All the hard work has finally paid off. You are ready to submit your research article to your target journal. It is a good idea before you hit “submit” to double check that you have met all the journals requirements and included all relevant information.
You do not want to wait a couple of weeks just to receive rejection from the editor for having a title that is too long, or for failing to include line numbers. In this post, we provide an easy to follow research article submission checklist, ensuring that you can catch anything you may have missed.
General
- Length of text within word count
- Lines are double-spaced
- 12 pt font
- Continuous line numbering
- Grammar and spelling checked
- Rechecked
Cover Letter
- Corresponding author information
- Statement of originality of manuscript
- Statement of importance of manuscript to the journal
- Declaration that authors contributed to manuscript
Title Page
- Title length appropriate
- Word count
- Table count
- Figure count
- All authors, including:
- First name
- Last name
- Highest academic degree(s)
- Institutional affiliation
- Corresponding author:
- Full name
- Address
- Telephone Number
- Fax Number
- Financial Support
- Conflicts of interest
- Clinical trial registration information
Abstract
- Under word count
- Structured or Unstructured
- Keywords included
Body
- Abbreviations defined first use
- Ethics
- Humans – institutional review board / declaration of Helsinki
- Non-humans – statement on adherence to guidelines on the use of animals/non-humans
References
- Cited both in text and in the reference section
- Follows journal format exactly
- All references are checked for completeness
- Rechecked
Tables and Figures
- Referenced in text
- Each numbered consecutively
- Tables have appropriate headings and sub-headings
- Tables after references or included as a separate file
- Tables created in MS Word
- Figures after references or included as a separate file
- Figure legends included after the references
- Figure format: TIFF or other acceptable format
- Figures are 300 dpi or greater
- Sufficient permissions for sourced images
Signatures and Forms
- Coauthor signatures on all required forms
Summary
There is a lot to remember when submitting manuscripts, especially to ensure that your research article conforms with the journals expectations. By following our research article submission checklist, you can simplify the submission process and feel confident that your manuscript will pass initial editorial review.
