Format for Articles Template
Draft for Format for Articles with confidence. The template sets the correct structure, abstract, and references up front, so your manuscript clears editorial screening.
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How to Use the Format for Articles Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
Submitting to Format for Articles goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Format for Articles 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 Format for Articles Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Format for Articles. 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 Format for Articles journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a FA 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 Format for Articles 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 Format for Articles guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Format for Articles Template include?
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. When your draft is ready, upload it through the journal's online 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 FA.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Format for Articles 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 online submission system.
Format for Articles Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | FA requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured, 250 words maximum. The purpose of the abstract is to give a clear indication of the objective, scope, and results so that readers may determine whether the full text will be of particular interest to them. No mandatory headings. Same requirement applies to research papers and technical briefs. |
| Main text | Section order and length per article type |
| Declarations | Ethics, competing interests, funding, data as required |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| References | Numbered in order of appearance within text, enclosed in brackets [1]. Format follows Chicago Manual of Style. All references must include a DOI. Two citations separated by comma [1,2]; more than two separated by dash [5-7]. Each reference includes last name of each author followed by initials. |
| Peer review | Single-blind (standard/default) - per the official Peer-Review Process page: 'Potential reviewers will be provided the abstract and the names of the authors when they are invited as potential reviewers.' Optional double-blind review available for select journals (e.g., Journal of Mechanical Design since August 2020) where authors can opt-in during submission by anonymizing their manuscript. |
| Submission | nature.com |
Quick Tips for Using the Format for Articles Template
Read the Format for Articles 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 Format for Articles in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent FA 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 Format for Articles 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 Format for Articles guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's online submission system.
