The Pre-Submission Checklist
- Language — grammar, spelling, consistent use of terminology, active vs. passive voice
- Structure — IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) in the right order
- Abstract — structured or unstructured per journal requirements; matches the manuscript
- References — correct format for the target journal; every citation verifiable in PubMed
- Figures and tables — titles, legends, axis labels; resolution ≥ 300 dpi
- Author statement — contributions, conflicts of interest, funding sources, ethics approval
- Cover letter — why this paper, why this journal, what is novel
What Peer Reviewers Scrutinize
The most common rejection trigger. If your primary endpoint was not met, the discussion must say so — not pivot to a positive secondary endpoint as if it were the main result.
Reviewers read the abstract first and the results second. Any discrepancy is an immediate red flag.
Report effect sizes with confidence intervals, not just p-values. For survival data, include median follow-up and number of events.
On Journal Formatting
Word count limits, reference style (Vancouver vs. APA), figure format, and section order vary significantly between journals. Reformatting after writing wastes hours.
Check every reference against PubMed — author names, journal names, and page numbers are frequently wrong after reference manager exports.
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