Journal submission checklist for research manuscripts

A journal submission fails in two very different ways. The paper may not fit the journal or meet its scholarly threshold, and the submission package may be mechanically incomplete. A preflight checklist cannot solve the first problem, but it can prevent the second from weakening an otherwise serious manuscript.

1. Confirm journal fit

• The paper addresses topics the journal actually publishes.
• The article type is currently accepted.
• The manuscript falls within the stated word limit.
• The paper has not been submitted elsewhere simultaneously.
• The journal's access fees and licensing terms are understood.

2. Read the current author instructions

Do not rely only on a manuscript formatted for a previous journal. Record the required abstract length, keyword range, heading conventions, citation style, figure format, anonymization process, declarations, and supplementary-file rules.

3. Prepare the correct file set

Typical files include:

• Anonymous manuscript
• Separate title page
• Cover letter
• Figures or tables, when uploaded separately
• Supplementary material
• Reporting checklist, ethics documentation, or data statement where applicable

4. Check the manuscript structure

Confirm that required sections are present and named appropriately. Depending on the field, these may include an abstract, keywords, introduction, method, results, discussion, limitations, declarations, data availability, funding, conflict of interest, author contributions, and references.

5. Reconcile citations and references

Every in-text citation should have a plausible reference entry, and every reference entry should be used. Pay special attention to works added during revision, citations removed from paragraphs, and duplicate versions of the same source.

6. Inspect anonymity

Check both visible text and hidden file information. Remove or relocate names, affiliations, emails, acknowledgments, ORCID identifiers, identifying self-reference, comments, tracked changes, and personal metadata where required.

7. Inspect figures and tables

• Every figure and table is cited in the text.
• Numbering is sequential.
• Captions are complete.
• Abbreviations are explained.
• Image resolution and file types meet the journal requirements.
• Identifying information has been removed where necessary.

8. Check declarations and research integrity

Verify the accuracy of ethics approval, consent, funding, conflict-of-interest, data availability, author contribution, preregistration, and AI-use disclosures. Do not add boilerplate that is not factually true.

9. Clean the DOCX

Run a final inspection for:

• Comments
• Tracked changes
• Hidden author metadata
• Temporary placeholders
• Broken cross-references
• Heading-level errors
• Font or size outliers
• Abstract and keyword limits

10. Verify the submission-system metadata

The title, abstract, author order, affiliations, funding, keywords, and corresponding-author details entered into the submission portal should match the approved files. Preview the generated PDF before clicking submit.

11. Save a permanent submission copy

Keep the exact files that were uploaded, the generated submission PDF, the cover letter, and the confirmation email together. This becomes the baseline for later reviewer revisions.