Get your Computers and Education Open paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.5
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 7 August, 2026
Submitting to Computers and Education Open goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Computers and Education Open 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 Computers and Education Open. 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 Computers and Education Open 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 Computers and Education Open 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 Computers and Education Open 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 the journal's submission system.
| Element | Computers Educ Open requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract. Maximum 250 words. The abstract should briefly state the purpose of research, principal results, and major conclusions. Abstracts must be able to stand alone. Avoid references (cite author and year if essential). Avoid non-standard or uncommon abbreviations (define if essential). No different requirements by article type stated in the guide |
| Main text | Organize sections for the chosen article type; no single overall word limit is stated in the accessible guide |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 1 to 7 keywords required for indexing purposes. Keywords should be written in English. Avoid keywords consisting of multiple words using "and" or "of". Use abbreviations only if firmly established in the field |
| References | Numbered reference style. References indicated by numbers within square brackets in text (e.g., [3,6]), numbered in order of appearance. Journal names abbreviated according to List of Title Word Abbreviations (LTWA). Format: author names, article title, journal, volume (year) page numbers, DOI |
| Peer review | Double-anonymous/double-blind peer review. Author identities are concealed from reviewers and vice versa. Submissions initially assessed by editors for suitability, then typically sent to minimum of two reviewers for independent expert assessment of scientific quality |
| Submission | submit.elsevier.com/CAEO |
Read the Computers and Education Open 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 Computers and Education Open in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Computers Educ Open 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 Computers and Education Open journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the Computers and Education Open guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.