Advances Template
Draft for Advances with confidence. The template sets the correct structure, abstract, and references up front, so your manuscript clears editorial screening.
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How to Use the Advances Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
Submitting to Advances goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Advances 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 Advances Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Advances. 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 Advances journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a Advances 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 Advances 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 Advances guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Advances 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 RSC 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 Advances.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Advances 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 RSC submission system.
Advances Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Advances requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | The abstract is a single paragraph which should: be around 50 to 250 words; be concise and easy to read with recognisable words and phrases; use familiar, searchable terms and keywords; set out the main objectives and results of the work; it should give the reader a clear idea of what has been achieved; emphasise (but not overstate) the potential impact of the research and why it is important (compared to other research in its field); avoid including detailed information on how the research was carried out. No distinction by article type stated in the guide. |
| Main text | Section order and length per article type |
| Declarations | Ethics, competing interests, funding, data as required |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | The guide states 'Use keywords and familiar, searchable terms – these can increase the chances of your article appearing in search results' but does not specify a required count, range, or whether keywords are mandatory vs. optional. No mention of MeSH terms or editor-assigned keywords. |
| References | Vancouver style (not Harvard style). Use superscript numbers to show the reference source of statements in the text. The references themselves are listed in numerical order at the end of the main article. Journal abbreviations should follow Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (CASSI). |
| Peer review | Single-anonymised peer review (traditional). The journal also offers transparent peer review as an optional feature that authors can opt into during submission or at any decision stage. In transparent peer review, the editor's decision letter, anonymous reviewers' comments, and authors' response are published alongside the article. Reviewer comments remain anonymous unless the individual chooses to sign their report. The guide states: 'This journal offers transparent peer review as well as traditional, single-anonymised peer review during the submission process.' |
| Submission | mc.manuscriptcentral.com |
Quick Tips for Using the Advances Template
Read the Advances 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 Advances in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Advances 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 Advances 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 Advances guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the RSC submission system.
