Writing Help Center

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When to Use Semicolons, Colons, Commas, and Dashes

Punctuation rules should generally be followed in academic writing. Putting a comma between two independent clauses will confuse your readers and make your work frustrating to read. On the other hand, using a semicolon correctly can add nuance and subtlety to any kind of writing. But what is a semicolon? How do colons and dashes […]

Last Updated : Apr 5, 2022

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Where Does the Research Question Go in a Paper?

Silke Haidekker has a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Hannover. She is a Clinical Research Associate in multiple pharmaceutical companies in Germany and the USA. She now works as a full-time medical translator and writer in a small town in Georgia. Of Rats and Panic Attacks: A Doctoral Student’s Tale You would probably […]

Last Updated : Mar 25, 2022

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How to Decrease the Length of a Research Paper Abstract

The abstract is perhaps the most important section of your research paper. Apart from the title, it may be the only part of the paper anyone reads. Whetherthey read furtherdepends in part on how good an impression your abstract makes. The abstract may also be the only part of your paper that has a word […]

Last Updated : Aug 20, 2021

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Responding to Reviewer Comments on Your Manuscript: Example from a Climate Science Journal Rebuttal Letter

Dr. Marc Chiaccio, PhD in Climate Science from the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich Switzerland, has worked in various institutes around the world, including NASA, International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), and the University of Sweden. He has more than a decade of experience writing scientific articles for international journals as well as […]

Last Updated : Mar 24, 2022

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Your Paper, Your Way: All You Need to Know!

Dhruv Maniar has a Master’s in Biotechnology from Dr. DY Patil University in Mumbai and has been a research editor for over 4 years. He is also a BELS-certified editor, covering the subject areas of Medicine and Life Sciences. In his free time, he likes to travel, listen to music, and play table tennis. What […]

Last Updated : Mar 29, 2022

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8 Tips for Finding Your Target Journal

Find the Journal that Fits Your Work One of the most common reasons editors reject research manuscripts is that they DO NOT FIT THE JOURNAL–either the goals and scope or the journal or the needs and tastes of its readership. With nearly 30,000 scholarly reviewed journals out there, it’s no surprise that finding the right […]

Last Updated : Mar 27, 2022

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5 Common Reasons Manuscripts are Rejected (And What To Do About It)

Writing a journal manuscript means being informed In the world of journal publications, rejections are the norm rather than the exception. There are of course many identifiable reasons for a manuscript not to be published, from lack of relevance, to the size of the submissions pool, to the specific tastes of a journal’s readership. However, […]

Last Updated : Mar 28, 2022

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How to Hit a Home Run with a Strong Rebuttal Letter

Article Highlights An overview of the journal submission process and the key decisions made by editors, reviewers, and authors How to address editor and reviewer questions and comments How to handle rejection letters Useful phrases to include in journal submission rebuttal and appeal letters Annotated template rebuttal letter Checklist for preparing and submitting your revised […]

Last Updated : Mar 27, 2022

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