Get your Campbell Systematic Reviews paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 3 August, 2026
Submitting to Campbell Systematic Reviews goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Campbell Systematic Reviews 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.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Campbell Systematic Reviews. 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 Campbell Systematic Reviews journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, 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 Campbell Systematic Reviews guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
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 Campbell Systematic Reviews guide for authors before you submit.
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 (Manuscript Central).
| Element | Campbell Syst Rev requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Structured abstract required for systematic reviews with the following headings: background, objectives, methods, results, and authors' conclusions. Word limit: 250 words maximum. For title registration forms: structured abstract required, 1500 word limit. For protocols: structured abstract required, no word limit specified. For methods research papers: unstructured abstract, 3500 word limit. For editorials and commentaries: no abstract required (1000 word limit for the article itself) |
| Main text | No word limit specified for systematic reviews and protocols. Methods research papers: 3500 words limit. Title registration forms: 1500 words limit. Editorials: 1000 words limit. Commentaries: 1000 words limit |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Not specified in the official author guidelines |
| References | APA reference style |
| Peer review | Single-blind peer review (reviewers remain anonymous to authors). The journal operates under an opt-in transparent peer review model where manuscripts are peer reviewed by at least two anonymous content reviewers, an Information Specialist, and a Methods Editor. Reviewers can choose to sign their report if they wish |
| Submission | mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cl2 |
Read the Campbell Systematic Reviews 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 Campbell Systematic Reviews in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Campbell Syst Rev 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 Campbell Systematic Reviews journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the Campbell Systematic Reviews guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through ScholarOne (Manuscript Central).