It’s an unglamorous part of publishing, but formatting problems are among the most common reasons a manuscript gets sent back before it ever reaches a reviewer. A ten-minute pre-submission check can save weeks of back-and-forth with an editorial office. Here’s a practical checklist worth running through every time.
Structural Elements
- Title page includes all author names, affiliations, and a designated corresponding author
- Abstract falls within the journal’s specified word limit
- Keywords are included and reflect the paper’s actual subfield and method
- Section headings follow a logical, consistent hierarchy (not mixing numbering styles)
- Word count (including or excluding references, per journal instructions) falls within the stated limit
Citations and References
- Citation style matches exactly what the journal specifies (APA, Chicago, or a journal-specific variant)
- Every in-text citation has a corresponding reference list entry, and vice versa
- Reference list formatting is consistent throughout (not mixing styles across entries)
- DOIs are included where available, per journal preference
Tables and Figures
- Tables and figures are numbered sequentially and referenced in the text in the order they appear
- Each table and figure has a clear, self-explanatory caption
- Figures meet the journal’s resolution and file-format requirements
- Table notes define all abbreviations, variables, and significance markers used
Anonymization (for Double-Blind Review)
- Author names and affiliations are removed from the manuscript body, not just the title page
- Self-citations are phrased to avoid revealing authorship (e.g., “the authors’ prior work” rather than a first-person reference that identifies you)
- File metadata (document properties, embedded author names) is scrubbed before upload
Supplementary Materials
- Appendices, robustness tables, and data/code availability statements are prepared per the journal’s specific requirements
- Any required ethics or funding disclosure statements are included in full
A Final Read-Through
Beyond formatting mechanics, a final full read-through — ideally by someone who hasn’t been immersed in the paper for months — often catches lingering issues that spell-check and citation managers miss: inconsistent terminology, orphaned cross-references, or a stray placeholder left in from an earlier draft.
Why This Matters More Than It Seems
Formatting oversights don’t just risk a returned manuscript — they can quietly color an editor’s or reviewer’s first impression before they’ve engaged with the actual argument. A clean, carefully formatted submission signals the same care you presumably brought to the underlying research.
Before submitting, cross-check your manuscript against the scope of the Journal of Economics and Management to confirm topical fit alongside formatting readiness.
For a widely used, discipline-neutral formatting reference, the APA Style guidelines remain a useful baseline even when a specific journal uses a modified citation style.
Formatting squared away? Submit your manuscript through the paper submission page.