Research Paper Format

Why Format Matters

Formatting does not make a weak paper strong, but poor formatting delays a strong one. Manuscripts that arrive without page numbers, with figures too small to read, or with a reference list in three different styles are routinely returned before review.

The purpose of a house style is consistency: reviewers can navigate any manuscript the same way, and production staff can typeset it without guessing. Follow the target journal's template rather than reformatting a paper written for somewhere else.

Page and Text Setup

• Use the journal template where one is provided; it encodes margins, fonts and spacing already
• Number every page, and number lines if the template supports it — reviewers cite line numbers
• Use a single, readable body font throughout; avoid decorative fonts entirely
• Keep one space after full stops and no manual line breaks inside paragraphs
• Do not use tabs or repeated spaces to position text; use the template's styles

Write in English and keep terminology consistent: if a concept is called a "treatment group" in the methods, it is not a "test cohort" in the results.

Headings and Numbering

Number sections and subsections so reviewers and co-authors can refer to them precisely. Two levels are usually enough; three is the practical maximum. Headings should describe content, not announce genre — "Sampling and recruitment" is more useful than "Details".

Apply heading styles from the template rather than bolding text by hand. Real heading styles produce a navigable document and survive conversion to the published format; hand-bolded paragraphs do not.

Figures

• Number figures in the order first mentioned, and refer to each one in the text
• Write captions that can be understood without the surrounding text
• Label axes with quantities and units; check text inside figures is legible at published size
• Supply images at print resolution — a screenshot of a chart from a slide deck usually is not
• Credit the source in the caption for reproduced material, and confirm you hold permission

Tables

Build tables with your word processor's table tool, never with tabs or spaces. Give every column a header including units, and align numbers on the decimal point so magnitudes can be compared by eye.

Do not present the same data in both a table and a figure. Choose the form that answers the reader's question: tables for precise values, figures for patterns and comparisons.

Equations and Units

• Number displayed equations for reference in the text
• Use the equation editor, not images of equations, so symbols survive conversion
• Define every symbol at first use
• Use SI units, and state units for every reported quantity
• Be consistent about decimal separators and thousands separators

Special characters and equations are the most frequent casualties of file conversion. Check them carefully on the proof.

Reference Formatting

Pick the style the journal requires and apply it consistently to every entry. Mixed styles within one list are the clearest possible signal that references were assembled from several sources without checking.

Every in-text citation must appear in the list, and every entry in the list must be cited. Include the DOI where one exists — see DOI explained for why that matters.

File Preparation

1. Remove tracked changes and reviewer comments before uploading
2. Strip identifying metadata from file properties if the journal uses blind review
3. Check the file opens correctly on another machine
4. Name files clearly: manuscript, figures, supplementary material
5. Confirm supplementary files open and are referenced in the text

Pre-Submission Checklist

• Template applied; pages numbered
• Abstract and keywords within the stated limits
• All figures and tables numbered, captioned and cited in the text
• Every symbol defined; SI units throughout
• Reference list complete, consistent and checked against sources
• Declarations completed: funding, competing interests, ethics, consent, data availability, AI use
• Tracked changes removed and the final file verified

The journal's full requirements are on the publication guidelines page.

Quick Checklist

1. Use the templateMargins, fonts and headings as supplied
2. Number everythingPages, sections, figures, tables, equations
3. Captions stand aloneReadable without the text
4. One citation styleConsistent from first to last
5. Clean fileNo tracked changes or comments

Frequently Asked Questions

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