Criminology Template
Get your Criminology paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.9
How to Use the Criminology Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 7 August, 2026
Submitting to Criminology goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Criminology 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 Criminology Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Criminology. 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 Criminology journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a Criminology 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 Criminology 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 Criminology guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Criminology 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 the journal's submission system.
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 Criminology.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Criminology 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 the journal's submission system.
Criminology Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Criminology requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured. The abstract must be provided in one paragraph, set in italics, and be less than 200 words. Abstract heading required; single paragraph for block abstracts; do not include floats and references |
| Main text | - The author guidelines do not specify word or page limits for the main text of manuscripts. Only specific limits mentioned are: abstracts less than 200 words, author biographies less than 100 words each, and footnotes sparingly used (no more than 12 per article at no more than 6 lines each) |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | No specific count or range stated in the guide. Keywords must be set in alphabetical order, in all caps heading, bold and standalone, no colon after keywords head, all keywords in lowercase except abbreviations and proper nouns, no end punctuation. Based on example provided, typically 3-5 keywords used |
| References | APA (6th edition) style with some journal-specific differences. In-text citations use author-date method (author's last name and year of publication). Complete reference list appears alphabetically by name at the end. Journal titles written in full. List up to 7 authors; if more than 7, list first 6 then ellipses followed by last author. Authors' first names required (not just initials) |
| Peer review | - The author guidelines do not specify whether the journal uses single-blind, double-blind, or other peer review model. The guidelines mention 'anonymous reviewers' in the acknowledgment example but do not state the formal peer review policy |
| Submission | wiley.atyponrex.com/journal/CRIM |
Quick Tips for Using the Criminology Template
Read the Criminology 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 Criminology in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Criminology 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 Criminology 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 Criminology guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.
