A Final Rewrite

Abstract

After a rest, and when you feel fresh, bring out your manuscript again. Before you face the content, adjust the form to fit the style requirements of your target journal. Here are some specific things you will want to do: Rewrite the Abstract in the form used by your journal. Choose keywords to append to the Title, if these are required. Match figure legends to the journal's style. Change text citations to the appropriate style. Translate your References into the correct bibliographic format. Now, attack the substance of the paper anew.3 Go through the steps outlined in the chapters above, improve the figures, check the tables, make the order of the sentences more logical, and shorten the Abstract and the Introduction. Ask yourself, “Where do I read things over twice?” and “Where am I uncomfortable?” You will naturally feel those spots that are poorly written, weakly argued, confusingly phrased, and meagerly researched.