Paper Format Checker

Validate your paper's formatting against academic journal standards, headings, figures, tables, captions, and overall layout consistency.

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No account required · Results in <2 minutes · PDF, Word & LaTeX

Why format checking matters for journal submission

Even excellent research can face desk rejection for formatting violations. Journals have strict requirements for heading hierarchy, figure numbering, table formatting, caption styles, and overall manuscript presentation. These rules exist to ensure manuscripts are easy to typeset and review. Our paper format checker automatically scans for the most common formatting errors, from inconsistent heading levels to unreferenced figures, giving you a clear picture of what needs to be corrected before submission.

Formatting issues we detect

Heading hierarchy

Validate H1/H2/H3 levels are consistent and logically structured.

Figure references

Ensure every figure is referenced in the text and properly numbered.

Table formatting

Validate table captions, numbering, and footnote format.

Consistent numbering

Detect figure and table numbering gaps or duplicates.

Caption completeness

Flag missing or incomplete figure and table captions.

List formatting

Verify consistent bullet/numbered list formatting throughout.

Checks relevant to this topic

Part of our 80+ automated checks

Figure numbering

Sequential figure numbering without gaps or duplicates.

Table captions

All tables have appropriate captions with numbering.

Heading consistency

Consistent heading level hierarchy throughout the document.

Figure citation

Every figure number is referenced at least once in the 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

Common formatting rejections include: incorrect file format, figures not embedded, missing captions, inconsistent heading structure, and non-compliant reference formatting. Our checker catches all of these.

We check for correct figure referencing, numbering, and caption completeness. Image quality (resolution, color mode) is not currently analyzed but is something to check manually for your target journal.