Cell Reports Template
Get your Cell Reports 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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How to Use the Cell Reports Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 3 August, 2026
Submitting to Cell Reports goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Cell Reports 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 Cell Reports Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Cell Reports. 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 Cell Reports journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a Cell Rep submission:
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 Cell Reports 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 Cell Reports guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Cell Reports 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 Editorial Manager.
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 Cell Rep.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Cell Reports 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 Editorial Manager.
Cell Reports Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Cell Rep requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured. The Summary should consist of a single paragraph of 150 words or fewer. Different article types use the same format: Reports, Research articles, and Resources all require a 150-word maximum single-paragraph Summary with no subheadings or citations allowed |
| Main text | Word limits vary by article type (excluding STAR Methods, supplemental item legends, and references section): Research articles up to 7,000 words (including figure legends), up to 7 figures/tables; Reports up to 4,000 words, up to 4 figures/tables; Resources up to 7,000 words, up to 7 figures/tables; Reviews 5,000-7,000 words, up to 100 references, up to 4 display elements; Previews 1,000 words, max 10 references, 1-2 figures |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Keywords are not mentioned in the official Final File Requirements document or manuscript preparation guidelines. Authors provide 3-4 Highlights (bullet points, max 85 characters each) and an eTOC blurb (max 50 words) instead, which serve as metadata for indexing and discovery, but traditional keywords do not appear to be requested in the manuscript itself |
| References | Numbered citation style. References must be cited by superscript numbers running consecutively in the text (e.g., 'Multiple reports1,2 support this observation'). The reference list is numbered sequentially by order of first citation. Article references include: author list, year, article title, journal abbreviation, volume, page range, and DOI. Book references include: author list, year, title, publisher, and applicable chapter/editor information |
| Peer review | Single-blind peer review (Cell Press standard). Cell Reports also offers transparent peer review by default, where reviewer reports are published alongside accepted papers. Reviewers may choose whether to be named or remain anonymous. Authors can opt out of transparent peer review during submission if they prefer traditional confidential review |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/cell-reports |
Quick Tips for Using the Cell Reports Template
Read the Cell Reports 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 Cell Reports in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Cell Rep 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 Cell Reports 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 Cell Reports guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.
