Journal of the ACM Template
Format your manuscript to the Journal of the ACM requirements — abstract, the ACM Reference Format (numbered) references, and required declarations — and submit through the ACM submission system without a formatting rejection.
4.7
How to Use the Journal of the ACM Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 19 August, 2026
A strong study can still bounce at Journal of the ACM before review if the manuscript ignores the journal’s formatting requirements. This template is built around JACM’s actual requirements — its abstract rules, the ACM Reference Format (numbered) references, and the required declarations — so your submission clears screening on the first pass. Everything below tracks the JACM author guidelines; check it directly if anything looks out of date by the time you submit.
What is the Journal of the ACM Template?
It’s a manuscript shell set up to JACM’s specifications for foundational research across computer science — algorithms, theory, and systems. Journal of the ACM is published by the Association for Computing Machinery. The shell covers the title page, the abstract, a body in an introduction, preliminaries, technical results with proofs, and conclusions order, and a reference list in the ACM Reference Format (numbered) style.
What’s actually in a standard JACM submission:
Start with the title page (authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs). The abstract is a concise abstract of ≤250 words. JACM also expects LaTeX submissions use the acmart class. The body follows an introduction, preliminaries, technical results with proofs, and conclusions, and the reference list uses the ACM Reference Format (numbered). Close with the declarations block: conflict of interest, funding, and data availability.
What separates a clean submission from one that gets kicked back:
Beyond that, match your article type’s specific limits rather than assuming the defaults apply, keep the ACM Reference Format (numbered) formatting consistent from the first draft, and submit only through the ACM submission system — email submissions aren’t processed.
What does this Journal of the ACM Template include?
The shell mirrors what JACM’s editorial staff check first: abstract format and length, the ACM Reference Format (numbered) reference formatting, and a complete declarations block. For the journal’s full aims and scope, see the JACM journal home page. JACM offers an open-access option; check the current article-processing charge and any waiver before you commit. Manuscripts go in through the ACM submission system, which also tracks your paper through peer review.
Steps to Use This Template with Scispace Agent
- Click Start Writing on this page — you land on the Scispace Agent prompt screen with the template already loaded.
- Use the loaded template as-is, or upload your own version if you have one.
- Edit the prompt with your actual details: topic, article type, and any word or figure limits specific to that type.
- Run it. The agent drafts directly into the correct structure — abstract, an introduction, preliminaries, technical results with proofs, and conclusions body, figure placeholders, the ACM Reference Format (numbered) references, and the full declarations block — with no manual reformatting afterward.
- Review the draft in View Outputs and regenerate any section that needs tightening.
- Export to Word or LaTeX once it’s ready for submission.
Journal of the ACM Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | JACM requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | a concise abstract of ≤250 words |
| Main text | an introduction, preliminaries, technical results with proofs, and conclusions |
| Declarations | Conflict of interest, funding, 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 | the ACM submission system |
Quick Tips for Using the JACM Template
Read the JACM author guidelines once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after your results are stable so it matches the paper. Set the ACM Reference Format (numbered) as your reference style before adding a single citation — retrofitting it later is where errors creep in. Prepare LaTeX submissions use the acmart class early rather than leaving it to the end.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent JACM 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.
Before You Submit: Final Check
Do one focused pass against the JACM author guidelines: scope fit, abstract format, length, the ACM Reference Format (numbered) references, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the ACM submission system.
