Small Template
Writing for Small? This template gives you a submission-ready structure—sections, abstract, and references—so you focus on the research, not the formatting.
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How to Use the Small Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
Submitting to Small goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Small 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 Small Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Small. 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 Small journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a Small 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 Small 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 Small guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Small 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 ScholarOne / Research Exchange.
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 Small.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Small 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 ScholarOne / Research Exchange.
Small Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | Small requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured, maximum 200 words for all article types (Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives). Should be written in present tense and impersonal style (avoiding 'we'). Abbreviations must be defined when first used and the abstract should not contain any references. |
| 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 |
| Submission | authorservices.wiley.com |
| Keywords | 3 to 7 keywords |
| References | Numbered citations (inline square brackets) within the text, references numbered in the order of their citation. There is no submission requirement for formatting references - any consistent style is acceptable at submission. If manuscript is accepted for publication, typesetters will update the formatting into journal style. Chicago reference style is used as the example in the guide. |
| Peer review | single-anonymous (reviewers' identities not released to authors unless reviewer voluntarily signs comments; editorial preference is for referees to remain anonymous throughout the review process and beyond) |
Quick Tips for Using the Small Template
Read the Small 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 Small in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent Small 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 Small 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 Small guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through ScholarOne / Research Exchange.
