Cover letter，即投稿信，就是在我们提交论文稿件的时候，一并发送给编辑的一封信。Cover letter 是编辑对论文的第一印象，也是初步评判你论文是否可以被期刊接收的重要依据。

大家都知道期刊编辑的日常是被海量的投稿论文所淹没，而匆忙写出只包含论文题目、期刊名称、通讯作者联系方式等基本信息的英文投稿信对投稿并没有什么价值，因此如何让期刊编辑对你的文章留下深刻的第一印象非常关键！

Cover letter通常是简单概括文章的核心内容，主要发现，创新点以及意义，以及对稿件的处理是否有特殊的要求。此外还要附上主要作者的通讯信息，有的杂志会要求推荐审稿人。

各个杂志的具体要求是不一样的，下笔之前最好在杂志的guide for authors上去找找有无相关要求。如果没有具体的，就按照通用的要求进行处理就行。

完整的Cover letter 一般包括以下内容：

A. 期刊编辑的姓名(不知道编辑是谁的情况下直接用 Dear editor);

B. 投稿文章的标题

C. 投稿文章的类型(Letter, communications, article, review 还是 comments)

D. 文章简介，包括：(1)研究背景;(2)论文的重要发现;(3)论文可以发表在期刊上的原因：引发读者兴趣的地方，与期刊的契合之处等等

E. 稿件出版道德规范的免责说明(这个部分很多期刊在网站上投稿时会进行确认，cover letter 里面可以不出现)以及对稿件有无特殊处理要求(一般指屏蔽某些竞争者成为审稿人)

F. 作者信息：一般为通讯作者姓名，所属机构，通讯地址，联系电话，邮箱等

G. 推荐审稿人名单(注：目前很多杂志社已经将这一部分挪到了投稿网站系统上，Cover letter中可以不再列出)

敲黑板!!!以下是小编为您准备的cover letter 写作模板

对于年轻的科研作者，特别是初次投稿的作者来说，可以参照以下模板来进行第一次的投稿。

模板一：

Dear Dr./Ms./Mr. [编辑姓名],

I would like to request you to consider the attached manuscript entitled [论文题目] for publication in [期刊名称] as an [文章类型].

While many studies have investigated the [简短叙述该主题下的既有知识], I have not come across a paper that deals with [你的研究所属领域/主题]. We conducted [简短叙述研究方法] and came up with [概述研究结果]. I feel that [你的研究何以重要，未来的发展方向为何].

I believe that the findings of this study are relevant to the scope of your journal and will be of interest to its readership. I have provided tables summarizing the findings. [如果有才需要这句：If required, the entire data can be made available as supplementary information.] Do let me know if you wish to have a look at them.

This manuscript has not been published or presented elsewhere in part or in entirety, and is not under consideration by another journal. There are no conflicts of interest to declare. [注：如果有任何利益冲突，要写在这里].

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

[你的名字]

模板二：

Dr. XX YY (批注1: Name of Editor-in-chief or Editor (First name, Last name)This is much desirable as it makes your letter more personal.)Editor-in-Chief

[Insert target Journal name]

[Journal address, e.g., 123 ABC Street, City, State, zip code, Country.]

May xx, 2021(批注2: Date of submission.)

Dear Dr. YY,(批注 3: Or say Dear Editor if you don’t know his/her name)

We are submitting the attached original manuscript entitled “[Insert manuscript title]” to be considered for publication in the [Insert target Journal name] as anoriginal research article.(批注4: Include this if you know the category.)

[Insert research summary(批注5: Do not copy any content directly from the abstract. Research summary should be