Key takeaways
- Formatting follows the target journal's guidelines—not your preference.
- Journal selection should precede final formatting to avoid rework.
- Verify indexing on official portals before every submission.
Research paper formatting and journal selection are two sides of the same submission coin. Choose the wrong journal and your paper is rejected regardless of quality. Format incorrectly and editors never send it to reviewers. This guide covers both decisions comprehensively.
Major formatting styles
- IEEE: numbered citations, two-column, engineering and CS.
- APA 7: author-date, social sciences and education.
- Vancouver/AMA: numbered, medical and health sciences.
- Chicago: notes-bibliography or author-date, humanities.
- Publisher-specific: Elsevier and Springer often use their own variants.
Journal selection criteria
- 1Scope match: your paper fits the journal's stated aims.
- 2Indexing: Scopus, Web of Science, UGC-CARE as required.
- 3Audience: who reads this journal and will cite your work?
- 4Acceptance rate and review time: realistic for your deadline.
- 5Open access: APC costs and institutional agreements.
Formatting workflow
Write in a neutral format first. Once journal is selected, apply the official template. Format references last using the journal's style guide or reference manager output. Run similarity check before submission.