Format your manuscript to the Journal of Pediatrics requirements — abstract, Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) references, and required declarations — and submit through Editorial Manager without a formatting rejection.
4.5
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 19 August, 2026
A strong study can still bounce at The Journal of Pediatrics before review if the manuscript ignores the journal’s formatting requirements. This template is built around J Pediatr’s actual requirements — its abstract rules, Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) references, and the required declarations — so your submission clears screening on the first pass. Everything below tracks the J Pediatr Guide for Authors; check it directly if anything looks out of date by the time you submit.
It’s a manuscript shell set up to J Pediatr’s specifications for clinical and translational pediatrics — child and adolescent health. The Journal of Pediatrics is published by Elsevier. The shell covers the title page, the abstract, a body in Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) order, and a reference list in Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) style.
Start with the title page (authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs). The abstract is a concise and factual abstract of ≤250 words, no references. The body follows Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD), and the reference list uses Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof). Close with the declarations block: conflict of interest, funding, ethics approval and consent, and data availability.
Beyond that, match your article type’s specific limits rather than assuming the defaults apply, keep Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) formatting consistent from the first draft, and submit only through Editorial Manager — email submissions aren’t processed.
The shell mirrors what J Pediatr’s editorial staff check first: abstract format and length, Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) reference formatting, and a complete declarations block. For the journal’s full aims and scope, see the J Pediatr journal home page. J Pediatr offers an open-access option; check the current article-processing charge and any waiver before you commit. Manuscripts go in through Editorial Manager, which also tracks your paper through peer review.
| Element | J Pediatr requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | a concise and factual abstract of ≤250 words, no references |
| Main text | Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) |
| Declarations | Conflict of interest, funding, ethics approval and consent, and data availability |
| Figures / tables | Captioned, cited in order; check format and resolution rules in the guide |
| Supplemental | Large datasets, extra tables, code — uploaded separately and cited in text |
| Submission | Editorial Manager |
Read the J Pediatr Guide for Authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after your results are stable so it matches the paper. Set Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) as your reference style before adding a single citation — retrofitting it later is where errors creep in.
Skim two or three recent J Pediatr papers to calibrate depth, structure, and figure style. State your contribution in the first two paragraphs, not on page ten. Write a data-availability statement that names a real repository rather than a placeholder, and disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in your cover letter. Confirm current open-access pricing and any institutional agreement before committing to a fee.
Do one focused pass against the J Pediatr Guide for Authors: scope fit, abstract format, length, Elsevier format-free at submission (any consistent style; journal style applied at proof) references, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.