Elsevier Author Workshop: Publishing in Insurance: Mathematics and Economics IME Conference Dalian, China July 15, 2007 IME Conference Dalian, China July

Elsevier Author Workshop: Publishing in Insurance:

Mathematics and Economics

Elsevier Author Workshop: Publishing in Insurance:

Mathematics and EconomicsIME Conference

Dalian, China July 15, 2007IME Conference

Dalian, China July 15, 2007

Rob Kaas, University of AmsterdamMarc Goovaerts, KU Leuven, Univ of Amsterdam

Elias Shiu, Univ of Iowa, Hongkong UnivJeroen Loos, Elsevier

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Overview of talk Publishing in IMEOverview of talk Publishing in IME

How does the EES work?(Elsevier Editorial System)

Peer review process Procedure at IME Tips on revising your paper (1–5)

Aims and Scope of IME What is a ``good'' paper? (1–9) Ethics in scientific publishing

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How does the EES work?How does the EES work?

Visit http://ees.elsevier.com/ime/(or search for EES IME)

Read the 'Tutorial for Authors' (to be found on the top-right)

Read the 'Guide for Authors' But do submit a pdf, it is in fact the best way

(worry about figures, TeX-source etc. later) To start a submission, click 'Submit paper'

(on top of page)

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Peer review process: Procedure at IMEPeer review process: Procedure at IME

1. EES notifies Managing Editor of submission2. Managing Editor assigns 'Handling editor'3. Handling editor seeks referees4. Referees study paper for 6 weeks (or many more )5. Submit review through EES6. Handling editor takes decision

Revise (then loop) Reject (60-65%) Accept

7. Average time for IME between submission, decision and publication is ±36 weeks plus ±40 weeks

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Peer review process: RevisionPeer review process: Revision

1. Revision after review Accompany the resubmission a letter of responses to the

reviewers’ comments. Address the comments for each reviewer and the Editor point by point.

Cut and paste each comment, answer it directly below. Do not miss any point.

Identify where on the manuscript changes have been made (page and line number).

You are encouraged to provide a convincing, solid and polite answer if you think a reviewer is wrong!

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Peer review process: Revision (2)Peer review process: Revision (2)

Remember: editors and reviewers hate to see the same mistake twice!

If you want to submit the rejected manuscript to a different journal, begin as if you are going to write a new article. Re-evaluate your work according to the comments from the reviewers. And do read the Guide for Authors of the new journal.

Do not resubmit the rejected manuscript directly to a similar journal without any significant revision. It is entirely plausible that it will be sent to the same referee(s)!

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2. Revision before submission One of the most important things before submission: make

every attempt to make the manuscript as good as possible. After you complete the first draft, take several days of rest.

Refresh your brain with different things. And come back with critical eyes.

Ask your colleagues and supervisors to review your manuscript first.

Generally, taking enough time to revise your manuscript before submission will bring you an early decision in return.

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Which procedure do you prefer?

1. Send out a sloppily prepared manuscript get rejected after 4-6 months send out again only a few days later get rejected again … sink into despair

2. Take 3-4 months to prepare the manuscript get the first decision after 4 months revise carefully … accepted

You are SUBMITTING your manuscript to a scientific journal, not THROWING it out . Please cherish your own achievements!

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To improve your chances of your paper being published: AAttention to detail CCheck and double check your work CConsider the reviews EEnglish must be as good as possible PPresentation is important TTake your time with revision AAcknowledge those who have helped you NNew original and previously unpublished CCritically evaluate your own manuscript EEthical rules must be obeyed

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Aims and Scope of IMEAims and Scope of IME

Insurance Mathematics comes first Editors, not authors, decide if an article fits in the scope "Insurance: Mathematics and Economics publishes high quality

research papers of international interest, to strengthen communication between those producing and applying research results in insurance and finance, and to integrate the currently fragmented research in both fields. The subject matter of the journal includes theory, models and computational methods of life insurance, non-life insurance, reinsurance and other risk-sharing arrangements, and risk management. It also includes innovative insurance applications of results from fields such as probability and statistics, computer science and numerical analysis, economics, operations research and management science."

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What is a ''good'' paper?What is a ''good'' paper?

Content is essential

Presentation is critical

You need a GOOD manuscript to present your contributions to the science community!

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What is a ''good'' paper? (2)What is a ''good'' paper? (2)

Contains a scientific message that is clear, useful, and exciting. Conveys the authors’ thoughts in a logical manner such that

the reader arrives at the same conclusions as the author. Is constructed in the format that best showcases the authors’

material, and written in a style that transmits the message clearly.

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A good manuscript makes readers (especially reviewers and editors) grasp the scientific significance as EASILY as possible.

Writing a good manuscript is NOT easy! Be prepared to work hard on it!

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REMEMBER: Cherish your own work – if you do not take care,

why should the journal? There is no secret recipe for success – just some

simple rules, dedication and hard work. Editors and reviewers are all busy scientists, just like

you – make things easy to save their time!

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References – Typically, there are more mistakes in the references than any other part of the manuscript. It is one of the most annoying problems, and causes great headaches among editors…

Cite the main scientific publications on which your work is based Do not over-inflate the manuscript with too many references – it doesn’t

make a better manuscript! Avoid excessive self-citations Avoid excessive citations of publications from the same region BUT Make sure you know the relevant literature, to avoid: “The result proved by the authors is in fact a special case of the more

general model in ...”, or the like.

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Make the reference list and the in-text citation conform strictly to the style given in the Guide for Authors!(This is also a task for the Journal Editor at Elsevier)

But presentation in the correct format is the responsibility of the author, not the Editor!

Checking the format is normally a large job for the editors. Make their work easier and they will appreciate the effort.

Check the following: spelling of author names, year of publications Usages of “et al.”, and punctuations. Also be sure to spell the Editor's name right!

(For example, my name is Kaas, not Kass)

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Keep consistent throughout the manuscript. (Yes)

Double line spacing and 12 font is preferred: make it convenient for reviewers to make annotations.(No)

Do not right-justify.(No)

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Author names Keep consistent in the style of writing your full name

and the abbreviation for all your publications – for the efficiency of indexing and searching.

For example, Standard: Ouyang Zhongcan (Ouyang Z. ), or OUYANG Zhong-can (Ouyang Z.C.), Following are also found in literature: Ou-yang Zhong-can,

Ouyang Zhong-can, Ou-Yang Zhongcan, Ouyang, Z.C, Zhongcan Ouyang, Zhong-can Ou-Yang, ……

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If the language prevents reviewers from understanding the scientific content of your work, the possibility of acceptance will be lowered greatly.

At the minimum, you should provide the best English you can manage along with your high quality science. Please have a skilled writer or someone fluent in English help to check your manuscript before submission.

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Ethics in scientific publishingEthics in scientific publishing

Two quite obvious rules are important:1. Submit your paper to one journal at a time

(editors and reviewers hate wasting their time; remember that the number of experts on your topic is small; it may well be that the same reviewer is consulted)

2. Never submit other people's work under your own name(this is a criminal offense and might ruin your scientific career)

See also the Ethics in Publishing: Instructions to Authors at the final stage of the submission procedure

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Questions?

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Thank you!

Documents

Elsevier Author Workshop: Publishing in Insurance: Mathematics and Economics IME Conference Dalian, China July 15, 2007 IME Conference Dalian, China July