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Many novice researchers, graduate students, and even undergraduate or high school students preparing for medical school or studying abroad may feel overwhelmed when submitting their first academic paper to a journal.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of inexperienced researchers submitting papers to academic journals, broadening the scope for novice researchers. In such situations, the procedures that novice researchers, undergraduate, and high school students should follow for submitting a paper to a journal are as follows.

Research paper submission process

1. Pre-submission Preparation

Selecting Journal or Conference
Choose an appropriate academic journal or conference based on the scope and focus of your research.
 

Checking Submission Guidelines
Review the submission requirements and guidelines provided by the chosen journal or conference.
 

Preparing Manuscript Format
Format your manuscript according to the specified guidelines, including sections like abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.
 

Checking Author List
Confirm the accurate list of authors who have contributed to the research.
 

Writing Manuscript
Write the main body of the research paper, ensuring clarity and adherence to academic standards.
 

Preparing References
Compile a list of references cited in the paper, following the citation style specified by the journal or conference.
※ Examples: Google Scholar (Click here), Web of Science (Click here), PubMed (Click here)


2. Submission Phase

Submitting Manuscript
Submit your manuscript through the online submission system of the journal or conference.

 

3. Editorial Review

Editorial Assessment
The editor-in-chief or handling editor conducts an initial review to assess technical soundness, adherence to formatting guidelines, and suggest editorial changes.
 

Editing and Proofreading Suggestions
Editors may provide suggestions for improvements in content, structure, and language.
 

Notification of Decision
Authors receive feedback from the editor regarding the initial assessment and any necessary revisions.

 

4. Peer Review

Selecting Reviewers
The editor selects peer reviewers who are experts in the field to evaluate the paper.
 

Peer Review Evaluation
Reviewers assess the academic quality, methodology, findings, and significance of the research.
 

Review Results
Reviewers provide detailed feedback and recommendations for revision or acceptance, maintaining anonymity and impartiality.

 

5. Revision Phase

Revising Manuscript
Authors make revisions based on the reviewers' comments and suggestions, addressing all required changes.
 

Responding to Reviewer Comments
Authors provide a detailed response to each reviewer comment, explaining how they have addressed the issues raised.
 

Attaching Revised Manuscript
Submit the revised manuscript along with a cover letter detailing the changes made.

 

6. Final Approval

Publication Approval
Upon satisfactory completion of revisions, the editor approves the manuscript for publication.
 

Online Publication
The paper is published online on the journal's website or conference proceedings.
 

Offline Publication
The paper may also be included in printed editions of the journal or conference proceedings.