Step-by-step workflow
Confirm the study is ready to publish
Final analysis complete, approvals allow dissemination, trial/review registration updated where required, authorship agreed, and no unresolved data-integrity issues.
Choose the journal by scope first
Check whether the journal publishes the design/topic, its audience, indexing, peer-review process, fees, word limits and reporting requirements. Do not choose solely from an unsolicited email invitation.
Check journal legitimacy
Verify the publisher/journal directly, editorial board, peer-review information, fee transparency and indexing claims. Be cautious with journals that promise guaranteed or extremely rapid acceptance.
Format only after journal selection
Prepare title page, manuscript, tables/figures, supplementary files, reporting checklist, cover letter and required forms.
Complete declarations accurately
Include ethics approval/waiver, consent, conflicts, funding, author contributions, data availability, registration number and AI-use disclosures according to journal/ICMJE policy.
Submit through the official portal
Record manuscript ID, submitted files and date. Never send patient-identifiable documents unless the journal has an explicit authorised process.
Respond to peer review point-by-point
Create a response table with reviewer comment, response and exact manuscript change/location. If declining a suggestion, explain scientifically and respectfully rather than silently ignoring it.
Control versions during revision
Keep submitted, revised and clean versions separate. Recheck tables/numbers after every substantial change.
Review proofs
Check author names/affiliations, numbers, units, figures, tables, references and supplementary links. Proof stage is not the time for major new analyses unless required and justified.
After publication
Record DOI, final citation, journal, publication date, researchers, facility and specialty in Research Pulse. Complete any institutional dissemination/closure requirements and update registries.
ICMJE points to check
- Authorship criteria and contributor roles.
- Conflict-of-interest disclosures.
- Protection of research participants and publication consent.
- Clinical-trial registration.
- Responsible use and disclosure of AI-assisted technologies according to current journal/ICMJE policies.
Final checklist
- Journal scope fits study.
- Legitimacy/indexing claims checked.
- Reporting guideline complete.
- All authors approve final submission.
- Approvals/consent/registration statements accurate.
- Conflicts/funding declared.
- Response-to-reviewers document retained.
- Final DOI/citation added to Research Pulse.
How to choose a journal systematically
- Read the aims/scope and at least several recent papers of the same article type.
- Confirm the journal accepts the design (case report, protocol, systematic review, QI, etc.).
- Check indexing claims directly in the relevant indexing service rather than trusting a badge on the journal website.
- Check open-access/APC fees before submission; if the project has zero publication budget, identify legitimate no-fee or subscription-route options.
- Check whether the journal requires trial/review registration, data sharing, a specific reporting checklist or patient-consent documentation.
- Check whether institutional affiliation wording and corresponding-author contact details are correct.
Peer-review response template
- Copy each reviewer comment verbatim or clearly identify it.
- State whether you agree, partly agree or disagree.
- Explain the scientific response.
- Quote or describe the exact change made.
- Give page/line/section location in the revised manuscript.
- If no change is made, give a concise evidence-based reason and clarify the manuscript if the original wording caused misunderstanding.