Get your English for Specific Purposes paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.1
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 10 August, 2026
Submitting to English for Specific Purposes goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the English for Specific Purposes 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 English for Specific Purposes. 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 English for Specific Purposes 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 English for Specific Purposes 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 English for Specific Purposes 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 | English Specific Purposes requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Concise and factual abstract not exceeding 250 words. The abstract should briefly state the purpose of research, principal results and major conclusions. Must be able to stand alone. Avoid references (if essential, cite author(s) and year(s)). Avoid non-standard or uncommon abbreviations (if essential, define at first mention). No distinction by article type stated |
| Main text | Articles: 6,000 to 10,000 words in length, including references, notes and tables. Research Notes and Discussions: 3,000-4,000 words. Divide manuscript into clearly defined and numbered sections using format 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2, then 1.2, etc |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Required: 1 to 7 keywords for indexing purposes. Keywords should be written in English. Try to avoid keywords consisting of multiple words (using 'and' or 'of'). Only use abbreviations in keywords if firmly established in the field |
| References | APA style (American Psychological Association). Citations follow the referencing style in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition (2020). Reference list arranged alphabetically then chronologically. Multiple references from same author(s) in same year identified by letters 'a', 'b', 'c' after year |
| Peer review | Double anonymized review process (double-blind). Submission 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/ESPJ |
Read the English for Specific Purposes 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 English for Specific Purposes in under a page.
Skim two or three recent English Specific Purposes 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 English for Specific Purposes journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the English for Specific Purposes guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.