Q: Can I have a sample cover letter to explain the details of rejection and resubmission when I have changed the type of article?

Detailed Question -

I submitted a manuscript to an English journal as an original paper, but it was rejected. However, the editor suggested that I resubmit my manuscript as a short communication. I agree with that suggestion. Given this scenario, the editor requires me to explain the details of the original submission and the history of the resubmission in a cover letter. But I cannot find a sample for such a cover letter. So, could you provide me such a sample cover letter?

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

It’s great that there is good news along with bad news. :-) Bad, that your original manuscript got rejected. Good, that it’s now getting considered in another form. It’s great also that you seem quite okay with this suggestion. Many researchers tend to resist such a suggestion, as a ‘short communication’ is not considered as ‘significant’ as a standard article.

Coming to your query, the editor possibly needs the revised cover letter primarily for reference. As the journal is the same and probably the editor too, the letter does not need too much context. So, you don't need to provide great details.

However, we may not have a sample cover letter that meets this exact requirement. If needed, you may refer to the following resources and use the information within to customize a cover letter for this scenario.

Apart from that, here are some pointers for the two key points you need to address.

  • Details of original submission: You could talk about what your original paper was about, why you decided to submit to this journal, and why decided to have it as an original manuscript.
  • History of resubmission: You could talk about the editor (and/or peer reviewers’) comments/suggestions for turning this into a different type of article, their reasons for suggesting this, why you agree, how you have adapted the article, why you think it now works as the new article type, and your hope that it is indeed accepted in its new form – especially as you have spent quite some time and effort in both submissions. :-)

Hope that helps. All the best for the revised submission!

Related reading:

Comment