Format for Articles Template
Writing for Format for Articles? This template gives you a submission-ready structure—sections, abstract, and references—so you focus on the research, not the formatting.
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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. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through ScholarOne (IOP).
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 ScholarOne (IOP).
Format for Articles Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | FA requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract (unless journal-specific instructions require structured format); should not normally be more than 300 words; should concisely describe contents and include key terms especially in first two sentences for search engine discoverability; suitable for direct inclusion in abstracting services; must be complete in itself with no undefined acronyms/abbreviations, no table/figure numbers, no references or equations referred to; articles with abstracts longer than 300 words may be rescinded and require rewriting; some individual IOP journals may require structured abstracts (check journal-specific instructions). |
| 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 |
| Keywords | Required for all submissions; minimum of 3 keywords, maximum of 7 keywords; should be terms used when searching online for related articles; displayed on published article and used for indexing. |
| References | Authors may use either Vancouver numerical system or Harvard alphabetical system consistently throughout the article; Vancouver: references numbered sequentially in square brackets [1], [6-7] with reference list in numerical order; Harvard: author name and year in text (Smith 2001), reference list in alphabetical order; exceptions apply: Harvard required for Fluid Dynamics Research, Medical Engineering & Physics, Medical Sensors & Imaging, Physics in Medicine & Biology, and Physiological Measurement; Vancouver required for Nuclear Fusion; strict adherence to house style not required at initial submission, publisher formats during production. |
| Peer review | Double-anonymous (double-blind) is the default peer review model across all IOP Publishing journals following portfolio-wide rollout completed by end of 2021; authors can opt for single-anonymous peer review by including author details (names and affiliations) in the submitted manuscript; reviewers and author identities are concealed from each other in double-anonymous; IOP Publishing became the first major physics publisher to adopt double-anonymous portfolio-wide. |
| Submission | mc04.manuscriptcentral.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 ScholarOne (IOP).
