A well-written cover letter clearly explains why the submission will be of interest to the journal's readers.
It should also be used to highlight any potential issues such as related manuscripts currently under consideration in any other Springer Nature publication, as well as indicating whether you have had any prior discussions with a Springer Nature editor about the work described in the manuscript.
It is an opportunity to declare that the manuscript is not being considered for publication in any other journal and recommend or exclude reviewers (including the reasons why).
Finally, it can be used to address any issues encountered while submitting the manuscript.
Cover letter checklist:
- Check the journal’s Instructions for Authors for any cover letter requirements on the journals homepage.
- Address the editor who will be assessing your manuscript by their name, if known.
- Include the date of submission and the journal you are submitting to.
- First paragraph: Include the title and article type (e.g. review, research, case study) and briefly explain the background and question you sought out to answer and why.
- Second paragraph: Concisely explain what was done, the main findings and why they are significant.
- Third paragraph: Indicate why the readers of the journal would be interested in the work by showing how your study fulfils the aims and scope of the journal and point out the importance of it.
- To conclude, state the corresponding author and any journal-specific requirements that need to be complied with (e. g. ethical standards).
- All cover letters should contain these sentences: "We confirm that this manuscript has not been published elsewhere and is not under consideration by another journal. All authors have approved the manuscript and agree with its submission to [insert the name of the target journal]."
For more detailed information, please check How to submit a journal article: Cover letters.
For a complete tutorial on article submissions, please check Submitting a journal manuscript and peer review.