how to submit a review to journal?

[Emily]

Dear ,

I want to write a review paper on tumor immunotherapy, but I have no idea about its submission. Does Journals just accept review from invited author, or anybody can write and submit to a certain journal?

Thanks

[badchad]

An "invited review" is, (as the name implies) A request/offer from a particular journal to a specific researcher to write an article. Usually these are given to very experienced researchers and/or authorities whom are experts or considered "leading researchers" within their particular field.

 

While I cannot speak for all areas of science, generally speaking, journal articles (whether reviews or original research) are reserved for professional scientists. I would urge you to look up several articles on pubmed to get an idea of how they are written. In addition, look up the references in the reviews; so you can get an idea of how the ideas in the reviews are formed (e.g. the original research that the review is referring to).

[Xavier]

Whilst reviews are typically seen as a way for the most learned academics to expound their wisdom/increase their citation count there is no reason for somebody new to a field not to write a review of a narrow field of study in which they are trying to become expert.

 

In fact, it was suggested to me that all PhD students should consider writing up their first years research into the literate as a review. A doctoral student should, after all, have a full knowledge of the body of wisdom in their particular area of interest as well as a file of references and a literature review as part of their thesis. Of course, you may get torn to shreds during peer review but at least you will receive advice from the acknowledged experts in the field if they actually read and review it properly.

 

Every journal has its own precious guidelines as to how to submit, so pick a few journal to which you might want to submit (for an unknown reviewer, those with a very specific area might be best unless you are sure that what you have to say will have interest or implications beyond the immediate field of study)

 

For a review of tumour immunotherapy, take a look at the journal 'Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy' at Springerlink.com

There are a barrage of instructions for authors at http://cii.manuscriptcentral.com/index.html?mode=instruction

[Emily]

Thanks everybody, your suggestion is very useful to me. It is true.

[sunspot]

Once you find a journal, make sure your paper looks like all the others, or it will be rejected without a review. It is sort of like a beaurocracy with little patience for anything outside their predetermined box.

[JustStuit]

Once you find a journal, make sure your paper looks like all the others, or it will be rejected without a review. It is sort of like a beaurocracy with little patience for anything outside their predetermined box.

And your proof or reasoning for this?

[badchad]

Perhaps he's published before?

 

I'm not sure if he meant it in the literal sense. However, each journal has its own specific guidelines for how articles are formatted which you must follow.

 

I didn't use a citation/bibliography program for my first paper. When I got the review back I had to go back and rearrange the periods and capital letters in EVERY citation in the references and within the text. Not fun. Endnote became my friend after that.

[JustStuit]

Oh. I was wondering if there is a link or general information about this. I guess each does it differently?

[ecoli]

Oh. I was wondering if there is a link or general information about this. I guess each does it differently?

correct. Each journal has their own standards and ways they want citations done, etc. Though I suppose they're all similiar in some way.

[badchad]

Oh. I was wondering if there is a link or general information about this. I guess each does it differently?

 

The best way is to read articles from the journal plan on submitting to.

 

Each one has a professional editing staff, they will make semantic changes in your wording although I would assume each journal has different policies on it.

 

Another thing to realize is that almost all manuscripts are submitted in MS word format. The articles however, are published in pdf. format. Thus, I would assume there is significant formatting to get it that way (which is probably why scientists do science, and publishers do the publishing)

[mattbimbo]

hi emily,

in my experience unless you have certain credentials it is very hard to get reviews accepted for publications in the medical field, even if you have a good publications in other fields. in fact this is one of the reasons why i gave up a career in biophysics and theoretical biology for cell biology and immunology. the advice of a professor and long-time cancer reseacher to me was it is no good to have good ideas/criticisms if my reasoning is based on other people research, i have to do the experiments myself if i want my ideas/criticisms to be recognised. this old professor also wished that he was a bit younger so that he could help me with my research. anyway mentors are good. maybe you need to find a mentor to help you?

 

i don't want to be negative but what is the point of writing a review if no one is going to take it seriously. just getting a paper published is no guarantee it will be taken seriously. if you don't believe me, look at the journal 'medical hypotheses', a journal full of erudite criticisms and ideas on every major disease. but 'medical hypotheses' is a minor journal, and considered a bit of a journal for loonies.

[Emily]

Thanks everybody.

Research is tough.

Life is also tough.

[scicop]

Research is tough..but when you get out, you'll be alright!

Life DOES exist after the PhD!!

 

Ask your PI about this, she/he may have some ideas on getting the review published. Usually, the review can be used as the first chapter of your thesis (with some updating of course).

 

As far a journal submissions go, make sure you follow the "instructions to authors". Usually its on their website.