Critical Review Template
Get your Critical Review 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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How to Use the Critical Review Template | A Step-by-Step Guide
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
Submitting to Critical Review goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Critical Review 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 Critical Review Template?
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Critical Review. 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 Critical Review journal page before you draft.
What's actually in a CR 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 Critical Review 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 Critical Review guide for authors before you submit.
What does this Critical Review 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 Taylor & Francis submission portal.
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 CR.
- Edit the prompt with your topic and article type, and note any requirement from the Critical Review 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 Taylor & Francis submission portal.
Critical Review Template Structure at a Glance
| Element | CR requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Non-structured abstract with 100-word maximum. Must directly state the substance of the thesis rather than describing the topic, issues, or methods. Should avoid distanced first- or third-person stance and state the argument directly. Required for all submissions including review essays. |
| 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 | 5 keywords required. Should be chosen to maximize online search hits and include essential terms from article title and abstract as well as other key terms. Key authors should also be included among keywords. |
| References | Author-date system (social-science citation system) following American Political Science Association Style Manual. In-text parenthetical references (e.g., Tversky 1990, 27) referring to a Reference list at the end. End notes should be expository only, not for citations (exception: unauthored sources like unsigned articles and websites). |
| Peer review | Double-blind peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. However, peer review is undertaken at the discretion of the editor and may be requested in advance by an author. All research papers, essays, and review essays may be subject to editorial and/or peer review prior to acceptance. Symposium contributions, replies, and rejoinders are not usually subject to peer review. |
| Submission | authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com |
Quick Tips for Using the Critical Review Template
Read the Critical Review 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 Critical Review in under a page.
Best Practices
Skim two or three recent CR 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 Critical Review 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 Critical Review guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through the Taylor & Francis submission portal.
