BMJ Template
Draft for BMJ with confidence. The template sets the correct structure, abstract, and references up front, so your manuscript clears editorial screening.
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How to Use the BMJ Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
Submitting to BMJ goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the BMJ guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
What is the BMJ Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to BMJ. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the BMJ journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a BMJ submission:
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write a structured abstract of about 250–300 words with BMJ's mandatory headings (confirm the current set in BMJ's instructions for authors), organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the BMJ guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
What separates a clean submission from one that gets kicked back:
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the BMJ guide for authors before you submit.
What does this BMJ Template include?
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through ScholarOne (BMJ).
Steps to Use This Template with SciSpace Agent
- Click Start Writing on this page. The SciSpace Agent prompt screen opens with the template loaded.
- Use the loaded template, or upload a version your group already uses for BMJ.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the BMJ guide for authors.
- Run the prompt. The agent drafts into the correct structure and reference style.
- Use View Outputs to verify required statements and formatting are present.
- Export and submit through ScholarOne (BMJ).
BMJ Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | BMJ requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Format and word limit per the guide for authors |
| Main text | Section order and length per article type |
| Declarations | Ethics, competing interests, funding, data as required |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Submission | mc.manuscriptcentral.com |
Quick Tips for Using the BMJ Template
Read the BMJ guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to BMJ in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent BMJ papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the BMJ journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Before You Submit: Final Check
Do one focused pass against the BMJ guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through ScholarOne (BMJ).
