Webinar: Desk Rejection Decoded: Common Editorial Red Flags Before Peer Review
Many manuscripts are rejected before they ever reach peer review not because the research is weak, but because they fail at the editorial screening stage.
Join this free webinar to understand exactly how editors evaluate submissions during initial triage and why technically sound studies are often desk rejected. This session breaks down the most common editorial red flags and provides practical strategies to strengthen your manuscript before submission.
Desk Rejection Decoded: Common Editorial Red Flags Before Peer Review
Date: 24 March 2026
Time: 1:00 PM GMT
Duration: 1 hour
Language: English
What you will learn:
- How editors screen manuscripts during the pre–peer review stage and make desk-rejection decisions.
- The most common editorial red flags: scope mismatch, guideline noncompliance, missing elements, weak language quality, and ethical concerns.
- How to evaluate your manuscript using editor-style criteria rather than relying only on submission checklists.
- Ways to strengthen clarity, structure, figures, and overall submission completeness.
- Practical strategies to improve journal fit and reduce avoidable desk rejections.
Using real editorial criteria and examples, this session will help you understand what editors prioritize and how to address frequent weaknesses in scope, structure, compliance, and presentation before submission. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions live and receive a certificate of attendance.
Meet the speaker
Dr. Raffaella Gozzelino | Group Leader, NOVA Medical School of Lisbon
Dr. Gozzelino is a distinguished medical researcher and published author with over 15 years of experience in academic writing and publishing. She holds a Ph.D. in Cell Biology/Neurobiology from the University of Lerida, Spain, and is currently a Principal Investigator at NOVA Medical School (NMS), Lisbon, Portugal. Her career includes serving as a peer reviewer and editor for leading international medical journals, lecturing in national and international Ph.D. and Master’s programs, and working as a scientific advisor, Ph.D. mentor, consultant, and speaker.
Strengthen your manuscript before submission—and increase your chances of passing the editorial filter.
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