Seasoned academics might not think about things that need to be done before submitting a paper to be considered for a conference or for a journal. However, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded. Don’t let complacency negatively impact your next submission. Follow these top five suggestions.
1. Follow Submission Guidelines
Check the journal or conference requirements for formatting, word count, and citation style (for example, APA, MLA, etc.). Non-compliance can lead to immediate rejection. If submitting to a publication that has a specific structure and tone, matching your paper to them and following submission guidelines can help reviewers evaluate your research easily.
2. Proofread for Clarity and Accuracy
Read your paper carefully—even out loud—to catch grammatical mistakes, typos, and unclear phrasing. Have a peer review it or use an editing tool to catch errors you might not see. After working on a paper for a while, it is easy to miss minor mistakes. Write clearly. Long, complicated prose might “sound” smart, but people shouldn’t have to read something several times to understand it. Be concise, not complex.
3. Verify Citations and References
Ensure every source is cited properly and that it matches the reference list. Correct citation demonstrates professionalism and adherence to ethical standards. Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote can be used to maintain your reference list and ensure correct citation.
4. Check for Plagiarism
Run your paper through a plagiarism checker like Turnitin, SafeAssign, or Grammarly. These types of software detect copying, identify paraphrasing, and provide source links to help you avoid accidental plagiarism. Citing and paraphrasing correctly maintains your research’s originality.
5. Confirm Data and Formatting
Double-check tables, figures, and statistical results for accuracy. Like proofreading text, confirming the data in tables and figures reinforces your paper’s accuracy. Also, review your paper for consistent formatting. Check for things like spelling, spacing, and heading styles. Inconsistent formatting can detract from a submission.
If you don’t do these five things regularly, try them for your next submission. Remember, ANSER-ARES is looking for conference submissions and articles for CJNSER. Go to our website for more information.
Note: AI was used to generate ideas for this article.
