How to Format Your Manuscript for Journal Submission

Basic typography requirements

Most journals specify these typography standards:

• Font: Times New Roman or Arial, 12pt (some journals accept 11pt)

• Line spacing: Double-spaced throughout (including references)

• Margins: 2.5cm (1 inch) on all sides

• Text alignment: Left-aligned (not justified) for manuscript submission

• Page numbers: Bottom center, starting from title page

• Line numbers: Required by most journals for review, enable in Word or LaTeX

Title page format

The title page typically includes:

• Full paper title (not bold, not all-caps)

• Running title (short title under 50 characters, required by many journals)

• Author names (all authors, in agreed order)

• Author affiliations (numbered superscripts)

• Corresponding author with email address

• ORCID iDs for all authors

• Word count (for main text, abstract, and sometimes total)

Heading structure

Use consistent heading levels throughout. APA uses 5 levels with specific formatting. AMA/Vancouver typically use bold numbered headings. Most journals use 2–3 levels: H1 (all caps or bold centered), H2 (bold left-aligned), H3 (italic bold). Use your word processor's built-in heading styles, not manual bold/italic.

Figures: preparation guidelines

Figure preparation is a common source of delays at publication:

• Resolution: 300 dpi minimum for grayscale/color; 600 dpi for line art

• Format: TIFF or EPS preferred for print; high-res PNG or JPEG for online-only

• Size: Must be legible at published size, typically 8cm (single column) or 17cm (double)

• Color: Use CMYK for print journals; RGB for online-only journals

• Accessibility: Avoid red-green combinations; use patterns or shapes to distinguish groups

• File naming: Figure1.tif, Figure2.tif, not 'final_fig_v3_use_this.jpg'

Tables: formatting standards

Table formatting requirements:

• Number sequentially (Table 1, Table 2...)

• Caption above the table (not below like figures)

• Horizontal lines only, no vertical lines in most styles

• Statistical notes below table (a p<0.05, b p<0.01, etc.)

• Column headers clearly labeled with units

• Tables editable (not images), editors must be able to copy text

Reference formatting

References must be consistently formatted in your target journal's style (APA, Vancouver, Harvard, IEEE, etc.). Key requirements: all authors listed (some styles use 'et al.' after 6 or 8 authors), year after author names (author-year styles) or at the end (Vancouver), DOIs included for journal articles, consistent punctuation and capitalization.