Elementa Template
Get your Elementa 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 Elementa Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 10 August, 2026
Submitting to Elementa goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Elementa 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 Elementa Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Elementa. 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 Elementa journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an Elementa 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 Elementa 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 Elementa guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Elementa 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 Elementa.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Elementa 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.
Elementa Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Elementa requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured; 300 words maximum; should not include sub-headings. The abstract should provide a clear description of the main objective(s) of the submission, explain how the study was done (as applicable), and summarize the article's most important conclusions and their significance to a potentially wider audience. No citations or abbreviations (if possible) |
| Main text | No arbitrary word or page limits for most article types. Commentary articles have a suggested 5,000 words limit. Tables should be no larger than one printed page (7 in x 9.29 in). Title limited to 150 characters or fewer |
| 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 | CSE (Council of Science Editors) name-year / Harvard system. In-text citations use author's surname and year in parentheses (e.g., Smith, 2020; for 3+ authors use et al.). Reference list in alphabetical order by author surname, listing full journal names. All author names listed (no et al. in reference list). Primary style guide: Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers |
| Peer review | Single-blind (single-anonymous). Author names are available to reviewers, but reviewer identities remain anonymous to authors |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/elementa/default.aspx |
Quick Tips for Using the Elementa Template
Read the Elementa 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 Elementa in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Elementa 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 Elementa 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 Elementa guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.
