ISME Journal Template
Get your ISME Journal 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 ISME Journal Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 17 August, 2026
Submitting to ISME Journal goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the ISME Journal 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 ISME Journal Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to ISME Journal. 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 ISME Journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an ISME J 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 ISME Journal 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 ISME Journal guide for authors before you submit.
What does this ISME Journal 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 ISME J.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the ISME Journal 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.
ISME Journal Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | ISME J requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract required for Original Article, Review Article, Brief Communication, and Winogradsky Review: maximum 250 words, no reference citations or abbreviations. Abstract is not required for Comment and Perspective article types. Editorial requirements not specified (invitation-only) |
| Main text | Original Article: 5,000 words (excluding tables, figures, references); max 8 tables/figures, max 100 references. Review Article: 5,000 words; max 6 tables/figures, max 100 references. Brief Communication: 1,000 words; max 2 tables/figures, max 20 references. Comment: 1,500 words; max 3 tables/figures, max 10 references. Perspective: 3,000 words; max 3 tables/figures, max 20 references. Winogradsky Review: 7,000 words; max 6 tables/figures, max 120 references. Section order for Original Articles specified: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion (or combined Results and Discussion) |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Maximum of 10 and minimum of 3 keywords required for all article types (Original Article, Review Article, Brief Communication, Comment, Perspective, Winogradsky Review). Editorial requirements not specified |
| References | Authors may format references in any readable style at submission, though author/date system may be queried by production team for resupply. Final reference style: New Hart's Rules/Oxford SciMed numbered references. listed in numerical order. In-text citations: numbers in square brackets before punctuation [1, 3-5]. Journal article format example: Kennedy T, Jones R. Effect of obesity on esophageal transit. Am J Surg 1985; 149:177-81. Include full DOI link where available |
| Peer review | Single-anonymized peer review (single-blind): identity of authors is known to editors and reviewers; identities of reviewers are known only to editors and hidden from authors, unless otherwise requested by reviewers |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/ismej/default2.aspx |
Quick Tips for Using the ISME Journal Template
Read the ISME Journal 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 ISME Journal in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent ISME J 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 ISME 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 ISME Journal guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.
