Standards for manuscript preparation.
Manuscript structure, formatting requirements, word limits, reference styles, and downloadable templates for all manuscript types.
Follow these guidelines to ensure your manuscript moves smoothly through editorial triage. Manuscripts that meet these standards typically clear triage on Day 1 and enter peer review on Day 2.
Manuscript Structure
The standard structure for original research articles:
- Title page — title, authors, affiliations, corresponding author, ORCIDs.
- Abstract — 250 to 350 words, structured (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions).
- Keywords — 5 to 8 terms, separated by semicolons.
- Introduction — context, gap in literature, research question, contribution.
- Methods (or Materials and Methods) — sufficient detail for replication.
- Results — clear presentation of findings.
- Discussion — interpretation, comparison with prior work, limitations.
- Conclusions — main takeaways and future directions.
- Acknowledgements — non-author contributors, funding statement.
- Author Contributions — CRediT taxonomy.
- Competing Interests — declared or stated as none.
- Data Availability — where data and code are accessible.
- AI Use Declaration — if any AI tools were used.
- References — Vancouver, APA 7, or Harvard style; consistent throughout.
Formatting Requirements
| Font | Times New Roman or Arial, 12 point |
| Spacing | 1.5 line spacing |
| Margins | 2.5 cm (1 inch) on all sides |
| Page numbers | Continuous, bottom right |
| Line numbers | Continuous through manuscript |
| Headings | Numbered (1. Introduction, 1.1 Subheading) |
| Figures | High resolution (300 DPI minimum), embedded near first mention |
| Tables | Numbered, with captions above |
| Equations | Numbered, prepared in MathType or LaTeX |
| File format | DOCX preferred; LaTeX with template; PDF for first submission only |
Word Limits
| Original Research | 4,000 to 8,000 words |
| Review Article | 6,000 to 12,000 words |
| Short Communication | 1,500 to 3,500 words |
| Case Study | 3,000 to 6,000 words |
| Methodology Paper | 3,000 to 6,000 words |
| Editorial | 800 to 2,000 words |
| Letter to Editor | Under 1,000 words |
Word counts exclude title page, abstract, references, tables, and figure captions.
Reference Style
We accept three standard styles. Use the style most common in your field. Be consistent throughout the manuscript. Provide DOIs for all references where available.
- Vancouver — common in health, medicine, and life sciences.
- APA 7 — common in psychology, education, and social sciences.
- Harvard — common in business, humanities, and law.
Templates
Download manuscript templates:
- DOCX template (general)
- LaTeX template (technical)
- Cover letter template
- Author agreement template
Ready to prepare your manuscript?
Download our templates and review the structure requirements. Email authors@datarsoft.tech for specific questions.