Last updated: April 2026 · 7 min read · Audience: Authors, students, early-career researchers · Reading level: Introductory
Introduction
Formatting is mechanical work, but technical desk rejections from formatting violations are common. Editors do not enjoy returning manuscripts for misformatted references; reviewers do not enjoy reading misformatted figures. Following the journal's stated guidelines literally is the cheapest improvement an author can make.
This page covers the standard formatting elements common to most journals. Specific journals will deviate; the author guidelines page of the target journal is always the authoritative source.
Standard structure
| Section | Typical content |
|---|---|
| Title page | Title, authors, affiliations, corresponding author, ORCID |
| Abstract | 150–300 words, structured or unstructured per journal |
| Keywords | 3–8 terms; sometimes from a controlled vocabulary |
| Introduction | Background, gap, research question, contribution |
| Methods | Reproducible description of approach |
| Results | Findings without interpretation |
| Discussion | Interpretation, limitations, implications |
| Conclusion | Concise summary; some journals fold this into Discussion |
| References | Journal's required style |
| Declarations | Funding, conflicts, data availability, ethical approval |
Practical guidance
- Use the journal's required reference style consistently. Reference managers (Zotero, Mendeley) save substantial time and prevent inconsistencies.
- Submit figures at minimum 300 DPI for raster, vector format where possible.
- Stay within word limits; manuscripts substantially over the limit are commonly desk-rejected.
- Use the journal's section headings if specified; do not invent your own.
- Number tables and figures consecutively; refer to each in the text in order.
- Include all required ethical declarations even if they are 'not applicable' — this is what reviewers expect to see.
Common formatting mistakes
Other recurring issues: figures embedded as low-resolution images, tables submitted as images instead of editable tables, excessive abbreviations introduced without definition, and missing line numbers on the manuscript file (commonly required by journals to ease reviewer commenting).
Decision guidance
When journal guidelines conflict with general formatting advice, follow the journal. When unclear, write to the editorial office for clarification before submission rather than guessing. Editors prefer pre-submission questions over post-submission corrections.
Example scenarios
Scenario: a master's student formatting a first submission
First-time formatting commonly takes 4–8 hours: setting up a reference manager, applying the journal's style, preparing figures at the required resolution, completing declaration forms. The investment compounds across future submissions; the second formatted manuscript takes a fraction of the time.
Scenario: a PhD researcher submitting to multiple journals
After rejection from one journal, reformatting for the next typically requires 2–4 hours: changing reference style, adjusting structure, updating cover letter. Avoid skipping this step; submitting to a new journal in the previous journal's format causes reviewer friction and sometimes desk rejection.
Scenario: an international author writing in English as an additional language
Language editing and formatting are separate concerns. Many journals partner with editing services for language polish but expect formatting to be the author's responsibility. Doing formatting first (mechanical) and language editing second (substantive) usually produces better results than the reverse order.
What to do next
Open the target journal's author guidelines page and work through it section by section, applying each requirement to the manuscript. Authors targeting EP Journals Group venues can find journal-specific guidelines on each journal's site or contact the editorial office for clarification.
Frequently asked questions
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Editorial enquiries
Questions about this guide or about preparing a manuscript for submission may be directed to the editorial office. Where a query relates to a specific journal in the portfolio, please indicate the journal abbreviation in your message.
Email: editor@ep-journals.org