Ethics Template
Get your Ethics 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 Ethics Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 11 August, 2026
Submitting to Ethics goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Ethics 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 Ethics Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Ethics. 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 Ethics journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an Ethics 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 Ethics 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 Ethics guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Ethics 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 Ethics.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Ethics 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.
Ethics Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Ethics requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Less than 250 words, unstructured (no specific headings required). Same requirement applies across article types |
| Main text | Original Articles: less than 15,000 words (including notes and reference list), preferred range 5,000-12,000 words. Critical Discussions: less than 6,000 words (including notes and reference list) |
| 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 | Chicago Manual of Style (latest edition). First citation should be full; subsequent citations by author surname and title (or shortened title). 'Ibid.' permitted for immediately preceding note |
| Peer review | Triple-anonymous (triple-blind): Neither the Editor and Associate Editors of Ethics nor the external reviewers know the identity of authors |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/ethics |
Quick Tips for Using the Ethics Template
Read the Ethics 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 Ethics in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Ethics 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 Ethics 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 Ethics guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.
