Tips on the publication process and how to write successful scientific papers, given for PhD students in the physical sciences at the Mathero Summer School. Freudenberg, Germany 26 August 2015

1. © 2015
Welcome
Dr. John Uhlrich
Editor

2. © 2015
1) About Wiley-VCH
2) The psychology of editors and reviewers
and demystifying the publication process
3) Writing for scientific success
4) Q & A
Today’s Talk

3. © 2015
• PhD students?
• Post-Docs or beyond?
• Who has already published something?
• Have you had the opportunity to act as a
peer reviewer for a submitted research
manuscript?
• Who can imagine a career in publishing?
Who are you?

4. © 2015
Who am I?
• Chemical Engineering, PhD University of
Wisconsin, USA
• Interface Chemistry of Hybrid Photovoltaic
Materials/Devices
• Postdoc 2009-2011: Fritz Haber Institute, Berlin
Department of Chemical Physics (H.J. Freund)
• Surface Science for Model Catalysis
• 2011– 2012:
– Editor, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional
Materials
• 2012-present:
– Editor, Energy Technology

5. © 2015
Who am I?
• Chemical Engineering, PhD University of
Wisconsin, USA
• Interface Chemistry of Hybrid Photovoltaic
Materials/Devices
• Postdoc 2009-2011: Fritz Haber Institute, Berlin
Department of Chemical Physics (H.J. Freund)
• Surface Science for Model Catalysis
• 2011– 2012:
– Editor, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional
Materials
• 2012-present:
– Editor, Energy Technology

6. © 2015
John Wiley & Sons
South Korea
Founded in 1807 in New York City by John Wiley
To this day family-owned in the 6th generation
Approx. 5,000 staff worldwide
Wiley Online Library has 130 million users
1,500 journals, 1200 society partners
Company headquarters are in Hoboken (New Jersey)
Wiley-VCH (Germany) has been part of Wiley since 1996

7. © 2015

8. © 2015
Weinheim office
where John lives
you are here:

9. © 2015
• Wiley-VCH, Wiley-Blackwell, Ernst & Sohn, GIT
• Weinheim, Berlin, Zürich
• 530 employees (450/ 70/ 14)
– With a PhD: 20% - University degree: 30%
– ~ 70% female - 30% male
– Average age ~ 42 years
– Average time with Wiley-VCH ~ 10 years
– Foreign employees 40%
from 24 different nations
• Primarily chemists, followed by materials scientists, physicists, biologists,
mathematicians
Wiley in Germany

10. © 2015
Wiley-VCH Journal Genealogy

11. © 2015
Wiley-VCH Journal Genealogy

12. © 2015
Wiley-VCH Journal Genealogy

13. © 2015
Wiley-VCH Journal Genealogy

14. © 2015
Wiley-VCH Journal Genealogy

15. © 2015
Wiley-VCH Journal Genealogy

16. © 2015
1500 journals, books
And More...

17. © 2015
• Honestly assess the
importance/impact and
scope of your work
• Journal Impact Factor is not
everything!
• What are the implications
of your research?
• How important will others
find your research?
– In your field?
– In related fields?
• Publication fees? Open
access?
• Speed of publication?
• What is the scope of your
candidate journal?
• Who reads your candidate
journal?
Selecting the Journal

18. © 2015
Number of source items published in 2013 and 2012
_________________________________
Impact Factor2014 =
Number of citations in 2014 to articles published in 2013 and 2012
Example
Journal of … publishes 75 articles in 2012 and
83 articles in 2013.
In 2014 it receives a total of 344 citations to
these articles in all the other published journals.
The journal’s Impact Factor for 2014 is
344  (75 + 83) = 2.18
2015
2012
2011
2010
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Cited
window
Citing
window
2014
2013
2014
Impact Factor (IF)
The 2014 Impact Factor first appears in 2015.

19. © 2015
“...originally appeared in a postscript of my previous Editorial,
and then it was just to note that I did not wish to write about
it because it has become a plague. ”

20. © 2015
1) Statistically (= scientifically!) poor methods
2) Arbitrary 2-year window, citation practices depend upon the field and on the
specific work
3) Overinterpretation and misuse of the Impact Factor values
4) Incentives for poor research practice & unethical behavior (on the parts of both
publishers and authors)
Problems with IF-based Assessment

21. © 2015
It is an average in an arbitrary two-year window
Should funding bodies reject proposals from
authors whose previous papers are here?
Should editors reject all papers from
authors whose previous papers are not
here?
highly cited
fewer citations than
average (even zero!)
Statistical problems with the IF

22. © 2015
What are the alternatives?
http://exchanges.wiley.com/blog/2014/08/14/four-ways-of-measuring-influence

23. © 2015
What are the alternatives?
http://exchanges.wiley.com/blog/2014/08/14/four-ways-of-measuring-influence

24. © 2015
•Covering the technical aspects of
applied energy research
–Generation
–Conversion
–Storage
–Distribution
•Companion journal of other related
Wiley titles (Advanced Energy
Materials, ChemSusChem, etc.)
•Already listed in important databases
(ISI, Web of Knowledge)
•Inaugural partial Impact Factor (2014): 2.824
•Online publication (no color fees)
Launched in 2013
Deputy Editor
Dr. John Uhlrich

25. © 2015
•Covering the technical aspects of
applied energy research
–Generation
–Conversion
–Storage
–Distribution
•Companion journal of other related
Wiley titles (Advanced Energy
Materials, ChemSusChem, etc.)
•Already listed in important databases
(ISI, Web of Knowledge)
•Inaugural partial Impact Factor (2014): 2.824
•Online publication (no color fees)
Launched in 2013
Deputy Editor
Dr. John Uhlrich
Issue 4, 2015
Special Issue:
Printed Energy Technologies
Guest Editor:
Frederik Krebs, DTU

26. © 2015
“If your research does not generate papers, it
might just as well not have been done.
‘Interesting and unpublished‘ is equivalent to
non-existant.“
“Realize that your objective in research is to
formulate and test hypotheses, to draw
conclusions from these tests, and to teach
these conclusions to others. Your objective is
not to ‘collect data‘.“
George Whitesides, “Whitesides‘ Group: Writing a
Paper“, Essay in Advanced Materials, 2004, 16, 1375 .
Why publish at all?

27. © 2015
Don't underestimate how hard it is or
how long it takes to write a good paper.

28. © 2015
• Paper fits within the journal scope
• Novelty and quality
• Concise and well-written papers
• Of high interest to the readership
of the journal
What Editors Want

29. © 2015
While reading new manuscripts, editors will especially look at:
Cover letter
Where will the Editor look?

30. © 2015
Cover Letter: The Worst Type

31. © 2015
Dear Editor,
Yours Sincerely
A. Author
We would like to submit our paper
“Fantastic Synthesis of Really Interesting
Compounds” to your journal. We hope you will
find it acceptable for publication.
Cover Letter: Not Much Better

32. © 2015
Dear Editor
Compound X is a potent anticancer agent and was
synthesised in 99 % yield…
Reactions catalyzed by A are ten times faster
than those catalyzed by B because…
Our method for protein isolation gives 50 %
higher yields than previous ones because…
My suggestions for referees are:
Cover Letter: Attention Editor!

33. © 2015
• Why is this topic important?
• Why are these results significant?
• What is the key result? (breakthrough!)
• Why is it an advance on previous work?
• Why are you submitting to this journal?
• Why will this journal’s readers read it?
• Provide reviewer suggestions
Together with the conclusions section of your paper, the cover
letter is one of the first things the editor will see, so make it
count!
Tip: Keep the letter as concise as possible – the longer it is, the
easier it becomes to overlook something important.
Maximizing Success: Writing the Cover Letter

34. © 2015
• Why is this topic important?
• Why are these results significant?
• What is the key result? (breakthrough!)
• Why is it an advance on previous work?
• Why are you submitting to this journal?
• Why will this journal’s readers read it?
• Provide reviewer suggestions
Together with the conclusions section of your paper, the cover
letter is one of the first things the editor will see, so make it
count!
Tip: Keep the letter as concise as possible – the longer it is, the
easier it becomes to overlook something important.
Maximizing Success: Writing the Cover Letter
Solar Cell Example:
We have fabricated a solar cell with high efficiency and stability,
using earth-abundant materials, by using a simple synthetic method,
nontoxic precursors, using a scaleable fabrication procedure, with a
unique combination materials that increase our fundamental
understanding of photovoltaic devices.

35. © 2015
Is the novelty
high enough?
Difference to
prior work?
Important to the
whole readership?
Important to
researchers
in this field?
After the initial check for scope and length is done,
the manuscript is examined more closely:
the most
important
hurdle!
„Publishing space is
limited – choose a journal
whose readership will be
keen to see your results!“
What Editors Look For (Manuscript Suitability)

36. © 2015
Conclusions section of manuscript
While reading new manuscripts, editors will especially look at:
Cover letter “If I‘m interested, my
readers will be, too!ˮ
Keywords
Literature references
Visual information
Abstract
Where will the Editor look?

37. © 2015
Manuscript rejected on reports
Manuscript submitted
Peer review editors examine
& make initial decision
Manuscript sent out
for peer review
Editor makes decision
based on reports
Manuscript is accepted as
is or with minor revisions
Manuscript transferred
to the publication workflow
Manuscript rejected on reports
but reinvited if
major revisions promising
Manuscript rejected on topic
Revisions requested
if possible in short time
Manuscript rejected on format
but reinvited (e.g., shorten)
Peer Review Editorial Workflow

38. © 2015
• Present data honestly and accurately, not
fabricate or falsify data
• Reference and cite properly, not plagiarize or
ignore related work
• Avoid fragmentation and redundant
publication
• Inform the editor of related manuscripts under
consideration or in press
• Submit to only one journal at a time
• Disclose conflicts of interest
Author Responsibilities

39. © 2015
• Ensure efficient, fair, and timely manuscript processing
• Ensure confidentiality of submitted manuscripts
• Make the final decision for accepting or rejecting
• Base decision to accept or reject only on the merits of
the manuscript
• Not use work reported in a submitted manuscript for
their own research
• Ensure fair selection of referees, including those
suggested or requested for exclusion by author
• Respond to suggestions of scientific misconduct
• Deal fairly with author appeals
Editor Responsibilities

40. © 2015
• Constructive criticism
• Identify strengths &
weaknesses
• Be specific
• Check references &
supporting info
Actual referee report received by EurJOC
To: EurJOC
Subject: Referee report
Save a tree, don’t
print.
Writing a Referee Report

41. © 2015
• Treat it as a discussion of your paper from one of the top
experts in your field.
• Don’t take it personally – it is not an attack on you!
• Be thorough and a little self-critical; remember that the referee
is trying to help you improve your work and its presentation.
• Remember that everyone is human! Take every criticism as
an opportunity for improvement; this is a “trial run“ for how
your work may be perceived after publication.
How to Read a Referee Report

42. Credit: Nick Kim (www.nearingzero.net)

43. © 2015
Article published online
on EarlyView & news spread
Issue printed
(for those journals
that still do) &
dispatched to
print customers
Electronic files received
Article edited and typeset
Proofs checked (by author)
Corrections made & checked
Article ready for publication
Print issue compiled
Issue published online
Post-Acceptance Workflow

44. © 2015
http://exchanges.wiley.com/blog/2013/09/23/10-easy-ways-to-make-sure-your-article-gets-read/
Search-engine optimization
Your institutional library
and press office
Departmental webpage
Personal webpage
Videos & blogs
Social media
Promoting Your Published Work

45. © 2015
1. Have something to say.
2. Say it.
3. Stop as soon as you have said it!
4. Give the paper a proper title!
Source:
John S. Billings:
An Address on
our Medical
Literature.
Br Med J (1881)
2:262-268.
The Four Basic Rules

46. © 2015
Titles and abstracts are searchable separately from the
main paper in databases and online
Therefore to increase your paper’s “discoverability”:
give it a specific and concise title
include many appropriate keywords
“search-engine optimization”
Title & Abstract

47. © 2015
What effect?
Which metal(s)?
What type of coupling reaction(s)?
Which aryl alcohols?
Specific
Concise
Contains many keywords
Effect of Metal Catalyst on the
Outcome of Coupling Reactions
with Aryl Alcohols
Ruthenium Trichloride:
The Most Effective Catalyst for
C-H Activation with 2,4-
Disubstituted Aryl Alcohols
Targeting Your Title

48. © 2015
Results
Introduction
Methods
Abstract
And
Discussion
The IMRAD structure began to
be used for scientific papers in
the 1940s. Common in life
sciences journals.
Consult Guide to Authors for
style of journal you are writing
for.
IMRAD

49. © 2015
Conclusion
Introduction
Results
And
Discussion
Abstract
Experimental
Section
Energy Technology

50. © 2015
• Provides the background to the study
• Describes why the work was carried
out and what the aim of the study
was
• Details the results from other
relevant studies
• Explains what is still unknown
• Enables a non-expert to understand
the rationale
General
Specific
Manuscript Progression
The Introduction

51. © 2015
• Highlight and review important findings
 But be selective
 Present the experiments performed in a logical and clear
manner
 Clearly indicate significant data
• Illustrate with clear graphical material
• Provide explanations for the findings – supported
by references
• Conclusions must be supported by the data
• Detail any limitations of the study
Results and Discussion

52. © 2015
• VERY important
• Summarize succintly most important
findings (but not just a summary!)
• Describe implications of the study
• Provide recommendations for the future
Conclusions

53. © 2015
Tips:
 Be precise about the
reagents used (name
suppliers, vectors,
provide references)
 If a new method provide
all detail
 If standard provide
citation only
• Should provide sufficient
information to enable the
reader to evaluate (and
repeat!) the results
• Check Guide for Authors AND
common practices of
community
• Establishes credibility for the
results!
• To save space non-essential
but important parts can be
submitted as supporting
information.
Experimental Section

54. © 2015
•The references must comply to house style of the journal!
•Ensure that they are cited in numerical order and that
every reference is cited (with each reference appearing in
the bibliography only once...)
•The work cited should be fair and balanced
•Not only your own references!
•Up to date!
•Ensure that credit is given to the original discoveries.
References

55. © 2015
• This/It
– Not: This is a fast reaction. This leads us to conclude...
– Instead: This reaction is fast. This observation leads us to conclude.
• Avoid being overly wordy
– “This leads us to point out the fact that our previous conclusion was
incorrect...“
• Active Voice
– Not: It was observed that the solution turned red.
– Instead: The solution turned red. or We observed that the solution turned red.
• Could, would
– Not: “The sample could be observed to degrade over time.“
– Instead: “The sample degraded over time.“
• “approximately“ (as well as “around“ and ~...)
• “novel“
– Should be avoided (especially in titles)
• Holy Grail
Tips (and Pet Peeves…)

56. © 2015
Holy Grails…

57. © 2015
“During prescreening I look for an up-to-date and relevant
bibliography and a clear comparison of the results with
those of previous studies—it is difficult to assess the
significance of the findings if they are not presented in an
appropriate context. I routinely read the literature cited
and conduct my own literature search to check if
important papers have been omitted that may detract
from the novelty of the work.
I also appreciate honest reporting. While your work may
represent an advance, there will certainly be shortcomings
and room for improvement. This should be discussed but is
too often neglected.
A final piece of advice is that as a reader and reviewer of
our journals, you should self-assess your manuscript and
submit accordingly to the most appropriate journal, rather
than the one with the highest Impact Factor. This will
ensure swifter publication of your work.”
Dr. Adam Brotchie

58. © 2015
“Compared to Advanced Materials, Advanced
Functional Materials adopts the same criteria
in terms of scientific novelty and
importance. If the manuscript has been
previously rejected by Advanced Materials,
only a superficial change in the format
(Communication to Full Paper) may still result
in a direct rejection.
Paper evaluation is not a "gambling game",
and it is inappropriate to ignore the previous
comments with the belief that a new group of
editors/reviewers might generate a new
result.”
Dr. Yan Li

59. © 2015
“Think of the reader: Compare your results to
the work of others wherever possible (a good
table/figure helps the reader a lot). And use
the most widely accepted units! If not
possible, give reasons why. Mention and
discuss differences (because that’s what
scientific publishing is about after all… ).”
Dr. Till Graberg

60. © 2015
Advanced Materials
Interfaces
60
“Novelty and state-of-the-art of the presented
results must be ensured. Incremental results or
simple extensions of published work are not
desired, neither are specialized topics. The title,
abstract, and conclusions, as well as the figures
should be appealing and motivating, and concisely
explain the key findings. The writing should be
easy-to-read and the English should be good.”
Dr. Ingeborg Stass

61. © 2015
www.ChemistryViews.org
Getting Help: Resources
Have a friend/colleague read your manuscript; read your work again after setting it aside for
a couple of days; have a native speaker proofread for language, if available.

62. © 2015
http://wileyeditingservices.com/en/
Getting Help: Editing Services

63. © 2015
1) Unpublished work is lost and properly communicating science
takes effort
2) A simple writing style is best!
3) Optimize your content for internet use
4) Peer review isn’t perfect but it is the best we have
5) Competition is hard, so make your work stand out
6) Take an active role in promoting your work
Conclusions

64. © 2015
@EnergyTechnol
Questions?
• Contact me:
– John Uhlrich
jjuhlrich@wiley.com
Energy Technology
www.entechnol.de
energy-technology@wiley.com
Submissions:
www.editorialmanager.com/ente/