EvoDevo Template
Get your EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 11 August, 2026
Submitting to EvoDevo goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to EvoDevo. 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 EvoDevo journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo guide for authors before you submit.
What does this EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the EvoDevo 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.
EvoDevo Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | EvoDevo requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Research articles: Structured abstract with mandatory headings (Background, Results, Conclusions), maximum 350 words. Review articles: Unstructured abstract, maximum 350 words. Hypothesis articles: Brief summary (no structure required), maximum 250 words. All article types: minimize abbreviations and do not cite references in the abstract |
| Main text | Hypothesis articles: Ideally 500-1500 words. Research articles: No stated limit. Review articles: No stated limit. The journal notes that 'the length and quantity of data is not restricted for many article 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 | Three to ten keywords required for all article types, representing the main content of the article. MeSH or free-form not specified |
| References | Vancouver style. Journal abbreviations follow Index Medicus/MEDLINE. Web links and URLs must be given a reference number and included in the reference list rather than within the text |
| Peer review | Single-anonymous (single-blind) peer review. Reviewers are aware of the names and affiliations of the authors, but the reviewer reports provided to authors are anonymous |
| Submission | submission.nature.com/new-submission/13227/3 |
Quick Tips for Using the EvoDevo Template
Read the EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo 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 EvoDevo guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.
