Boilerplates

“I do realize that English is not your native language. As the manuscript in its present form contains numerous spelling and grammatical errors, it is very hard to follow your argument and the scientific content tends to get lost. I suggest that you have the text checked by a (near-) native speaker before resubmission of a corrected version, giving the ms-# of this one as a reference.”

Even if English is your native language, you may not know what makes the above text a so-called “boilerplate.” This term means a passage of text which can be used unchanged in various contexts and settings. The above example is routinely sent by the Editor of this journal when he un-submits or rejects a manuscript because of severe language problems. So what does this have to do with generating hot water? Etymology is often fascinating and reflecting a history long forgotten—but somehow kept alive by words.

The “boilerplate” takes us back to the days of hot metal typesetting. In 1886, the first commercially used Linotype typesetting machine, developed by German born Ottmar Mergenthaler, was used by the New York Tribune.[1] [2] Basically, this apparatus was operated similar to a typewriter, creating matrices of letter forms in a line to be printed, hence “line-o'-type.” This line was then cast with molten metal (a soft alloy of mostly lead with some tin and antimony), resulting in the imprint to be used to press ink on paper according to Gutenberg's principle. This technology with its ease, speed, and versatility revolutionized typesetting and was used well into the 1980s, then being replaced by phototypesetting and other electronic means. In fact, I can still remember accompanying my father to the printers as a young boy. The noisy and musty room filled with the incessant click-clack and clatter of the typesetting machines and the characteristic metallic smell of the hot alloy left a lasting impression.

Improved technology enabled the spreading of local newspapers which, on the other hand, often faced the problem to fill their pages with interesting content. This is where press agencies and publishing syndicates came in. They provided pre-written articles, also including advertisements, ready to print, in the form of metal casts which only had to be inserted by the printer into the overall layout of a newspaper page. Being mass-produced and having to be sent across the country, these sheets were made of more robust material such as iron or steel, very much like the plated metal used to manufacture boilers which have to withstand high pressures.[3] [4] [5]

By nature, the “boilerplate” texts mostly had banal, filling material content. This, in turn, led to the term also acquiring a negative connotation suggesting unoriginal, stereotype writing.

In the daily practice of an Editor, however, they come in very handy. Once phrased with care, they convey standardized information, mostly to authors who keep making the same mistakes. For instance: “Unfortunately, you submitted your figures as doc files. Each figure must be submitted separately as a jpg or tif file. Otherwise, they cannot be processed any further. Please re-submit in the correct format.” is one frequently used by the Editorial Office, giving the reason for un-submission a manuscript.

Another one from the top 10 list is: “There is a general scientific problem with two equally contributing authors. This has come into fashion lately for various (and obvious) reasons but is rarely justified - and therefore discouraged by the ThCVS. If you would like to keep authorships this way, it would require a written explanation of who did what, and why this makes both “equal.” This explanation must also be added as an “Acknowledgement” to the revised version of your manuscript before the References. If accepted, it will be published along with the article.” Should you receive one of those, please be aware that the constant authorship issues really do get your normally well-plated Editor boiling!

Publication History

Article published online:
06 September 2024

• References

• 1 Accessed July 16, 2024 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linotype_machine
• 2 Accessed July 16, 2024 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_metal_typesetting
• 3 Accessed July 16, 2024 at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boilerplate
• 4 Accessed July 16, 2024 at: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-origin-of-the-term-boilerplate
• 5 Accessed July 16, 2024 at: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-boi1.htm