Formatting your University of Alabama Transportation Research Part B Methodological manuscript? This template sets the required structure, margins, and citations from page one—so you pass the formatting check the first time.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
A ATRPM manuscript is most often sent back for formatting, not content: margins, front-matter order, and page numbering. The editorial office checks these before anything else. This template sets the correct structure from the first draft, following the University of Alabama Transportation Research Part B Methodological formatting guidance.
It is a formatting shell for a ATRPM manuscript, built to the official rules. It covers the title page, approval/signature page, abstract, table of contents, chapters, references, and appendices, with a consistent citation style. Confirm the current requirements in the official guidelines before you begin.
Set up the front matter and chapters in the required order, apply the correct margins and spacing from the manual, and use the prescribed citation style throughout. Keep figures and tables captioned and numbered as specified.
The signature failure mode is margin, front-matter order, and page-numbering rules. Second is inconsistent citations. Third is missing or out-of-order front matter. Fix all three against the official guidelines before submitting.
The shell mirrors what the editorial office checks first: structure order, margins, and citation consistency. Use the University of Alabama Transportation Research Part B Methodological formatting guidance as the source of truth.
| Element | ATRPM requirement |
|---|---|
| Figures/tables | Captioned and numbered per manual |
| Keywords | 1 to 7 keywords required for indexing purposes. Keywords should be in English. Authors should try to avoid keywords consisting of multiple words (using 'and' or 'of'). Use abbreviations in keywords only if firmly established in the field. |
| References | Any consistent style permitted at submission. References can be in any style or format as long as consistent. Must include author names, journal/book titles, article/chapter titles, year, volume numbers, pagination where applicable. Journal reference style applied at proof stage after acceptance. |
| Peer review | Single anonymized review (single-blind). Submission initially assessed by editors for suitability, then typically sent to minimum of two reviewers for independent expert assessment of scientific quality. Decision made by editors. |
| Submission | https://submit.elsevier.com/TRB |
| Structure | Title page, front matter, chapters, references, appendices |
| Margins/format | Per the official manual |
| Front matter | In the prescribed order |
| Citations | Per the official guidelines |
| Source of truth | tprc.ua.edu |
Read the official manual before drafting and before submission. Set margins and front-matter order first. Apply the citation style from the first reference. Compare against a recently accepted ATRPM manuscript in your department.
Keep numbering and captions consistent. Verify every required page is present and in order. Do a dedicated formatting pass against the official guidelines before submission.
Do one focused pass for margins, front-matter order, and page numbering. Then confirm citation style and that all required pages/sections are present, following the University of Alabama Transportation Research Part B Methodological formatting guidance.