- If the journal website does not have a room where you can provide potential reviewers, would you still provide a list of reviewers in the cover letter?
- Does the cover letter has to have a list of potential reviewers?
It is not good to suggest reviewers to editors because it will be like you want to influence their review to favour the acceptance of the paper. It is better to allow the editors decide unless they requested to suggest reviewers.
A list of potential reviewers should be included in the cover letter only if it is requested by the journal, otherwise, no need to suggest them since the journals sometimes don't tend to call reviewers from author's side, and prefer to ask their reviewers to review the submitted manuscripts. However, you can list in the cover letter the names of reviewers (mentioned in the journal website) who are qualified to review your manuscript and the ones who are not with justifications.
This is one of the issues that needs to be clarified as soon as possible. Let me begin by stating that it is compulsory to provide a list of potential reviewers. At the same, time, it could be just a suggestion or simple request by the editor of a journal to provide possible or potential reviewers of your article or manuscript.
You need to be frank or realistic about the idea of submitting a list of potential reviewers of your work for three or so reasons, in my opinion. To clarify this point, when you suggest any potential reviewer/s, your need to indicate their working email addresses, and if possible their institutional or organisational contact.h respect to their positive or timely responses to the editor, when contacted or asked to review your work.
In addition, they should be active or committed to do the work as soon as soon as possible. Make sure that they are not your opponents, potential job or professional rivals, or those who could detect the nature of your work in a negative light. Take care of your potential frienemey, in tis case.
If you are sure that they can do the work, you may give their contacts immediately or take the initiative to inform the editor that you can provide some alternative reviewers. This will be very helpful as it will facilitate the process of publishing your article.Make sure that you trust him or her 100 percent or more wit
As you said, if the journal's website does not provide space for writing or submitting name/s of potential reviewers, I think, it is perfect to list them or indicate them in your cover letter, as this will be easier to refer too.
It is good to hear that you have done academic or scholarly writing. This is not a mean achievement by itself, and this effort is highly commendable.