Academic writing requires reference lists as they provide proper source attribution to build credibility in scholarly work. Reference list errors persist frequently across academic disciplines despite their significance.

The A-Z of Formatting Research Papers for Nature, Elsevier & Springer Journals

Dr.Olivia | Research Writing and Formatting Consultant

23 Mar, 2025

Dr.Olivia | Research Writing and Formatting Consultant

23 Mar, 2025

Did you know that an astounding 20%-50% of research articles face desk rejection at the peer review process? [1]. Improper formatting and non-adherence to journal’s guidelines, including citation styles are common reasons for rejection prior to the peer review process. However, these errors in research paper writing are also the easiest to fix with some attention and practice [2] [3]. Various reference management software is available for referencing with desired style. Veteran journal editors recommend that although the first draft may not strictly meet the standards of the final version, it should at least adhere to the basic formatting rules established by the journal in question with all the required files attached [1]. Let’s delve into the formatting guides of three high-impact factor journals- Nature, Elsevier, and Springer – to avoid often overlooked errors. LaTeX for research papers can be used for precise formatting of tables and figures.

General rules of formatting

The key to developing a well-structured paper is to have a consistent presentation (font size and style, headings, and sub-heading, order of tables and figures, etc.). A standard citation style should be followed for academic articles. The impact factor of research paper publishing depends on the proper formatting. While each journal- whether traditional or open access- has its own set of guidelines and instructions, here are some general rules of scientific manuscript formatting:

Thoroughly read the concerned journal’s submission guidelines and go through their previous issues to get a perspective on the structure and style of accepted articles, with the preferred citation styles.
Follow the rules of grammar strictly and avoid spelling mistakes. If you are not a native English speaker, you can use language editing services provided by leading publications. You can also consult expert academic writing service providers to develop a linguistically sound, high-quality research article.
Write the whole article using a single font while adjusting the font sizes for a logical flow to the content. For example, the headings can be slightly larger in font size than the body, while the citation style should stay constant throughout the file.
Maintain equal spacing between the sentences and leave an inch of margin on all four sides.
LaTeX for research papers uses coding system to define the headings, sections, equations.
Arrange your references in the order where they appear and follow a consistent citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago) [1] [5] [6].
Editing and managing the final reference list can be done with the help of reference management software like EndNote, Zotero or Mendeley.

What should you keep in mind while formatting research papers for Nature?

The following are key points to be considered when formatting research papers for Nature:

Eight pages is the average recommended length of clinical/biological papers that could include 5-6 figures/images, totaling to 4300 words.
Include a summary paragraph of a maximum of 200 words, written in simple language for readers not related to the field. Following a suitable citation style such as APA, AMA, or Chicago is essential, and the in-text citation also needs to follow style.

Fig.2 Example of references (Source: Nature)

The following sections should be included in the submitted article: title, authors list, summary paragraph (bold), main text, references, tables, figure legends, methods, references for methods, acknowledgments, author contributions, declaration of conflict of interest, and supplementary information.
A maximum of 50 references can be used for one article.
The main heading can be a maximum of 75 characters (including spaces). Subheadings may be used to logically divide the content of the article, with each subheading being no more than 40 characters (including spaces) in length.
The total word count of the article excludes the heading, author’s names, acknowledgment notes, and references.
The article content should be double-spaced and written in clear and simple English (all spellings should adhere to the Oxford English Dictionary), using a 12-point Times New Roman font.
Lines should be numbered within the text.
In-text citations should be mentioned in superscript.
Some journals published by Nature offer open access publishing, which give the readers to freely access the articles.

For the first submission, authors can present their manuscript and figures in a single file (Microsoft Word/PDF, max 30 MB in size) [5].

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What should you keep in mind while formatting research papers for Elsevier?

Elsevier does not enforce strict formatting rules for submitted manuscripts. However, they recommend that all submissions should include the following sections: abstract, keywords, introduction, materials and methods, results, conclusion, figures/images, and tables.

Fig.3 Example of summary (Source: Elsevier)

The manuscript must be organized into logical sections.
The proper referencing and citations are mandatory for a research paper writing.

Fig.4 Example for References (Source: Elsevier)

No citation style is particularly enforced, but consistency is required in formatting style.
Each figure/image should be accompanied by a caption.
Do not use images for tables and avoid repetition of data. The use of vertical rules and shading in table cells is not recommended.
The open access publishing can be a choice for specific Elsevier journals to increasing its visibility in the academic community.
Elsevier does not require the use of a particular citation style. Any citation style can be used, but it should remain consistent with all the mentioned references.
The table below depicts the recommended word limits, number of figures, and references without any strict restrictions [6]

Manuscript type	Recommended word limit	Recommended no. of figures	Recommended no. of references
Original Research Article	3000-6000	3-5	30-50
Communications	2000-3000	2-4	20-30
Review article	4000-8000	8-10	50-120
Comment articles	1000-2000	1-3	5-10
Protocol article	2000-3000	2-4	20-30
Replication Study	3000-6000	3-5	30-50

What should you keep in mind while formatting research papers for Springer?

The title page should include an impactful title, an author’s list, a 150-250-word abstract, 4-6 keywords, and a statement, and declarations (conflict of interest).
Docx or LaTeX are the recommended formats for submission of research.
The recommended font size and style is 10-point Times Roman.
Use the following functions to write the manuscript: tab for making indents, italics for highlighting key points, auto page numbering, and insert table.
Do not use more than three levels of headings.
The in-text citations must adhere to a specific citation style with the year and name.
Mention abbreviations initially and stick to them throughout the manuscript.
Reference management software such as Endnote is used to make referencing in the process of research paper writing.
Citations should be written in-text, mentioning the name and year in parentheses.

Fig.5 Example for Citation (Source: Springer)

Tables should be numbered and titled in order.
All figures should be numbered and accompanied by their explanatory captions.
Journals with high impact factors necessitate proper formatting guidelines [7].

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Key Takeaway:

Nature, Elsevier, and Springer highly accept well-structured and formatted research papers. Strictly following these journals’ specific guidelines ensures a smooth peer review process and avoids unnecessary desk rejection.

Mastering these skills seems difficult. But with the right formatting tools, reference management software, or professional formatting services, your research paper can be successfully published in compliance with the journal guidelines.