Read this first! How to prepare a manuscript for submission to a chemical science journal

Abstract

In addition to the subject-matter theoretical knowledge acquired during undergraduate and especially postgraduate studies future young scientists must also acquire the accompanying academic skills. This skillset will enable them to plan and conduct their research in accordance with the scientific method, but also to present the results of that research in suitable forms. No result and no new knowledge derived from research is valuable in itself, as long as it is not presented to the scientific community and society as a whole. This dissemination is most often done through the peer-reviewed publishing in scientific journals. Hence, acquiring the skill of writing scientific publications must be an integral part of education, e.g., part of the acquired academic skills. However, that is not currently the case in all scientific environments and a significant number of (young) scientists and researchers do not possess all the necessary knowledge and skills to write academic articles, especially when it comes to the standardized format and technical preparations. This skill-gap often results in a significant number of submitted papers to be rejected or sent back for resubmission even before they reach the Editor’s desk. In an effort to provide an academic-writing-skill resource for young academics in the field of chemistry, this article points out the general principles of a well-written and prepared paper, indicates the most common errors and omissions, and suggests ways to prevent them. In addition, the article considers the current state of academic skills in less developed scientific environments, with Serbia as an example, and some of the causes of such a state.

Keywords

• academic skills
• postgraduate education
• publish or perish
• 12 golden rules
• iupac recommendations and nomenclature