IUCrJ Template
Get your IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 17 August, 2026
Submitting to IUCrJ goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to IUCrJ. 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 IUCrJ journal page before you draft.
What's actually in an IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ guide for authors before you submit.
What does this IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the IUCrJ 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.
IUCrJ Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | IUCrJ requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Research Papers: typically 250 words but should not exceed 300 words. Abstracts should provide the context of the study, the main findings and the broad significance of the results. Research Letters: fully referenced abstract not exceeding 300 words. General requirements: should state as specifically and as quantitatively as possible the principal results obtained, provide indication of broader significance, make no reference to tables, diagrams, atom numbers or formulae, and contain no footnotes |
| Main text | Research Papers: should not normally exceed seven journal pages (about 7000 words). Research Letters: typically 4000 words (can be accompanied by three figures and one table). Feature Articles: generally about ten journal pages (10,000 words). Topical Reviews: typically 6000 words and a maximum of 50 references. Lead Articles: length discussed with Main Editors |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | At least five keywords. These may include synonyms and specific phrases related to the subject of the article |
| References | Harvard style (author-date). Format: authors' names followed immediately by year (e.g., Neder & Schulz, 1998). Three or more authors: et al. format (Smith et al., 1998). Reference list arranged alphabetically with all authors and inclusive page numbers |
| Peer review | Single-blind. Authors do not know the identity of the referees, but the referees have sight of the authors' names |
| Submission | submission.iucr.org/submit/m |
Quick Tips for Using the IUCrJ Template
Read the IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ 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 IUCrJ guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.
