Cover letters can be tricky to write, especially if you’re new to the job market or switching careers. To make sure you’re writing an effective cover letter, keep these tips in mind: don’t use fluffy language, create a targeted and unique message, personalize your letter, and show off your skills and experience. Check out this article to learn more about how to write an effective cover letter for journal submission!
1) What is an Introduction Paragraph?
An introduction paragraph is your first chance to impress a journal editor. These professionals are bombarded with submissions and are looking for reasons not to read your paper—so make them want to keep reading.
You can do that by showcasing relevant experience, including a degree or publication in a related field, or by addressing and answering potential criticisms of your research. Be sure you know exactly what an editor is looking for so you can tailor every aspect of your cover letter and manuscript submission to their needs.
2) Address the Cover Letter to Whom It May Concern
It’s not just a matter of addressing your cover letter To Whom It May Concern. You should ensure that it’s actually addressed to someone. Don’t guess; don’t wing it and hope for a response. Take a few minutes to try and find out who will be reading your cover letter by looking at other examples of journal submissions, or by doing some online sleuthing on Google Scholar or Google.
If you can’t find anyone with specific contact information, look up submission guidelines on their website and address it accordingly (e.g., Dear Editor:). At the very least, you can use Dr./Ms./Mr/Mrs as salutations until you have more information about whom specifically is going to be reading your work.
3) Explain Why Your Experience is Relevant
When you’re writing a cover letter, you should explain how your research fits into your career and why your experience is relevant. Because journal editors read many submissions, it’s important that you provide a strong reason as to why they should choose yours. Clearly state what motivated you to study that topic and how you’ve been able to incorporate new skills or knowledge into your career.
4) Highlight Relevant Skills and Achievements
A strong cover letter can be just as important as your resume. However, you may need some help polishing up your skills and achievements. The good news is that a cover letter service can take care of all of that for you, giving you time to focus on crafting a thoughtful journal submission. Best of all, because so many best cover letter services are online, these valuable services are available at competitive prices no matter where you live! Take advantage of professional aid today. Your future self will thank you later!
5) Provide Accurate Information
Many professors receive 100+ cover letters from students each year. Because of this, it is important that you provide accurate information about yourself. Make sure you are sending your cover letter and CV (curriculum vitae) to your prospective editor at his or her exact address because most journals no longer accept online submissions—but they do still want all information to be sent via mail.
Also, make sure that you format all documents correctly and print them in high quality color copies on heavy weight paper (think a semi-gloss finish). It may sound like common sense but many students skip these details when sending their documents; however, if you’re looking for a job or internship in academia after graduation, errors like these can be disastrous.
6) Do Not Break Up Sentences Across Multiple Lines
As a general rule, do not break sentences across multiple lines. No matter how big or small your font size is, most resume cover letters will look unprofessional if they’re in a multi-line format. Multi-line paragraphs also make it easier for recruiters to skim through your cover letter and pick out specific phrases (like something that might be off or not formatted correctly). If you want to break up a large section of text, bold that portion of text instead. You can even insert checklists if you’d like.
If you’re wondering what goes into writing effective cover letters, keep on reading. We’ll discuss every detail we know about writing them effectively and provide plenty of examples along with some insight on how you can improve your own!
