acceptable.

Follow this link for further information on the review process and how editors make decisions .

After acceptance, a copy editor may make changes to the manuscript so that it is readable and clear to those outside the field, and so that papers conform to our style. Contributors are sent proofs and are welcome to discuss proposed changes with the editors, but  Nature Communications  reserves the right to make the final decision about matters of style and the size of figures.

The editors also reserve the right to reject a paper even after it has been accepted if it becomes apparent that there are serious problems with the scientific content or with violations of our publishing policies.

Additional editorial policies can be found on the  Nature journals joint policies page . This page includes information on manuscripts reviewed at other Nature journals, competing interests declarations, pre-publication publicity, deposition of data as a condition of publication, availability of data and reagents after publication, human and animal subjects, digital image integrity, biosecurity, refutations, complaints, correction of mistakes, duplicate publication, confidentiality and plagiarism.

Authors who need help understanding our data sharing policies, help finding a suitable data repository, or help organising and sharing research data can access our Author Support portal for additional guidance.

Source data

For relevant manuscripts, we may request a source data file in Microsoft Excel format or a zipped folder. The source data file should, as a minimum, contain the raw data underlying any graphs and charts, and uncropped versions of any gels or blots presented in the figures. Within the source data file, each figure or table (in the main manuscript and in the Supplementary Information) containing relevant data should be represented by a single sheet in an Excel document, or a single .txt file or other file type in a zipped folder. Blot and gel images should be pasted in and labelled with the relevant panel and identifying information such as the antibody used. We also encourage authors to include any other types of raw data that may be appropriate. An example source data file is available demonstrating the correct format.

Nature Communications  does not charge submission fees or page charges. However, authors submitting to Nature Communications  from 20th October 2014 are required to publish their work open access, through payment of an article processing charge (APC), in the case of eventual acceptance. Please see the  open access page  for APC pricing and details of our free funding support service.

General information for preparing manuscripts

Manuscripts should be prepared for online submission. Online submissions include a cover letter, a manuscript text file, individual figure files and optional Supplementary Information files. For first submissions (i.e. not revised manuscripts), authors may choose to incorporate the manuscript text and figures into a single file (Microsoft Word, TeX/LaTeX or PDF) up to 30 MB in size — the figures may be inserted within the text at the appropriate positions, or grouped at the end. Supplementary Information should be combined and supplied as a separate file, preferably in Word format.

Nature Communications  is read by scientists from diverse backgrounds. In addition, many are not native English speakers. Authors should, therefore, give careful thought to how their findings may be communicated clearly. Although a basic knowledge of science may be assumed, please bear in mind that the language and concepts that are standard in one field may be unfamiliar to non-specialists. Thus, technical jargon should be avoided as far as possible and clearly explained where its use is unavoidable.

Abbreviations, particularly those that are not standard, should also be kept to a minimum. Where unavoidable, abbreviations should be defined in the text or legends at their first occurrence, and abbreviations should be used thereafter. The background, rationale and main conclusions of the study should be clearly explained. Titles and abstracts in particular should be written in language that will be readily intelligible to any scientist. We strongly recommend that authors ask a colleague with different expertise to review the manuscript before submission, in order to identify concepts and terminology that may present difficulties to non-specialist readers.

If you want to participate in double-blind peer review, prepare your manuscript in a way that conceals the identities of all the authors and tick the appropriate box during online submission. We recommend that authors refer to our double-blind peer review guidelines when preparing a double-blind peer review manuscript. Note that editors do not ensure that the paper is properly anonymised; that is the authors' responsibility.

Follow this link for information about the different types of contributions, along with their length and figure limits . The journal's format requirements are described below.

Language editing

Nature Communication s is read by scientists from diverse backgrounds. In addition, many are not native English speakers. Authors should therefore give careful thought to how their findings may be communicated clearly. Although a shared basic knowledge of the relevant research area may be assumed, please bear in mind that the language and concepts that are standard in one subfield may be unfamiliar to non-specialists. Thus, technical jargon should be avoided as far as possible and clearly explained where its use is unavoidable. Abbreviations, particularly those that are not standard, should also be kept to a minimum. The background, rationale and main conclusions of the study should be clearly explained. Titles and abstracts in particular should be written in language that will be readily intelligible to any scientist

Even though no paper will be rejected for poor language, non–native English speakers occasionally receive feedback from editors and reviewers regarding language and grammar usage in their manuscripts. You may wish to consider asking a colleague whose native language is English to read your manuscript and/or to use a professional editing service such as those provided by our affiliates Nature Research Editing Service or American Journal Experts . Please note that the use of a language editing service is not a requirement for publication in Nature Communications .

Cover letter

Authors should provide a cover letter that includes the affiliation and contact information for the corresponding author. Authors should briefly discuss the work's importance and explain why the work is considered appropriate for the diverse readership of  Nature Communications . Authors are asked to provide the names and contact information for qualified scientific reviewers and they may request the exclusion of certain referees. Finally, authors should indicate whether they have had any prior discussions with a  Nature Communications  editor about the work described in the manuscript.

Manuscript text

For first submissions (i.e. not revised manuscripts), authors may choose to incorporate the manuscript text and figures into a single file (Microsoft Word, TeX/LaTeX or PDF) up to 30 MB in size — the figures may be inserted within the text at the appropriate positions, or grouped at the end. Supplementary Information should be combined and supplied as a separate file, preferably in Word format.

Alternatively authors can follow the guidelines outlined below, which must be followed when submitting files for revisions.

All textual content should be provided in a single file, prepared using either Microsoft Word or TeX/LaTeX; figures should be provided in individual files. The manuscript text file should include the following parts, in order: a title page with author affiliations and contact information (the corresponding author should be identified with an asterisk); the sections required for each content type (see information for different content types) then References, Acknowledgements (optional), Author Contributions (Articles only), Competing Interests statement, Figure Legends and Tables.

Microsoft Word —  Nature Communications  does not use a manuscript template for Word documents. The manuscript file should be formatted as double-spaced, single-column text without justification. Pages should be numbered using an Arabic numeral in the footer of each page. Standard fonts are recommended and the 'symbols' font should be used for representing Greek characters.

TeX/LaTeX — To submit a TeX/LaTeX file, please use any of the standard class files such as article.cls, revtex.cls or amsart.cls. All textual material should be provided as a single file in default Computer Modern fonts. Please avoid non-standard fonts and packages and remove all personal macros before submitting. For graphics, we recommend graphicx.sty. Please use numerical references only for citations, and include the references within the manuscript file itself.  If you wish to use BibTeX, please copy the reference list from the .bbl file, paste it into the main manuscript .tex file, and delete the associated \bibliography and \bibliographystyle commands. Before submission, please ensure that the complete .tex file compiles successfully on your own system with no errors or warnings. There is no need to spend time visually formatting the manuscript: our style will be imposed automatically when the paper is prepared for publication.

Gene nomenclature

Authors should use approved nomenclature for gene symbols, and use symbols rather than italicized full names (for example  Ttn , not  titin ). Please consult the appropriate nomenclature databases for correct gene names and symbols. A useful resource is  Entrez Gene . Approved human gene symbols are provided by HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC), e-mail:  [email protected] ; see also www.genenames.org . Approved mouse symbols are provided by The Jackson Laboratory, e-mail: [email protected] ; see also  www.informatics.jax.org/mgihome/nomen .

For proposed gene names that are not already approved, please submit the gene symbols to the appropriate nomenclature committees as soon as possible, as these must be deposited and approved before publication of an article.

Avoid listing multiple names of genes (or proteins) separated by a slash, as in ' Oct4/Pou5f1 ', as this is ambiguous (it could mean a ratio, a complex, alternative names or different subunits). Use one name throughout and include the other at first mention: ' Oct4  (also known as  Pou5f1 )'.

The Methods section should be written as concisely as possible but should contain all elements necessary to allow interpretation and replication of the results. This section should be subdivided by short headings referring to methods used and we encourage the inclusion of specific sections for statistics, reagents and animal models. Commercial suppliers of reagents or instrumentation should be identified only when the source is critical to the outcome of the experiments. Sources for kits should be identified.

Experimental protocols that describe the synthesis of new compounds should be included. The systematic name of the compound and its bold Arabic numeral are used as the heading for the experimental protocol. Thereafter, the compound is represented by its assigned bold numeral. Authors should describe the experimental protocol in detail, referring to amounts of reagents in parentheses, when possible (e.g. 1.03 g, 0.100 mmol). Standard abbreviations for reagents and solvents are encouraged. Safety hazards posed by reagents or protocols should be identified clearly. Isolated mass and percent yields should be reported at the end of each protocol.

Authors can deposit other step-by-step protocols used in their study to  Protocol Exchange , an open resource maintained by NPG. Protocols deposited by the authors will be linked to the Methods section upon publication.

References should be numbered sequentially first throughout the text, then in tables, followed by figures and, finally, boxes; that is, references that only appear in tables, figures or boxes should be last in the reference list. Only one publication is given for each number. Only papers that have been published or accepted by a named publication or recognized preprint server should be in the numbered list. Published conference abstracts, numbered patents and research datasets that have been assigned a digital object identifier (DOI) may be included in the reference list. Grant details and acknowledgments are not permitted as numbered references. Footnotes are not used.

BibTeX bibliography files cannot be accepted. LaTeX submission must contain all references within the manuscript .tex file itself (see above TeX/LaTeX section for more details).

Nature Communications  uses standard  Nature  referencing style. All authors should be included in reference lists unless there are six or more, in which case only the first author should be given, followed by 'et al.'. Authors should be listed last name first, followed by a comma and initials (followed by full stops) of given names. Article titles should be in Roman text, only the first word of the title should have an initial capital and the title should be written exactly as it appears in the work cited, ending with a full stop. Book titles should be given in italics and all words in the title should have initial capitals. Journal names are italicized and abbreviated (with full stops) according to common usage. Volume numbers and the subsequent comma appear in bold. The full page range should be given, where appropriate.

Titles of cited articles are required for Articles, Letters, Reviews and Progress articles. Example: Eigler, D. M. & Schweizer, E. K. Positioning single atoms with a scanning tunnelling microscope.  Nature   344 , 524-526 (1990).

For Commentaries or News & Views, titles of cited articles are not included. Example: Iijima, S.  Nature   354 , 56-58 (1991).

For book citations, the publisher and city of publication are required. Example: Jones, R. A. L.  Soft Machines: Nanotechnology and Life Ch. 3  (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2004).

Research datasets may be cited in the reference list if they have been assigned digital object identifiers (DOIs) and include authors, title, publisher (repository name), identifier (DOI expressed as a URL). Example:

Hao, Z., AghaKouchak, A., Nakhjiri, N. & Farahmand, A. Global Integrated Drought Monitoring and Prediction System (GIDMaPS) data sets. figshare  http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.853801  (2014).

To cite a preprint, please follow this style: Babichev, S. A., Ries, J. & Lvovsky, A. I. Quantum scissors: teleportation of single-mode optical states by means of a nonlocal single photon. Preprint at http://arXiv.org/quant-ph/0208066 (2002).

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements should be brief and should not include effusive comments. Grant or contribution numbers may be acknowledged.

Author contributions

Nature Communications  requires an author contributions statement as described in the  Authorship  section of our joint  Editorial policies . Large Language Models (LLMs), such as  ChatGPT , do not currently satisfy our  authorship criteria . Notably an attribution of authorship carries with it accountability for the work, which cannot be effectively applied to LLMs. Use of an LLM should be properly documented in the Methods section (and if a Methods section is not available, in a suitable alternative part) of the manuscript. In response to emerging information, advice, guidance and policy around artificial intelligence (AI), we have created a dedicated AI section in our  Editorial Policy page . Please familiarize yourself with this content and comply with relevant policies.

Competing interests

A competing interests statement is required for all content of the journal. This statement will be published at the end of all papers, whether or not a competing interest is reported.

ORCID for corresponding authors

As part of our efforts to improve transparency in authorship, we request that all corresponding authors of published papers provide their Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier (ORCID) ID, before resubmitting the final version of the manuscript. ORCID helps the scientific community achieve unambiguous attribution of all scholarly contributions.

Corresponding authors should link their ORCID to their account in the manuscript tracking system (MTS). From the MTS homepage, click Modify my Springer Nature account and then ORCID Create/link an Open Researcher Contributor ID (ORCID) in the Personal Profile tab. This will re-direct you to the ORCID website. If you already have an ORCID account, enter your ORCID email and password and click on Authorize . If you don’t have one, you can create one at this stage. Linking ORCID and MTS accounts can be done at any time prior to acceptance. For more information please visit ORCID at Springer Nature . If you experience technical issues please contact the Platform Support Helpdesk .

Non-corresponding authors do not have to link their ORCID but are encouraged to do so. Please note that it is not possible to add/modify ORCID details at proof.

Figure legends

Figure legends begin with a brief title sentence for the whole figure and continue with a short description of what is shown in each panel and the symbols used; methodological details should be kept to a minimum as much as possible. Each legend should total no more than 350 words. Text for figure legends should be provided in numerical order after the references.

Please submit tables at the end of your text document (in Word or TeX/LaTeX, as appropriate). Tables that include statistical analysis of data should describe their standards of error analysis and ranges in a table legend.

Equations and mathematical expressions should be provided in the main text of the paper. Equations that are referred to in the text are identified by parenthetical numbers, such as (1), and are referred to in the manuscript as "equation (1)".

General figure guidelines

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any figures or illustrations that are protected by copyright, including figures published elsewhere and pictures taken by professional photographers. The journal cannot publish images downloaded from the internet without appropriate permission.

Figures should be numbered separately with Arabic numerals in the order of occurrence in the text of the manuscript. One- or two-column format figures are required. When appropriate, figures should include error bars. A description of the statistical treatment of error analysis should be included in the figure legend. Please note that schemes are not used; sequences of chemical reactions or experimental procedures should be submitted as figures, with appropriate captions. A limited number of uncaptioned graphics depicting chemical structures — each labelled with their name, by a defined abbreviation, or by the bold Arabic numeral — may be included in a manuscript. Although suggestions can be made by the authors, the final decision regarding the positioning and grouping of such structures rests with the editorial team.

Figure lettering should be in a clear, sans-serif typeface (for example, Helvetica); if possible, the same typeface in approximately the same font size should be used for all figures in a paper. Use symbol font for Greek letters. All display items should be on a white background, and should avoid excessive boxing, unnecessary colour, spurious decorative effects (such as three-dimensional 'skyscraper' histograms) and highly pixelated computer drawings. The vertical axis of histograms should not be truncated to exaggerate small differences. Labelling must be of sufficient size and contrast to be readable, even after appropriate reduction. The thinnest lines in the final figure should be no smaller than one point wide. Reasonable requests to enlarge figures will be considered, but editors will make the final decision on figure size. Authors will see a proof of figures.

Figures divided into parts should be labelled with a lower-case bold a, b, and so on, in the same type size as used elsewhere in the figure. Lettering in figures should be in lower-case type, with only the first letter of each label capitalized. Units should have a single space between the number and the unit, and follow SI nomenclature (for example, ms rather than msec) or the nomenclature common to a particular field. Thousands should be separated by commas (1,000). Unusual units or abbreviations should be spelled out in full or defined in the legend. Scale bars should be used rather than magnification factors, with the length of the bar defined in the legend rather than on the bar itself. In legends, please use visual cues rather than verbal explanations such as "open red triangles".

Authors are encouraged to consider the needs of colourblind readers (a substantial minority of the male population) when choosing colours for figures. Many colourblind readers cannot interpret visuals that rely on discrimination of green and red, for example. Thus, we ask authors to recolour green-and-red heatmaps, graphs and schematics for which colours are chosen arbitrarily. Recolouring primary data, such as fluorescence or rainbow pseudo-coloured images, to colour-safe combinations such as green and magenta, turquoise and red, yellow and blue or other accessible colour palettes is strongly encouraged.

Unnecessary figures should be avoided: data presented in small tables or histograms, for instance, can generally be stated briefly in the text instead. Figures should not contain more than one panel unless the parts are logically connected; each panel of a multipart figure should be sized so that the whole figure can be reduced by the same amount and reproduced at the smallest size at which essential details are visible.

Nature Communications will no longer publish, or send out for peer review, manuscripts which use the image Lena. Authors are advised to substitute the image before submission of their manuscript. Authors of submitted manuscripts which include the image Lena will be requested to substitute the image, or justify the scientific necessity for using the image, prior to peer review.

When a manuscript is accepted for publication, we will ask for high-resolution figure files, possibly in a different electronic format. This information will be included in the acceptance letter. See below for details of digital image production and submission.

Please read the  digital images integrity and standards  policy.

To assist with the peer review process, figures and tables may be included within the manuscript text. However, for publication, high-quality image files need to be prepared for each figure. When possible, we prefer to use original digital figures to ensure the highest-quality reproduction in the journal. For optimal results, prepare figures to fit the pdf page size (210 x 276 mm), and supply the figure in the format in which they were compiled. When creating and submitting digital files, please follow the guidelines below. Failure to do so, or to adhere to the following guidelines, can significantly delay publication of your work.

1. Line art, graphs, charts and schematics

All line art, graphs, charts and schematics should be supplied in vector format, such as Encapsulated PostScript (.EPS), Adobe Illustrator (.AI), or Portable Document Format (.PDF), and should be saved or exported as such directly from the application in which they were made.

We prefer to work with Adobe Illustrator but can accept Word and PowerPoint files.

They should not be flattened, compressed, converted or saved as bitmaps, jpegs or other non-vector file types. If line-art figures cannot be supplied as vector files they should be supplied at 1,200 DPI and prepared to fit the page size.

2. Photographic and bitmapped images

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How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]

After weeks of heavy job searching, you’re almost there!

You’ve perfected your resume.

You’ve short-listed the coolest jobs you want to apply for.

You’ve even had a friend train you for every single interview question out there.

But then, before you can send in your application and call it a day, you remember that you need to write a cover letter too.

So now, you’re stuck staring at a blank page, wondering where to start...

Don’t panic! We’ve got you covered. Writing a cover letter is a lot simpler than you might think. 

In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to write a cover letter that gets you the job you deserve.

We're going to cover:

What Is a Cover Letter?

• How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter, Step by Step
• 15+ Job-Winning Cover Letter Examples

Let’s get started.

A cover letter is a document that you submit as part of your job application, alongside your resume or CV.

The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce you and briefly summarize your professional background. On average, it should be around 250 to 400 words long .

A good cover letter is supposed to impress the hiring manager and convince them you’re worth interviewing as a candidate.

So, how can your cover letter achieve this?

First of all, it should complement your resume, not copy it. Your cover letter is your chance to elaborate on important achievements, skills, or anything else that your resume doesn’t give you the space to cover. 

For example, if you have an employment gap on your resume, the cover letter is a great place to explain why it happened and how it helped you grow as a person. 

If this is your first time writing a cover letter, writing about yourself might seem complicated. But don’t worry—you don’t need to be super creative or even a good writer .

All you have to do is follow this tried and tested cover letter structure:

• Header. Add all the necessary contact information at the top of your cover letter.
• Formal greeting. Choose an appropriate way to greet your target audience.
• Introduction. Introduce yourself in the opening paragraph and explain your interest in the role.
• Body. Elaborate on why you’re the best candidate for the job and a good match for the company. Focus on “selling” your skills, achievements, and relevant professional experiences.
• Conclusion. Summarize your key points and wrap it up professionally.

Now, let’s take a look at an example of a cover letter that follows our structure perfectly:

New to cover letter writing? Give our cover letter video a watch before diving into the article!

When Should You Write a Cover Letter?

You should always include a cover letter in your job application, even if the hiring manager never reads it. Submitting a cover letter is as important as submitting a resume if you want to look like a serious candidate.

If the employer requests a cover letter as part of the screening process, not sending one is a huge red flag and will probably get your application tossed into the “no” pile immediately.

On the other hand, if the job advertisement doesn’t require a cover letter from the candidates, adding one shows you went the extra mile.

Putting in the effort to write a cover letter can set you apart from other candidates with similar professional experience and skills, and it could even sway the hiring manager to call you for an interview if you do it right.

Need to write a letter to help get you into a good school or volunteer program? Check out our guide to learn how to write a motivation letter !

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

Now that you know what a cover letter is, it’s time to learn how to write one!

We’ll go through the process in detail, step by step.

#1. Choose the Right Cover Letter Template

A good cover letter is all about leaving the right first impression.

So, what’s a better way to leave a good impression than a well-formatted, stylish template?

Just choose one of our hand-picked cover letter templates , and you’ll be all set in no time!

As a bonus, our intuitive AI will even give you suggestions on how to improve your cover letter as you write it. You’ll have the perfect cover letter done in minutes!

#2. Put Contact Information in the Header

As with a resume, it’s important to start your cover letter with your contact details at the top. These should be in your cover letter’s header, separated neatly from the bulk of your text.

Here, you want to include all the essential contact information , including:

• Full Name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top.
• Job Title. Match the professional title underneath your name to the exact job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
• Email Address. Always use a professional and easy-to-spell email address. Ideally, it should combine your first and last names.
• Phone Number. Add a number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
• Location. Add your city and state/country, no need for more details.
• Relevant Links (optional). You can add links to websites or social media profiles that are relevant to your field. Examples include a LinkedIn profile , Github, or an online portfolio.

Then it’s time to add the recipient’s contact details, such as:

• Hiring Manager's Name. If you can find the name of the hiring manager, add it.
• Hiring Manager's Title. While there’s no harm in writing “hiring manager,” if they’re the head of the department, we recommend you use that title accordingly.
• Company Name. Make sure to write the name of the company you're applying to.
• Location. The city and state/country are usually enough information here, too.
• Date of Writing (Optional). You can include the date you wrote your cover letter for an extra professional touch.

#3. Address the Hiring Manager

Once you’ve properly listed all the contact information, it’s time to start writing the content of the cover letter.

The first thing you need to do here is to address your cover letter directly to the hiring manager.

In fact, you want to address the hiring manager personally .

Forget the old “Dear Sir or Madam” or the impersonal “To Whom It May Concern.” You want to give your future boss a good impression and show them that you did your research before sending in your application.

No one wants to hire a job seeker who just spams 20+ companies and hopes something sticks with their generic approach

So, how do you find out who’s the hiring manager?

First, check the job ad. The hiring manager’s name might be listed somewhere in it.

If that doesn’t work, check the company’s LinkedIn page. You just need to look up the head of the relevant department you’re applying to, and you’re all set.

For example, if you’re applying for the position of Communication Specialist at Novorésumé. The hiring manager is probably the Head of Communications or the Chief Communications Officer.

Here’s what you should look for on LinkedIn:

And there you go! You have your hiring manager.

But let’s say you’re applying for a position as a server . In that case, you’d be looking for the “restaurant manager” or “food and beverage manager.”

If the results don’t come up with anything, try checking out the “Team” page on the company website; there’s a good chance you’ll at least find the right person there.

Make sure to address them as Mr. or Ms., followed by their last name. If you’re not sure about their gender or marital status, you can just stick to their full name, like so:

• Dear Mr. Kurtuy,
• Dear Andrei Kurtuy,

But what if you still can’t find the hiring manager’s name, no matter where you look?

No worries. You can direct your cover letter to the company, department, or team as a whole, or just skip the hiring manager’s name.

• Dear [Department] Hiring Manager
• Dear Hiring Manager
• Dear [Department] Team
• Dear [Company Name]

Are you applying for a research position? Learn how to write an academic personal statement .

#4. Write an Eye-Catching Introduction

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to your job search.

Hiring managers get hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of applications. Chances are, they’re not going to be reading every single cover letter end-to-end.

So, it’s essential to catch their attention from the very first paragraph.

The biggest problem with most opening paragraphs is that they’re usually extremely generic. Here’s an example:

• My name is Jonathan, and I’d like to work as a Sales Manager at XYZ Inc. I’ve worked as a Sales Manager at MadeUpCompany Inc. for 5+ years, so I believe that I’d be a good fit for the position.

See the issue here? This opening paragraph doesn’t say anything except the fact that you’ve worked the job before.

And do you know who else has similar work experience? All the other applicants you’re competing with.

Instead, you want to start with some of your top achievements to grab the reader’s attention. And to get the point across, the achievements should be as relevant as possible to the position.

Your opening paragraph should also show the hiring manager a bit about why you want this specific job. For example, mention how the job relates to your plans for the future or how it can help you grow professionally. This will show the hiring manager that you’re not just applying left and right—you’re actually enthusiastic about getting this particular role.

Now, let’s make our previous example shine:

Dear Mr. Smith,

My name’s Michael, and I’d like to help XYZ Inc. hit and exceed its sales goals as a Sales Manager. I’ve worked as a Sales Representative with Company X, another fin-tech company , for 3+ years, where I generated an average of $30,000+ in sales per month and beat the KPIs by around 40%. I believe that my previous industry experience, passion for finance , and excellence in sales make me the right candidate for the job.

The second candidate starts with what they can do for the company in the future and immediately lists an impressive and relevant achievement. Since they’re experienced in the same industry and interested in finance, the hiring manager can see they’re not just a random applicant.

From this introduction, it’s safe to say that the hiring manager would read the rest of this candidate’s cover letter.

#5. Use the Cover Letter Body for Details

The next part of your cover letter is where you can go into detail about what sets you apart as a qualified candidate for the job.

The main thing you need to remember here is that you shouldn’t make it all about yourself . Your cover letter is supposed to show the hiring manager how you relate to the job and the company you’re applying to.

No matter how cool you make yourself sound in your cover letter, if you don’t tailor it to match what the hiring manager is looking for, you’re not getting an interview.

To get this right, use the job ad as a reference when writing your cover letter. Make sure to highlight skills and achievements that match the job requirements, and you’re good to go.

Since this part of your cover letter is by far the longest, you should split it into at least two paragraphs.

Here’s what each paragraph should cover:

Explain Why You’re the Perfect Candidate for the Role

Before you can show the hiring manager that you’re exactly what they’ve been looking for, you need to know what it is they’re looking for.

Start by doing a bit of research. Learn what the most important skills and responsibilities of the role are according to the job ad, and focus on any relevant experience you have that matches them.

For example, if you’re applying for the position of a Facebook Advertiser. The top requirements on the job ad are:

• Experience managing a Facebook ad budget of $10,000+ / month
• Some skills in advertising on other platforms (Google Search + Twitter)
• Excellent copywriting skills

So, in the body of your cover letter, you need to show how you meet these requirements. Here’s an example of what that can look like:

In my previous role as a Facebook Marketing Expert at XYZ Inc. I handled customer acquisition through ads, managing a monthly Facebook ad budget of $40,000+ . As the sole digital marketer at the company, I managed the ad creation and management process end-to-end. I created the ad copy and images, picked the targeting, ran optimization trials, and so on.

Other than Facebook advertising, I’ve also delved into other online PPC channels, including:

• Google Search

Our example addresses all the necessary requirements and shows off the candidate’s relevant skills.

Are you a student applying for your first internship? Learn how to write an internship cover letter with our dedicated guide.

Explain Why You’re a Good Fit for the Company

As skilled and experienced as you may be, that’s not all the hiring manager is looking for.

They also want someone who’s a good fit for their company and who actually wants to work there.

Employees who don’t fit in with the company culture are likely to quit sooner or later. This ends up costing the company a ton of money, up to 50% of the employee’s annual salary , so hiring managers vet candidates very carefully to avoid this scenario.

So, you have to convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about working with them.

Start by doing some research about the company. You want to know things like:

• What’s the company’s business model?
• What’s the company’s product or service? Have you used it?
• What’s the company’s culture like?

Chances are, you’ll find all the information you need either on the company website or on job-search websites like Jobscan or Glassdoor.

Then, pick your favorite thing about the company and talk about it in your cover letter.

But don’t just describe the company in its own words just to flatter them. Be super specific—the hiring manager can see through any fluff.

For example, if you’re passionate about their product and you like the company’s culture of innovation and independent work model, you can write something like:

I’ve personally used the XYZ Smartphone, and I believe that it’s the most innovative tech I’ve used in years. The features, such as Made-Up-Feature #1 and Made-Up-Feature #2, were real game changers for the device.

I really admire how Company XYZ strives for excellence in all its product lines, creating market-leading tech. As someone who thrives in a self-driven environment, I truly believe that I’ll be a great match for your Product Design team.

So, make sure to do your fair share of research and come up with good reasons why you're applying to that specific company.

Is the company you want to work for not hiring at the moment? Check out our guide to writing a letter of interest .

#6. Wrap It Up and Sign It

Finally, it’s time to conclude your cover letter.

In the final paragraph, you want to:

• Wrap up any points you couldn't make in the previous paragraphs. Do you have anything left to say? If there’s any other information that could help the hiring manager make their decision, mention it here. If not, just recap your key selling points so far, such as key skills and expertise.
• Express gratitude. Politely thanking the hiring manager for their time is always a good idea.
• Finish the cover letter with a call to action. The very last sentence in your cover letter should be a call to action. This means you should ask the hiring manager to do something, like call you and discuss your application or arrange an interview.
• Remember to sign your cover letter. Just add a formal closing line and sign your name at the bottom.

Here’s an example of how to end your cover letter :

I hope to help Company X make the most of their Facebook marketing initiatives. I'd love to further discuss how my previous success at XYZ Inc. can help you achieve your Facebook marketing goals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided email address or phone number so that we may arrange an interview.

Thank you for your consideration,

Alice Richards

Feel free to use one of these other popular closing lines for your cover letter:

• Best Regards,
• Kind Regards,

Cover Letter Writing Checklist

Once you’re done with your cover letter, it’s time to check if it meets all industry requirements. 

Give our handy cover letter writing checklist a look to make sure:

Does your cover letter heading include all essential information?

• Professional Email
• Phone Number
• Relevant Links

Do you address the right person? 

• The hiring manager in the company
• Your future direct supervisor
• The company/department in general

Does your introductory paragraph grab the reader's attention?

• Did you mention some of your top achievements?
• Did you use numbers and facts to back up your experience?
• Did you convey enthusiasm for the specific role?

Do you show that you’re the right candidate for the job?

• Did you identify the core requirements for the role?
• Did you show how your experiences helped you fit the requirements perfectly?

Do you convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about the company you’re applying to?

• Did you identify the top 3 things that you like about the company?
• Did you avoid generic reasons for explaining your interest in the company?

Did you conclude your cover letter properly?

• Did you recap your key selling points in the conclusion?
• Did you end your cover letter with a call to action?
• Did you use the right formal closing line and sign your name?

15 Cover Letter Tips

Now you’re all set to write your cover letter! 

Before you start typing, here are some cover letter tips to help take your cover letter to the next level:

• Customize Your Cover Letter for Each Job. Make sure your cover letter is tailored to the job you're applying for. This shows you're not just sending generic applications left and right, and it tells the hiring manager you’re the right person for the job.
• Showcase Your Skills. Talk about how your skills meet the company’s needs. And while your hard skills should be front and center, you shouldn’t underestimate your soft skills in your cover letter either.
• Avoid Fluff. Don’t make any generic statements you can’t back up. The hiring manager can tell when you’re just throwing words around, and it doesn’t make your cover letter look good.
• Use Specific Examples. Instead of saying you're great at something, give an actual example to back up your claim. Any data you can provide makes you sound more credible, so quantify your achievements. For example, give numbers such as percentages related to your performance and the timeframe it took to accomplish certain achievements.
• Research the Company. Always take time to learn about the company you're applying to. Make sure to mention something about them in your cover letter to show the hiring manager that you're interested.
• Follow the Application Instructions. If the job posting asks for something specific in your cover letter or requires a certain format, make sure you include it. Not following instructions can come off as unattentive or signal to the hiring manager that you’re not taking the job seriously.
• Use the Right Template and Format. Choose the right cover letter format and adapt your cover letter’s look to the industry you’re applying for. For example, if you’re aiming for a job in Law or Finance, you should go for a cleaner, more professional look. But if you’re applying for a field that values innovation, like IT or Design, you have more room for creativity.
• Express Your Enthusiasm. Let the hiring manager know why you're excited about the job. Your passion for the specific role or the field in general can be a big selling point, and show them that you’re genuinely interested, not just applying left and right.
• Address Any Gaps. If there are any employment gaps in your resume , your cover letter is a great place to mention why. Your resume doesn’t give you enough space to elaborate on an employment gap, so addressing it here can set hiring managers at ease—life happens, and employers understand.
• Avoid Quirky Emails. Your email address should be presentable. It’s hard for a hiring manager to take you seriously if your email address is “[email protected].” Just use a [email protected] format.
• Check Your Contact Information. Typos in your email address or phone number can mean a missed opportunity. Double-check these before sending your application.
• Mention if You Want to Relocate. If you’re looking for a job that lets you move somewhere else, specify this in your cover letter.
• Keep It Brief. You want to keep your cover letter short and sweet. Hiring managers don’t have time to read a novel, so if you go over one page, they simply won’t read it at all.
• Use a Professional Tone. Even though a conversational tone isn’t a bad thing, remember that it's still a formal document. Show professionalism in your cover letter by keeping slang, jargon, and emojis out of it.
• Proofread Carefully. Typos and grammar mistakes are a huge deal-breaker. Use a tool like Grammarly or QuillBot to double-check your spelling and grammar, or even get a friend to check it for you.

15+ Cover Letter Examples

Need some inspiration? Check out some perfect cover letter examples for different experience levels and various professions.

5+ Cover Letter Examples by Experience

#1. college student cover letter example.

Check out our full guide to writing a college student cover letter here.

#2. Middle Management Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a project manager cover letter here.

#3. Team Leader Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a team leader cover letter here.

#4. Career Change Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to a career change resume and cover letter here.

#5. Management Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a management cover letter here.

#6. Senior Executive Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing an executive resume here.

9+ Cover Letter Examples by Profession

#1. it cover letter example.

Check out our full guide to writing an IT cover letter here.

#2. Consultant Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a consultant cover letter here.

#3. Human Resources Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a human resources cover letter here.

#4. Business Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business cover letter here.

#5. Sales Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales cover letter here.

#6. Social Worker Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a social worker cover letter here.

#7. Lawyer Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a lawyer cover letter here.

#8. Administrative Assistant Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing an administrative assistant cover letter here.

#9. Engineering Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineer cover letter here.

#10. Receptionist Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist cover letter here.

Need more inspiration? Check out these cover letter examples to learn what makes them stand out.

Plug & Play Cover Letter Template

Not sure how to start your cover letter? Don’t worry!

Just copy and paste our free cover letter template into the cover letter builder, and swap out the blanks for your details.

[Your Full Name]

[Your Profession]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Location]

[Your LinkedIn Profile URL (optional)]

[Your Personal Website URL (optional)]

[Recipient's Name, e.g., Jane Doe],

[Recipient's Position, e.g., Hiring Manager]

[Company Name, e.g., ABC Corporation]

[Company Address]

[City, State/Country]

Dear [Recipient's Name],

As a seasoned [Your Profession] with [Number of Years of Experience] years of industry experience, I am eager to express my interest in the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. With my experience in [Your Industry/Sector] and the successes I've achieved throughout my education and career, I believe I can bring unique value and creativity to your team.

In my current role as [Your Current Job Title], I've taken the lead on more than [Number of Projects/Assignments] projects, some valued up to $[Highest Project Value]. I pride myself on consistently exceeding client expectations and have successfully [Mention a Key Achievement] in just a [Amount of Time] through [Skill] and [Skill].

I've collaborated with various professionals, such as [List Roles], ensuring that all [projects/tasks] meet [relevant standards or objectives]. This hands-on experience, coupled with my dedication to understanding each [client's/customer's] vision, has equipped me to navigate and deliver on complex projects.

My key strengths include:

• Improving [Achievement] by [%] over [Amount of Time] which resulted in [Quantified Result].
• Optimizing [Work Process/Responsibility] which saved [Previous Employer] [Amount of Time/Budget/Other Metric] over [Weeks/Months/Years]
• Spearheading team of [Number of People] to [Task] and achieving [Quantified Result].

Alongside this letter, I've attached my resume. My educational background, a [Your Degree] with a concentration in [Your Specialization], complements the practical skills that I'm particularly eager to share with [Company Name].

I'm excited about the possibility of contributing to [Something Notable About the Company or Its Mission]. I'd be grateful for the chance to delve deeper into how my expertise aligns with your needs.

Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

The Heart of Your Job Search - Creating a Killer Resume

Your cover letter is only as good as your resume. If either one is weak, your entire application falls through.

After all, your cover letter is meant to complement your resume. Imagine going through all this effort to leave an amazing first impression in your cover letter, only for the hiring manager to never read it because your resume was mediocre.

But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered here, too.

Check out our dedicated guide on how to make a resume and learn everything you need to know to land your dream job!

Just pick one of our resume templates and start writing your own job-winning resume.

Key Takeaways

Now that we’ve walked you through all the steps of writing a cover letter, let’s summarize everything we’ve learned:

• A cover letter is a 250 - 400 word document that’s meant to convince the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job.
• Your job application should always include a cover letter alongside your resume.
• To grab the hiring manager’s attention, write a strong opening paragraph. Mention who you are, why you’re applying, and a standout achievement to pique their interest.
• Your cover letter should focus on why you’re the perfect candidate for the job and why you’re passionate about working in this specific company.
• Use the body of your cover letter to provide details on your skills, achievements, and qualifications, as well as make sure to convey your enthusiasm throughout your whole cover letter.
• Recap your key selling points towards the end of your cover letter, and end it with a formal closing line and your full name signed underneath.

At Novorésumé, we’re committed to helping you get the job you deserve every step of the way! 

Follow our career blog for more valuable advice, or check out some of our top guides, such as:

• How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide
• How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) in 2024 [31+ Examples]
• 35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers [Full List]

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