Elsevier Paper Formatting Tool – Automatic Elsevier Manuscript Format in 60 Seconds
SciComply automatically formats your research paper to Elsevier submission requirements — 12pt Times New Roman, double-line spacing, correct citation style, structured section headings, and properly captioned figures — ready to submit to any Elsevier journal in under 60 seconds.
Format for Elsevier FreeElsevier Manuscript Format Requirements
| Parameter | Elsevier Requirement |
|---|---|
| Body font | 12pt Times New Roman |
| Line spacing | Double (2.0) |
| Margins | 1 inch (2.54 cm) all sides |
| Column layout | Single column |
| Section headings | Numbered bold (1, 2, 3) |
| Subsection headings | Numbered bold italic (1.1, 1.2) |
| Citation styles | Numbered [N] or Harvard author-year |
| Abstract | 150–300 words, no citations |
| Keywords | 4–6 keywords, labeled "Keywords" |
| Page size | A4 |
Common Elsevier Formatting Mistakes
Single-spaced submission
Elsevier requires double spacing for reviewer annotation. Single-spaced manuscripts are returned routinely.
Missing IMRAD structure
Elsevier expects Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion order. Missing or reordered sections cause desk rejection.
Wrong citation format
Mixing numbered Vancouver citations with Harvard author-year style is a critical formatting error.
Low-resolution figures
Elsevier requires figures at 300 DPI minimum. Figures copied from slides are often below this threshold.
Captions in wrong position
Figure captions go BELOW the figure; table captions go ABOVE the table. Reversing these is a common mistake.
No conflict of interest statement
All Elsevier journals require a mandatory COI declaration. Missing this causes automatic return.
What SciComply Applies for Elsevier Format
- Sets body text to 12pt Times New Roman with double line spacing
- Applies 1-inch margins, single-column layout, A4 page size
- Numbers section headings in Arabic format (1. Introduction, 2. Methodology)
- Formats subsection headings as bold italic (1.1, 1.2, 1.1.1)
- Converts citations to numbered [N] or Harvard author-year as required
- Validates section order against IMRAD structure
- Preserves MS Word equations and re-embeds all images
- Runs compliance scoring across 6 categories with Elsevier-specific rules
Related Formatting Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the standard Elsevier manuscript formatting requirements?
Elsevier peer-review submissions require 12pt Times New Roman, double-line spacing, 1-inch margins, single-column layout, numbered references (or author-year for some journals), and structured sections (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion).
Does Elsevier use numbered or author-year citation style?
Elsevier journals vary. Engineering and medical journals typically use numbered Vancouver-style references. Social science and humanities journals often use Harvard author-year. SciComply auto-detects and applies the correct style for your selected journal.
How do I format figures for Elsevier submission?
Elsevier requires figures at 300 DPI minimum in TIFF, EPS, or high-resolution JPEG. Maximum width is 17.6 cm (full page) or 8.3 cm (single column). Captions go below figures, labeled 'Fig. 1. Caption text.'
What Elsevier journals does SciComply support?
SciComply supports all Elsevier journals using the standard Elsevier template, including The Lancet, Cell Press journals, Journal of Molecular Biology, Energy Conversion and Management, and thousands more across engineering, medicine, and science.
Can I switch between Elsevier journals without reformatting manually?
Yes. In SciComply, you can change the target journal from one Elsevier publication to another and re-download — the formatting updates automatically to match the new journal's specific guidelines.
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Format for Elsevier Free