Developmental Science Template
Get your Developmental Science 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 Developmental Science Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 10 August, 2026
Submitting to Developmental Science goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Developmental Science 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 Developmental Science Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Developmental Science. 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 Developmental Science journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a Dev Sci 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 Developmental Science 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 Developmental Science guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Developmental Science 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 Dev Sci.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Developmental Science 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.
Developmental Science Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Dev Sci requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract (continuous narrative, not divided into distinct sections such as Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions). Maximum 250 words, containing the major keywords. Same requirement across article types (Research Articles, Short Reports, Target Articles, Registered Reports) |
| Main text | Research Articles: 8,000 words; Target Articles: 8,000 words; Short Reports: 4,000 words; Registered Reports: 8,000 words (for the final Stage 2 manuscript, with extensions possible if discussed in advance with editors); Peer Commentary: at least 1,000 words. Word counts exclude author names and affiliations, acknowledgments, figure captions, and references |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Six keywords required (the guide states 'Please provide six keywords' and 'up to six keywords') |
| References | APA reference style. However, the journal offers Free Format submission, so references may be submitted in any style or format as long as it is consistent throughout the manuscript at initial submission. APA style is required for final publication |
| Peer review | Double-blind/double-anonymous peer review policy (the journal operates a double anonymous peer review policy, with double anonymized identity transparency) |
| Submission | authors.wiley.com/journal/DESC |
Quick Tips for Using the Developmental Science Template
Read the Developmental Science 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 Developmental Science in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Dev Sci 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 Developmental Science 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 Developmental Science guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.
