从标题的重要性说起——Cover letter杂感
从标题的重要性说起——Cover letter杂感
前几天在博客里写了一小段文字，是用来告诫自己，起了个名字叫[如何更好地控制时间]。没想到有那么多的访客受骗而来，呵呵。无心的，抱歉了。启示有二： 其一是看来大家都想更好地控制时间，这是一个普遍的问题；其二呢，你看，好的标题多么重要！这点可以延伸到科技论文的写作中。今天我想说的却不是科技论文的标题，而是投稿时的cover letter。
好的标题是为了取悦读者，好的cover letter 是为了取悦编辑。---------对大多数人来说，后者可是大大地重要啊。前段时间听了Nature materials一个编辑做的一系列报告，其中讲到了cover letter的写作。大意说cover letter可以写的更生动煽情些，一些为文章的意义等吹捧的东西太speculative的写到文章本身是不合适的，但放在cover letter里则妙不可言！
我就琢磨，如果想在高水平的杂志上发论文，千万要重视cover letter的写作啊。拿nature 系列来说，编辑的直接据稿率是85%! 剩下15%里的6%可以发表。敢往nature扔的东西至少自己认为都是有分量的研究，送到同行手里多半评价都不错，其实最关键的反倒是编辑这一关！编辑看什么呢？看文章是否能够引起广泛的兴趣！专业的东西他们是不会也不可能去评价的。这广泛地兴趣可就是虚活了，一样的东西，不一样的吆喝。编辑是不太可能从沙子里往外掏金子的，我们自己当然要掏出来，抛光了，甚至装饰一层更绚烂的，然后恭恭敬敬地呈上去。
补充一点：千万不要图省事将摘要里的东西，将前言的东西直接搬到cover letter里。编辑说了：“那些东西我们自己从文章中看的到！“ 做实验写文章的苦大家多有体会，那么多的时间精力都花了，为何在最重要的cover letter 上那么吝啬呢？
以下部分摘抄自鲁白老师的博客文章“如何在顶级科学杂志上发表论文“
怎样写封面信？
一般该信要包括这样几个方面，一个是主要发现是什么，一个是为什么说这发现是重要的，还有你建议谁来做评审，并告诉哪些人有同行竞争或不公正不公平的嫌疑而不能来做评审。对国内的学者来讲，建议请你认识的比较有名的同行科学家先看一看你的文章，并根据其意见进行修改。这样你就可以在信上说，已经某某科学家审阅，这样可能增加一些你的文章分量，不至于立即被拒绝。多年来，我常常会把文章写完后，请几位非常有名的专家，同事，提一些意见和建议，然后按照他们的建议，做些实验进行修改，这样做不仅仅是为了减少文章被拒的几率，实在也是提高了工作的质量。
写封面信有一些讲究，写的不好，文章马上就给你退回。 举例一，这是一篇我们实验室在Nature Neuroscience发表的文章，它是这样写的： We would like to submit the enclosed manuscript entitled "GDNF Acutely Modulates Neuronal Excitability and A-type Potassium Channels in Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons", which we wish to be considered for publication in Nature Neuroscience 。接下来说，为什么这个文章是重要的，GDNF has long been thought to be a potent neurotrophic factor for the survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, 这是人家过去已经发现的，神经营养因子一直是被认为对中脑多巴胺神经元存活起促进作用，接着说，which are degenerated in Parkinson’s disease. 任何科学发现，假如跟疾病有关的话那就是很重要的，GDNF一般是调控中脑神经细胞的存活，In this paper, we report an unexpected, acute effect of GDNF on A-type potassium channels, leading to a potentiation of neuronal excitability, in the dopaminergic neurons in culture as well as in adult brain slices. Further, we show that GDNF regulates the K+ channels through a mechanism that involves activation of MAP kinase. Thus, this study has revealed, for the first time, an acute modulation of ion channels by GDNF. 这一段讲的是主要发现，接下来我讲为什么是重要的。Our findings challenge the classic view of GDNF as a long-term survival factor for midbrain dopaminergic neurons, 教课书上说GDNF survival factor现在我们来挑战这个传统观念，如有道理将改写教科书，很重要。我又说这个工作suggest that the normal function of GDNF is to regulate neuronal excitability, and consequently dopamine release. 这是另外一个重要的贡献。 巴金森氏症主要是因为神经递质多巴胺的释放下降，我们可以通过调控神经兴奋性，来调控多巴胺的释放。 These results may also have implications in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. 所以这项工作也有临床意义。接下来是建议：Due to a direct competition and conflict of interest, we request that Drs. XXX of #1 Univ., and YY of #2 Univ. not be considered as reviewers. 这些建议也要实事求是，真是觉得这些人是在做类似的工作，有竞争。
这篇文章发表后，有一位做离子通道的科学家来访问NIH时，问我说，为什么这篇文章能在Nature Neuroscience上发表? 他说，离子通道的调控文章现在已经很难发了。神经营养因子的快速作用，这也不是第一个。 GDNF对中脑多巴胺神经元的调控，已经有很多文章了。 我想他要是读了我的封面信，也许会比较理解这篇文章的重要意义。由此可见，一篇文章怎么写，从什么角度，怎么来编排，有时也可以决定一篇文章在那里发表。
举例二，We would like to submit the enclosed manuscript entitled "Ca2＋-binding protein frequenin mediates GDNF-induced potentiation of Ca2＋ channels and transmitter release", which we wish to be considered for publication in Neuron. We believe that two aspects of this manuscript will make it interesting to general readers of Neuron. First, we report that GDNF has a long-term regulatory effect on neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular synapses. This provides the first physiological evidence for a role of this new family of neurotrophic factors in functional synaptic transmission. Second, we show that the GDNF effect is mediated by enhancing the expression of the Ca2＋-binding protein frequenin. Further, GDNF and frequenin facilitate synaptic transmission by enhancing Ca2＋ channel activity, leading to an enhancement of Ca2＋ influx. 具体科学内容不懂没有关系，重要的是有没有写清楚意义。Thus, this study has identified, for the first time, a molecular target that mediates the long-term, synaptic action of a neurotrophic factor. Our findings may also have general implications in the cell biology of neurotransmitter release. 你需要指出这是第一。这是一个大家关心的问题，而且是第一次报道的新发现，这样才会被重视。
举例三，是1996年发表在Nature上的文章。当时我觉得分量还不够，所以封面信上就写得多一点。 Enclosed are copies of a manuscript entitled "BDNF and NT-4/5 Promote the Development of Long-Term Potentiation in the Hippocampus", which we wish to be considered for publication in Nature. As you know, there is a great deal of interest and excitement recently in understanding the role of neurotrophins in synapse development and plasticity. 众所周知，这是一个大家都感兴趣的问题。Our manuscript provides, for the first time, the physiological evidence that neurotrophins regulate long-term potentiation (LTP). The main point of the paper is that the neurotrophins BDNF and NT-4 induce an earlier appearance of LTP in developing hippocampus. In contrast to recent Science article by XX group, 人家刚刚在Science杂志上发表的一篇文章。We did not see that BDNF enhance basal synaptic transmission in adult hippocampus. Nature和Science相互都要竞争的，如果说是Science上发表的文章是错的，一定会引起兴趣。However, we found that in adult hippocampus, inhibition of BDNF/TrkB activity attenuated LTP, and weak tetanus that normally cannot induce LTP produced enduring LTP. 这是我们的发现。These findings may have implications in the basic mechanism for regulation of synapse development and long-term modulation of synaptic efficacy. 这是我们这项工作的意义。
Because of the rather competitive nature of the field and the important implication of our findings, we have not yet presented this work in any public forum. 我们在公共场合没有讲过这个问题。 However, confidential discussion with several prominent neuroscientists such as 111 and 222 have generated tremendous excitement.私下我们已经给一些有名的专家看了我们的工作，他们都感到很有意思,增加了分量。Thus, we feel that this work is of general interest and is suitable for publication in Nature。
本文转载自谢燕武科学网博客。
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