Figure, Table & Equation Checker

Verify that every figure, table, and equation is correctly numbered, captioned, and cited in the body of your manuscript.

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Why do figures, tables, and equations need checking?

Journals require that every figure, table, and equation be sequentially numbered, accompanied by a descriptive caption, and explicitly referenced in the main text. A figure that appears in your paper but is never mentioned in the body, a table with a missing caption, or an equation numbering gap are all common errors that trigger reviewer comments or desk rejection. Manual checking is tedious and error-prone, especially in long manuscripts with dozens of floats. CheckMyManuscript automates this by scanning your entire document for numbering consistency, caption completeness, and in-text cross-references.

What we check

Figure numbering

Detect gaps, duplicates, or out-of-order figure numbers across the manuscript.

Table numbering

Verify that tables are numbered sequentially and match their in-text references.

Equation numbering

Check that numbered equations are referenced correctly in the surrounding text.

Caption completeness

Flag figures or tables that are missing captions or have captions that are too short to be informative.

In-text cross-references

Confirm that every figure and table number is cited at least once in the main text.

Supplementary alignment

Check that supplementary figures and tables follow a consistent separate numbering scheme.

Checks relevant to this topic

Part of our 80+ automated checks

Figure numbering gaps

Detect missing or duplicated figure numbers (e.g., Fig. 3 appears twice, Fig. 5 is never defined).

Table numbering gaps

Same check applied to all tables in the manuscript.

Missing captions

Flag any figure or table that has no caption.

Unreferenced floats

Identify figures or tables that appear in the document but are never cited in the text.

Equation cross-references

Verify that numbered equations are referred to by number in the surrounding text.

The practical edge your peers already use

Across disciplines and career stages, researchers reduce bottlenecks and submit with confidence: clearer drafts, easier guideline compliance, and less back and forth with co‑authors and reviewers.

I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.

Ilyass, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

Ilyass

Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.

Manon, Master's Student in Speech Therapy

Manon

Master's Student in Speech Therapy

I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.

Afonso, PhD Candidate, UFPE

Afonso

PhD Candidate, UFPE

It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.

Félix, Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

Félix

Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.

Oleg, Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Oleg

Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

I use it to review my students' papers. It instantly highlights typos, missing references, and unclear sections, helping me focus my feedback on the quality of the research instead of surface errors.

Ilyass, Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

Ilyass

Professor in Mechanical Engineering, ÉTS Montréal

I relied on it throughout my thesis to strengthen my writing. It suggested clearer phrasing, improved flow between sections, and ensured my references were complete before the final deadline.

Manon, Master's Student in Speech Therapy

Manon

Master's Student in Speech Therapy

I write research in both Portuguese and English, and it adapts perfectly to either language. It provided precise feedback in Portuguese, helping me maintain academic tone and consistency across my drafts.

Afonso, PhD Candidate, UFPE

Afonso

PhD Candidate, UFPE

It gave excellent advice on how to rephrase and present ideas more clearly and concisely. The suggestions helped me refine my arguments and make my research more impactful.

Félix, Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

Félix

Postdoc Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

A round of suggestions helped to generally refine the text of my paper and, moreover, to present some of its key points in a more focused form.

Oleg, Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Oleg

Professor, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University

Frequently asked questions

Journals require sequential, consistent numbering so copy-editors and typesetters can correctly place floats during production. Numbering errors or unreferenced figures create production delays and are often flagged by reviewers as signs of a poorly prepared manuscript.

A good figure caption is self-contained: a reader should understand the figure without reading the surrounding text. It should include a brief title, description of what is shown, definitions of any abbreviations used in the figure, and statistical details if relevant.

Reviewers and editors treat unreferenced figures as a sign of poor manuscript preparation. In some cases, journals will request removal of unreferenced figures. Always ensure each figure is explicitly cited at least once (e.g., 'As shown in Figure 3...').

CheckMyManuscript checks that numbered equations are referenced in the text and that equation numbering is sequential. It does not evaluate the mathematical correctness of equations.

Yes. CheckMyManuscript processes LaTeX archives natively and checks figure, table, and equation environments directly, including \label and \ref cross-references.