Get your PeerJ Computer Science 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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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 26 August, 2026
Submitting to PeerJ Computer Science goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the PeerJ Computer Science 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 PeerJ Computer Science. 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 PeerJ Computer Science 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 PeerJ Computer Science 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 PeerJ Computer Science 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 | PeerJ Computer Science requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Research Article: 500 word (3,000 character) limit; a self-contained, concise description of the reason for the work, methodology, results, and conclusions. Uncommon abbreviations must be spelled out at first use. No footnotes or references, except when referencing a critiqued publication by DOI. Subheadings must be bold, followed by a period, and start a new paragraph (the page gives “Background.” as an example). Literature Review abstracts follow the same rule. Method Papers and Data Reports should follow the Research Article format as far as possible |
| Main text | No overall main-text word or page limit is stated. Research Article section order: Author Cover Page; Abstract; Introduction; Materials & Methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusions; Acknowledgments; References. Literature Review section order: Author Cover Page; Abstract; Introduction; Survey Methodology; Subheadings (the page recommends a small number of major topic areas); Conclusions; Acknowledgments; References. Method Papers and Data Reports should follow the Research Article format as far as possible |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Not specified in the official author guidelines |
| References | Authors may submit references in whatever style they like, provided they are full, clear, and consistent; PeerJ will standardize them at production. The journal uses the 'Name. Year' style with an alphabetized reference list. For three or fewer authors, list all author names; for four or more, abbreviate as first author et al |
| Peer review | Peer reviewed; blind model not specified in the official author guidelines |
| Submission | peerj.com/new/ |
Read the PeerJ Computer Science 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 PeerJ Computer Science in under a page.
Skim two or three recent PeerJ Computer Science 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 PeerJ Computer Science journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the PeerJ Computer Science guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the journal's submission system.