A Manual for Author Guidelines: Improving the Author Experience

Journal author guidelines are often the first line of communication between editors and authors, and they play a large role in determining the quality and volume of submissions received by an academic journal. Thoughtfully analyzing and designing author guidelines is crucial for research journals because it benefits both authors and editorial offices (Figure 1). As user experience (UX) researchers at Wiley, we have cumulatively analyzed feedback from thousands of authors across research disciplines about the role of author guidelines in publishing. A consistent theme that emerged was that clear, well-structured author guidelines influence how favorably authors perceive a journal and where they will ultimately submit their manuscripts. Authors tell us that among journals with similar metrics, they tend to select a journal based on the clarity of their guidelines. We also found that when authors are provided effective guidelines, it is easier for them to properly prepare their submissions the first time. For societies and publishers that encourage manuscript transfers between journals, standardized guidelines simplify the transfer process, making it easier for authors to compare requirements and choose whether to accept a transfer. Subsequently, the editorial office receives fewer requests for help, spends less time sorting through improperly prepared files, and returns fewer manuscripts for corrections. This decreases the overall time from submission to publication of the final article. We have developed strategies to enhance both the content and design of author guidelines to help editors reap these benefits. In this article, we will walk you through key steps to improve […]