Environmental DNA Template
Get your Environmental DNA 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 Environmental DNA Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 11 August, 2026
Submitting to Environmental DNA goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Environmental DNA 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 Environmental DNA Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Environmental DNA. 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 Environmental DNA journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an Environ DNA 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 Environmental DNA 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 Environmental DNA guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Environmental DNA 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 Environ DNA.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Environmental DNA 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.
Environmental DNA Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Environ DNA requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured, one-paragraph abstract, 300 words or less. Must not contain citations or abbreviations |
| Main text | Manuscripts should not typically exceed 10 pages (including figures and tables). In general, allow 900 words per page and subtract 160 words for each figure and table. This applies to Original Articles. Different article types may have different requirements (e.g., Reviews, Synthesis, Commentaries, Perspectives, Method papers are mentioned but specific limits not stated in the guidelines for all types) |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Up to 8 keywords (title page says up to 6, main text says up to 8). Keywords should be taken from those recommended by the US National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) browser list at www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh |
| References | Any style or format is acceptable at initial submission, as long as it is consistent throughout the manuscript. This is part of Environmental DNA's Free Format submission policy. Authors are strongly encouraged to cite primary research papers, and items should only include articles that have been published or are currently in press |
| Peer review | Double-anonymous (double-blind). The journal operates a fully double-anonymous peer review policy where reviewers do not have access to authors' names, and authors must anonymise their manuscript by uploading title page and acknowledgments separately |
| Submission | authors.wiley.com/journal/EDN3 |
Quick Tips for Using the Environmental DNA Template
Read the Environmental DNA 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 Environmental DNA in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Environ DNA 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 Environmental DNA 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 Environmental DNA guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.
