Formatting Guidelines
Research Publication Formatting Guidelines
Comprehensive formatting rules and examples for preparing a research manuscript for peer-reviewed publication. This guide covers manuscript layout, reference styles, figures and tables, and submission file requirements.
Table of Contents
- Manuscript Layout and Structure
- Font and Typography
- Page Formatting
- Headings and Section Structure
- Text Formatting Rules
- Referencing Style: APA (7th Edition)
- Referencing Style: IEEE
- Referencing Style: Vancouver (Numbered)
- Referencing Style: Chicago
- Referencing Style: Harvard
- Figure Formatting
- Table Formatting
- Mathematical Notation
- Supplementary Materials
- File Submission Requirements
- Pre-Submission Formatting Checklist
1. Manuscript Layout and Structure
1.1 Title Page Elements
The title page (or first page, if a separate title page is not required) should include:
- Full manuscript title (concise, informative, 10-15 words)
- Running head / short title (if required, usually <50 characters)
- Author names in order of contribution (full given names and surnames)
- Affiliations (institution, department, city, country) with superscript numbers matching authors
- Corresponding author identification (name, email, phone, mailing address)
- ORCID iDs for all authors (if requested)
- Acknowledgment of funding sources with grant numbers
- Acknowledgment of non-author contributors (technical help, writing assistance)
- Disclosure of conflicts of interest
SEPARATE TITLE PAGE: Many journals require a separate title page for anonymous peer review. This keeps
author identities hidden from reviewers. Always check the journal's submission guidelines.
1.2 Manuscript Order
Standard manuscript page order:
- Title Page (if separate)
- Abstract and Keywords
- Main Text (Introduction through References)
- Appendices (if any)
Figures and tables are often submitted as separate files, not embedded in the manuscript.
2. Font and Typography
2.1 Standard Font Requirements
| Element | Typical Requirement | Accepted Fonts |
|---|---|---|
| Body text | 12 pt | Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Georgia |
| Abstract | 11-12 pt (may be smaller) | Same as body or slightly smaller |
| Figure legends | 10-11 pt | Same font as body |
| Table text | 10-11 pt | Same font as body |
| In-text citations | Same as body text | No separate font |
CONSISTENCY: Use only one font family throughout the manuscript (exceptions: figure labels may
use a different font). Never mix multiple fonts in the text body.
2.2 Font Avoidance
AVOID: Decorative, script, or condensed fonts. Never use Comic Sans, Papyrus, Curlz MT,
or other non-academic fonts. Some journals explicitly prohibit these.
3. Page Formatting
3.1 Margins and Spacing
| Element | Standard Requirement |
|---|---|
| Margins (all sides) | 1 inch (2.54 cm) — "landscape" margins often required for binding |
| Line spacing | Double-spaced (most journals); 1.5-line spacing (some journals) |
| Paragraph spacing | No extra space between paragraphs (unless journal specifies) |
| Alignment | Left-aligned (ragged right); rarely justified |
| Page numbers | Bottom center or bottom right; sometimes top corner |
| Line numbers | Required by many journals for review (every 5 or 10 lines) |
| Indentation | First line of each paragraph indented 0.5 inch (or block format with space between) |
3.2 Word and Page Limits
| Article Type | Typical Word Limit | Typical Page Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Research Article | 6,000-8,000 words | 15-25 pages |
| Review Article | 8,000-12,000 words | 20-40 pages |
| Short Communication / Letter | 2,000-3,000 words | 3-6 pages |
| Case Report | 1,500-2,500 words | 3-5 pages |
| Editorial / Commentary | 800-1,500 words | 1-3 pages |
EXCEEDING LIMITS: Some journals allow excess pages for a fee ($150-$400 per page). Others will not
accept manuscripts that exceed limits under any circumstances. Check before writing.
4. Headings and Section Structure
4.1 Heading Hierarchy
Use a consistent heading hierarchy. Most journals use numbered or unnumbered headings:
Level 1 (Main Section) — Bold, centered or left-aligned, 14-16 pt
Level 2 (Subsection) — Bold, left-aligned, 12-14 pt
Level 3 (Sub-subsection) — Italics, left-aligned, 12 pt, followed by text on same line
Level 2 (Subsection) — Bold, left-aligned, 12-14 pt
Level 3 (Sub-subsection) — Italics, left-aligned, 12 pt, followed by text on same line
4.2 Standard IMRaD Headings
1. Introduction
2. Methods (or Methodology)
2.1 Study Design
2.2 Participants
2.3 Data Collection
2.4 Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1 Primary Outcomes
3.2 Secondary Outcomes
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References
2. Methods (or Methodology)
2.1 Study Design
2.2 Participants
2.3 Data Collection
2.4 Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1 Primary Outcomes
3.2 Secondary Outcomes
4. Discussion
5. Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References
NUMBERED vs. UNNUMBERED: Some journals prefer numbered headings (1, 1.1, 1.1.1) for clarity. Others prefer
unnumbered headings. Follow the journal's style exactly.
5. Text Formatting Rules
5.1 Numbers
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Spell out numbers zero through nine | "three participants," "five studies" |
| Use numerals for 10 and above | "12 participants," "25 studies" |
| Always use numerals with units of measure | "5 mg," "12 cm," "3 hours" |
| Always use numerals with statistics | "t(45) = 2.34," "p < .001" |
| Use numerals for percentages, ratios, scores | "42%," "ratio of 3:1," "score of 85" |
| Begin sentences with spelled-out number | "Fifteen participants..." (not "15 participants") |
5.2 Italics and Emphasis
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Statistical symbols (variables, p, t, F, chi) | t, p, F, chi, M, SD, n |
| Genus and species names | Homo sapiens, Drosophila melanogaster |
| Latin abbreviations | et al., vs., ibid., id. |
| Definitions of new terms | The process of operant conditioning involves... |
| Emphasis on a word | Use sparingly. "The results were not significant." |
AVOID ITALICS FOR: Entire sentences, long passages, or emphasis on common words. This is considered
poor academic style. Use precise language instead of emphasis.
5.3 Capitalization
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Title case for headings | "Methods and Materials" (not "Methods and materials") |
| Proper nouns capitalized | "the United Nations," "the Department of Education" |
| Lowercase disciplines (APA style) | "she studied psychology" (not "Psychology") |
| Lowercase days, months (except January, February, September) | "on Monday" but "in January" |
| Capitalized in APA, some styles in IEEE | Check journal style for specific terms |
6. Referencing Style: APA (7th Edition)
American Psychological Association style is widely used in social sciences, education, and psychology.
6.1 In-Text Citations
| Scenario | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Paraphrase, one author | (Author, Year) | (Smith, 2023) |
| Direct quote, one author | (Author, Year, p. X) | (Smith, 2023, p. 45) |
| Two authors | (Author1 & Author2, Year) | (Smith & Jones, 2023) |
| Three or more authors | (FirstAuthor et al., Year) | (Smith et al., 2023) |
| Narrative citation | Author (Year) | Smith (2023) argued that... |
6.2 Reference List Examples
Journal article with DOI:
Smith, J. A., & Jones, B. R. (2023). Title of the article. Journal Name, 45(3), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
Smith, J. A., & Jones, B. R. (2023). Title of the article. Journal Name, 45(3), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx
Journal article without DOI:
Smith, J. A., & Jones, B. R. (2023). Title of the article. Journal Name, 45(3), 123-145.
Smith, J. A., & Jones, B. R. (2023). Title of the article. Journal Name, 45(3), 123-145.
Book:
Smith, J. A. (2022). Title of the book: Subtitle. Publisher.
Smith, J. A. (2022). Title of the book: Subtitle. Publisher.
Book chapter:
Smith, J. A. (2023). Title of the chapter. In B. R. Jones (Ed.), Title of the book (pp. 45-67). Publisher.
Smith, J. A. (2023). Title of the chapter. In B. R. Jones (Ed.), Title of the book (pp. 45-67). Publisher.
Website:
Smith, J. A. (2023, March 15). Title of the webpage. Publisher. https://www.example.com/page
Smith, J. A. (2023, March 15). Title of the webpage. Publisher. https://www.example.com/page
6.3 APA Key Rules
- Author names: Last name, Initial(s).
- Year in parentheses after author(s).
- Article titles in sentence case (only first word, proper nouns capitalized).
- Journal names and volume numbers in italics.
- Issue number in parentheses, not italicized, immediately after volume.
- Include DOI as a URL when available.
- Reference list: hanging indent, alphabetized by first author's last name.
- Use "&" in parentheses; use "and" in narrative citations.
7. Referencing Style: IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers style is standard in engineering, computer science, and technology fields. Uses a numbered citation system.
7.1 In-Text Citations
| Scenario | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Single source | [Number] | As shown in [1]... |
| Range of sources | [Number1]-[Number2] or [Number1–Number2] | Previous studies [3]-[5] show... |
| Numerous sources | [Number1]-[NumberN] (consecutive range) | See [1]-[10] for details. |
| Superscript (some IEEE variants) | Author [^number] | Smith[^1] demonstrated that... |
7.2 Reference List Examples
[1] Journal article:
J. A. Smith and B. R. Jones, "Title of the article," Abbrev. Journal Name, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 123-145, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.xxxx/xxxxx.
J. A. Smith and B. R. Jones, "Title of the article," Abbrev. Journal Name, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 123-145, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.xxxx/xxxxx.
[2] Conference paper:
J. A. Smith, "Title of the paper," in Proc. Conference Name, City, Country, Year, pp. 123-145.
J. A. Smith, "Title of the paper," in Proc. Conference Name, City, Country, Year, pp. 123-145.
[3] Book:
J. A. Smith, Title of the Book, Xth ed. City, Country: Publisher, Year.
J. A. Smith, Title of the Book, Xth ed. City, Country: Publisher, Year.
[4] Website:
J. A. Smith, "Title of the webpage," Website Name. [Online]. Available: https://www.example.com/page. [Accessed: Mar. 15, 2023].
J. A. Smith, "Title of the webpage," Website Name. [Online]. Available: https://www.example.com/page. [Accessed: Mar. 15, 2023].
7.3 IEEE Key Rules
- References numbered consecutively in order of appearance in the text.
- Author names: Initial(s). Last name (reversed from APA).
- Article titles in quotation marks, sentence case.
- Journal names abbreviated per ISO 4 standards.
- Volume, issue, page range, and date all required.
- DOI included as "doi:" prefix.
- Reference list numbered, not alphabetized.
8. Referencing Style: Vancouver (Numbered)
Vancouver style is used by medical and biomedical journals (ICMJE standard). Similar to IEEE but with different formatting details.
8.1 In-Text Citations
| Style | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Superscript (common in medical journals) | Text^number | Previous studies have shown this effect.^[1,2,5] |
| Bracketed (some journals) | [number] | As reported [1], the results were significant. |
8.2 Reference List Examples
Journal article:
1. Smith JA, Jones BR. Title of the article. Abbrev Journal Name. 2023;45(3):123-145. doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx
1. Smith JA, Jones BR. Title of the article. Abbrev Journal Name. 2023;45(3):123-145. doi:10.xxxx/xxxxx
Book:
1. Smith JA. Title of the Book. Xth ed. City: Publisher; 2022.
1. Smith JA. Title of the Book. Xth ed. City: Publisher; 2022.
Chapter in a book:
1. Smith JA. Title of chapter. In: Jones BR, ed. Title of the Book. Xth ed. City: Publisher; 2022:45-67.
1. Smith JA. Title of chapter. In: Jones BR, ed. Title of the Book. Xth ed. City: Publisher; 2022:45-67.
8.3 Vancouver Key Rules
- References numbered in order of first citation in the text.
- Author names: Last name followed by initials (no periods, no spaces between initials).
- Article titles in sentence case, no quotation marks.
- Journal names abbreviated per NLM/PubMed standards.
- Format: Author(s). Title. Journal. Year;Volume(Issue):Pages.
- Include DOI when available.
- Maximum number of authors listed depends on total (usually first 6, then "et al.").
9. Referencing Style: Chicago
Chicago style offers two systems: Notes-Bibliography (humanities) and Author-Date (sciences and social sciences).
9.1 Notes-Bibliography System
| Element | Format |
|---|---|
| Footnote/Endnote | First name Last name, Title (Publication info), page. |
| Bibliography entry | Last name, First name. Title. Publication info. |
Footnote:
1. John A. Smith, The Art of Research (New York: Publisher, 2023), 45.
Bibliography:
Smith, John A. The Art of Research. New York: Publisher, 2023.
1. John A. Smith, The Art of Research (New York: Publisher, 2023), 45.
Bibliography:
Smith, John A. The Art of Research. New York: Publisher, 2023.
9.2 Author-Date System
In-text: (Smith 2023, 45)
Reference list:
Smith, John A. 2023. The Art of Research. New York: Publisher.
Reference list:
Smith, John A. 2023. The Art of Research. New York: Publisher.
10. Referencing Style: Harvard
Harvard style is an author-date system used widely in UK and Australian universities. Note: there is no single "official" Harvard style — variations exist by institution.
10.1 In-Text Citations
| Scenario | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Paraphrase | (Author, Year) | (Smith, 2023) |
| Direct quote | (Author, Year, p. X) | (Smith, 2023, p. 45) |
| Narrative | Author (Year) | Smith (2023) argues... |
10.2 Reference List Examples
Journal article:
Smith, J.A. and Jones, B.R. (2023) 'Title of the article', Journal Name, 45(3), pp. 123-145. doi: 10.xxxx/xxxxx.
Smith, J.A. and Jones, B.R. (2023) 'Title of the article', Journal Name, 45(3), pp. 123-145. doi: 10.xxxx/xxxxx.
Book:
Smith, J.A. (2022) Title of the Book. Xth edn. City: Publisher.
Smith, J.A. (2022) Title of the Book. Xth edn. City: Publisher.
10.3 Harvard Key Rules
- Author names: Last name, Initials.
- Year in parentheses after author.
- Article title in single quotation marks, sentence case.
- Journal name in italics, volume in bold (varies).
- "pp." before page range in references.
- DOI included as "doi:" prefix.
- Reference list alphabetized by first author's last name.
VARIATION WARNING: Harvard style has no single governing body. Always check your institution's or journal's
specific Harvard variant before formatting references.
11. Figure Formatting
11.1 General Requirements
- Each figure should be understandable with its caption alone
- Figures numbered consecutively in order of citation in the text
- Minimum resolution: 300 DPI for color/b&w photos; 600-1200 DPI for line art; 1500+ DPI for halftones
- File formats: TIFF or PNG for photos; EPS, SVG, or PDF for line art/diagrams
- Font size in figures: minimum 8 pt (preferably 9-12 pt for readability when reduced)
- Color must be distinguishable in grayscale (test with a colorblind simulator)
- Avoid shading that may not reproduce well in print
- Each figure submitted as a separate file (unless panels are combined)
11.2 Figure Caption Format
Figure X. [Concise title describing the figure]. [Description of what is shown]. Abbreviations
used must be defined. Statistical significance indicators must be explained.
GOOD CAPTION: "Figure 1. Distribution of test scores by intervention group. Error bars represent
95% confidence intervals. **p < .01, *p < .05."
11.3 Panel Figures
When combining multiple sub-figures (panels A, B, C), label each panel clearly in the upper-left corner and use a single caption that explains all panels.
COMMON REJECTION REASON: Figures that are too small, low-resolution, or have text that is unreadable at publication
size are frequently flagged by reviewers and production staff. Design figures for
publication size from the start.
12. Table Formatting
12.1 General Rules
- Number tables consecutively in order of citation
- Each table should be self-contained and interpretable without the main text
- Use horizontal rules only (top, bottom, column header); avoid vertical lines
- Column headings must be clear and include units of measurement
- Align numbers by decimal point
- Define all abbreviations in the table note
- Place table notes below the table (general note, specific notes, probability note)
12.2 Table Structure Template
Table X. [Descriptive title].
+------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Variable | Group A | Group B | p-value |
+------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Mean (SD) | 45.2 (8.1)| 38.7 (9.3)| 0.023 |
| Median (IQR) | 44 (32-56)| 37 (28-49)| |
| n (%) | 12 (40%) | 8 (27%) | 0.15 |
+------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
Note. SD = standard deviation; IQR = interquartile range.
+------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Variable | Group A | Group B | p-value |
+------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Mean (SD) | 45.2 (8.1)| 38.7 (9.3)| 0.023 |
| Median (IQR) | 44 (32-56)| 37 (28-49)| |
| n (%) | 12 (40%) | 8 (27%) | 0.15 |
+------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
Note. SD = standard deviation; IQR = interquartile range.
12.3 Table Notes Format
Abbreviations: SD = standard deviation; IQR = interquartile range.
^a p < .05, ^b p < .01, ^c p < .001.
Note. Adapted from "Title," by Author, Year, Journal, vol(x), pp. xx-xx.
^a p < .05, ^b p < .01, ^c p < .001.
Note. Adapted from "Title," by Author, Year, Journal, vol(x), pp. xx-xx.
TOOLS: Create publication-quality tables using LaTeX (tabular environment), Microsoft Word
(Table Styles), or online tools like Table Maker (tablemaker.com). Avoid screenshots
of tables — use native formatting.
13. Mathematical Notation
13.1 General Principles
- Italicize variables (x, y, n, p); roman/upright for constants and operators (e, π, sin, log, max, min)
- Subscripts and superscripts: italic for variables, roman for descriptors (x_i for variable; X_{max} for max)
- Use proper symbols, not keyboard approximations (≠ not !=, ≤ not <=, ≥ not >=)
- Define all mathematical symbols at first use in the text
- Number equations consecutively and reference them in text
13.2 Statistical Notation
| Symbol | Meaning | Format |
|---|---|---|
| p-value | Probability value | p italicized; "p < .001" (APA) or "p < 0.001" (some journals) |
| Mean | Average | M or MM (APA) |
| Standard deviation | Dispersion measure | SD or s |
| Standard error | Estimate precision | SE or SE_M |
| Confidence interval | Range estimate | 95% CI [LL, UL] or (95% CI = LL–UL) |
| Sample size | Number of observations | n (lowercase for sample); N (uppercase for population) |
| Correlation | Pearson correlation | r = 0.45 |
| Effect size | Cohen's d | d = 0.80 |
EQUATION EDITING: Use built-in equation editors (Microsoft Word Equation Editor, LaTeX) rather than
typing equations as plain text. Never use screenshots of equations.
14. Supplementary Materials
14.1 What Belongs in Supplementary Materials
- Additional tables or figures not essential to the main narrative
- Detailed statistical analysis outputs
- Extended methodology descriptions
- Additional data (raw data, survey instruments, interview protocols)
- Appendix analyses or robustness checks
- Additional figures (additional results, sensitivity analyses)
- Video or audio files (where supported)
14.2 Supplementary File Formatting
| Element | Guideline |
|---|---|
| File format | PDF, Word, or Excel (check journal preference) |
| File naming | Follow journal convention (e.g., "Supplementary Material 1.pdf") |
| Page limits | Usually no limit, but keep files reasonable in size (<10 MB per file) |
| Citation in text | "See Supplementary Table S1" or "Supplementary Figure S2" |
| Self-contained | Each supplementary file should be understandable independently |
BEST PRACTICE: Include a "Supplementary Materials" section at the end of your manuscript (before
References) that briefly introduces and describes each supplementary file.
15. File Submission Requirements
15.1 Common File Structures
| Structure Type | Files Included |
|---|---|
| Combined manuscript | Manuscript (Word/PDF), all figures and tables embedded |
| Separated manuscript | Manuscript file, separate figure files, separate table files, cover letter |
| Blind review | Manuscript (anonymous), separate title page, separate figure files |
| LaTeX submission | .tex source files, .bib file, figure files, PDF output |
15.2 File Naming Conventions
Recommended naming:
Manuscript: Manuscript.docx
Title page: Title_Page.docx
Cover letter: Cover_Letter.docx
Figure 1: Figure_1.tiff
Figure 2: Figure_2.tiff
Table 1: Table_1.docx
Supplementary: Supplementary_Material.pdf
Manuscript: Manuscript.docx
Title page: Title_Page.docx
Cover letter: Cover_Letter.docx
Figure 1: Figure_1.tiff
Figure 2: Figure_2.tiff
Table 1: Table_1.docx
Supplementary: Supplementary_Material.pdf
CONVENTION: Use underscores (_) or hyphens (-) in filenames, never spaces. Avoid special characters
(!, @, #, $, %, &, *) in filenames. Some submission systems do not handle them well.
15.3 Figure File Requirements
| Figure Type | Preferred Format | Minimum Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Photograph | TIFF or high-quality JPEG | 300 DPI at publication size |
| Line art / diagram | EPS, PDF, or TIFF | 600-1200 DPI |
| Halftone (photo + text) | TIFF | 600 DPI at publication size |
| Combined (photo + line art) | TIFF | 600 DPI at publication size |
| Graph / chart | PDF, EPS, or TIFF | 600 DPI |
AVOID: PNG for line art (TIFF/EPS is preferred by most publishers). JPEG for graphs with
text (compression artifacts blur labels). Word or PowerPoint files for figures (production
will request native or vector files).
16. Pre-Submission Formatting Checklist
16.1 Manuscript Formatting
- Font type and size match journal requirements exactly
- Line spacing matches journal requirements (double, 1.5, etc.)
- Margins meet requirements (typically 1 inch / 2.54 cm)
- Page numbers present and correctly placed
- Line numbers included (if required for review)
- Word count within journal limits (total, abstract, main text)
- Headings follow journal's numbering/style conventions
- Sections in the correct order per journal guidelines
- Title page includes all required information
- Abstract follows journal's structured/unstructured format
- Keywords match journal's subject heading system
16.2 References and Citations
- Reference style matches journal requirements exactly
- All in-text citations appear in the reference list
- All reference list entries are cited in the text
- DOI included for all citable items where available
- Reference formatting consistent throughout (no mixing of styles)
- Author names formatted correctly (last name, initials — or vice versa)
- Journal names abbreviated per required standard (if applicable)
- Alphabetization correct (for author-date styles)
- Numbering correct and in order of appearance (for numbered styles)
16.3 Figures and Tables
- All figures and tables cited in the text in order
- Resolution meets journal minimums (300 DPI photos, 600-1200 DPI line art)
- File formats match journal requirements (TIFF, EPS, PDF)
- Each figure and table has a numbered caption/title
- Abbreviations in figures/tables are defined
- Colors are distinguishable in grayscale
- Text in figures is legible at publication size (minimum 8 pt)
- Tables use horizontal rules only (no vertical lines)
- Tables are placed in the manuscript or submitted separately per journal rules
16.4 Final Checks
- Manuscript has been proofread for spelling and grammar
- Mathematical notation follows journal conventions
- Statistical reporting follows journal guidelines (APA, etc.)
- Supplementary materials are prepared and labeled
- Cover letter is tailored to the journal
- All co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version
- File naming follows journal conventions
- Submission system requirements verified (file types, sizes, number of files)