Nature Communications Editor Shares Insights on scientific publishing

25 January 2024 - Dr George Inglis, Senior Editor at Communications Biology, delivered an insightful seminar on the editorial process of scientific publishing in Nature Portfolio. He kicked off the session with a sharing of his personal journey to becoming an editor at Communications Biology, an open access journal from Nature Portfolio that publishes high-quality research, reviews, and commentary in all aspects of biological sciences.

He also expounded on the editorial process outlining each stage, from the initial submission of the paper by the researcher or scientist, to the meticulous editorial and peer review processes of the paper before the editors decide if the papers are to be accepted or rejected. Dr Inglis cited two main reasons for rejecting a paper: the topic being out of scope, or similar findings having been already published by other journals. In rare cases, the conclusions are not backed by data. He also reassured researchers that they will be guided by the handling editor throughout the entire editorial process.

More importantly, Dr Inglis highlighted the importance of including a concise cover letter for the editor when submitting their papers as this could be an opportunity to highlight the biggest takeaways of their study and distinguish it from other studies that may be similar.

The seminar provided invaluable insights into the editorial landscape for our researchers, equipping them with the knowledge and clarity on the scientific publishing process.