Get your Journal of Catalysis paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.3
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 17 August, 2026
Submitting to Journal of Catalysis goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Journal of Catalysis 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.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Journal of Catalysis. 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 Journal of Catalysis journal page before you draft.
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 Journal of Catalysis guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
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 Journal of Catalysis guide for authors before you submit.
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.
| Element | J Catal requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract, maximum 250 words. Must be concise and factual, briefly stating the purpose of research, principal results and major conclusions. Abstracts must be able to stand alone. Should avoid references (if essential, cite author(s) and year(s)) and avoid non-standard/uncommon abbreviations (if essential, define at first mention). For Reviews: abstract of not more than 150 words |
| Main text | Research Papers: No limit on number of pages or figures. Letters to the Editor: Maximum 14 double-spaced manuscript pages (including tables and figures). Perspectives: Less than 5,000 words. Reviews: Less than 15,000 words (without references) |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 1 to 7 keywords required for indexing purposes. Keywords should be written in English. Avoid keywords consisting of multiple words (using 'and' or 'of'). Abbreviations only recommended if firmly established in the field |
| References | Numbered reference style. References indicated by number within square brackets in text, numbered in order of appearance. Journal names abbreviated according to LTWA (List of Title Word Abbreviations). DOIs encouraged. At initial submission: references can be in any style as long as consistent; journal reference style applied after acceptance at proof stage |
| Peer review | Single-blind (single anonymized review process). Submission initially assessed by editors. If deemed suitable, typically sent to minimum of two reviewers for independent expert assessment. Final decision made by editors |
| Submission | submit.elsevier.com/YJCAT |
Read the Journal of Catalysis 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 Journal of Catalysis in under a page.
Skim two or three recent J Catal 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 Journal of Catalysis journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the Journal of Catalysis guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.