How to submit your manuscript summary to a Research Topic
Publishing your research in a Research Topic is a good way to get visibility for your work and collaborate with other experts in your field. But before you submit a full manuscript, we recommend writing a summary.
Writing a summary is only necessary if you’re submitting to a Research Topic. It helps the topic editor determine if your work is suitable for the collection and helps to reduce overlap with other manuscripts being submitted. There’s no need to submit a summary if you’re submitting directly to a journal. See our general guidance on submitting your manuscript
Publishing your research in a Research Topic is a great way to increase the visibility of your work and collaborate with other experts in your field.
If you’re interested in submitting to a Research Topic, we recommend first preparing a summary of your research.
Why write a manuscript summary?
A summary helps the topic editor assess whether your work is a good fit for the collection and reduces the risk of overlap with other submissions.
Please note that summaries are only needed when submitting to a Research Topic—they are not required for direct journal submissions.
For direct submissions, see our guidance on submitting your manuscript.
What is a manuscript summary?
Your manuscript summary is the start of your Research Topic journey. It is different from the finalized abstracts of your completed manuscript. A summary is tool to help you and the topic editors decide whether a piece of research is within the topic’s scope.
While it isn’t mandatory for your submission, a summary is a great way of motivating and gauging interest. They are free to send, do not undergo peer review, and they’re not published online. How does sending a summary help my research?
It outlines the type of research you're going to submit so that the topic editors can confirm that your manuscript is going to be suitable for the collection.
Editors may provide feedback that suggests areas where your research could be expanded or elaborated upon – helping develop the scope of your article.
It can prevent duplication of efforts if another researcher covers a similar aspect.
With their expert knowledge of the field, editors may be able to tell you about additional resources or others working in your field.
What are the common mistakes when sending a manuscript summary?
1. Ambiguity, vagueness, or omitting key information
Mistake: Providing insufficient detail, making it difficult for editors to understand the research's relevance and scope.
Example: "This study investigates learning outcomes."
Solution: Include specific information about the research question, methods, and expected contributions.
2. Providing excessive detail
Mistake: Overloading the summary with too much information, making it difficult to understand the main points of your work.
Example: "The study explores the biochemical synthesis pathways of X, Y, Z, involving a complex series of reactions including A, B, and C steps, each measured using multiple techniques such as..."
Solution: Focus on the key elements of the study, such as the main objective, methods, and potential impact.
3. Lack of clarity
Mistake: Writing long, convoluted sentences that obscure the main message.
Example: "The overarching aim of this research is to provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the various factors and components that contribute to the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the different pedagogical methods employed in higher education."
Solution: Write clearly and concisely, ensuring each sentence serves a purpose.
4. Ignoring scope or relevance
Mistake: Submitting a summary that is too broad or does not align well with the Research Topic's aims.
Example: Submitting a summary on marine biology to a Research Topic focusing on freshwater ecosystems.
Solution: Carefully review the Research Topic's scope and tailor your summary to highlight its relevance.
5. Poorly structured
Mistake: The summary is confusing or lacks logical flow.
Example: Jumping between topics without clear transitions or structure.
Solution: Use a clear structure with sections such as introduction, objectives, methods, and anticipated impact.
How do I submit a manuscript summary to Frontiers?
Create an account or log in to your My Frontiers account
Go to your selected Research Topic and click ‘Submit’, found in the banner
Click ‘Submit your manuscript summary’
Confirm the journal and check the article type is ‘Research Topic Manuscript Summary’
Enter your summary information
Click to confirm the statement information
Click ‘Submit’. Your summary will now be sent to the topic editors for consideration.
The topic editors will review the suitability of your summary and may provide feedback.
Frequently asked questions
How soon do I have to submit a manuscript summary?
Each Research Topic has a summary deadline listed under ‘Overview’ on the topic’s page. Early submissions are encouraged and recommended to allow extra time for feedback and revisions.
What should I include in my manuscript summary?
Provide an overview of your article, detailing major points and research methods. You do not have to include findings, conclusions, or recommendations.
How long should a manuscript summary be?
The length can vary depending on the article type and the details of your research. We recommend keeping the summary to a maximum of 1000 words.
Is there any fee associated with submitting the summary?
There is no fee for submitting a summary. Any article processing charges (APCs) only apply if the final manuscript is accepted for publication.
Should I submit a summary regardless of article type?
We recommend sending the topic editors a summary, whatever your article type. This will help ensure your work aligns with the aims of the topic, avoid duplication, and provide valuable feedback on your research’s scope.
Are manuscript summaries peer reviewed?
The summary is simply a summary of your research, so peer review is unnecessary. However, you may get feedback on your summary from the topic editors – evaluating the relevance and potential discussion points. Your work will be peer reviewed after you submit your final manuscript.
Do I still need to write a summary if I’m not submitting to a Research Topic?
Summaries are only for Research Topics. They’re not required when submitting directly to a journal.