Manuscript submission guidance is about the last stretch before you click submit. The research may be strong, but missing files, unclear ethics statements, or a weak cover letter can still slow the process or lead to a technical return. This page is a practical checklist. It is different from our broader Scopus publication support page, which covers readiness, journal route, and revision support. Publish With Scopus does not guarantee acceptance.
Submission readiness and research readiness
Research readiness means the study, analysis, and claim are sound. Submission readiness means the package matches the journal’s instructions: format, statements, figures, authorship details, and required declarations. Both matter, and many delays come from the second list.
Pre-submit checklist
Check the journal first with our Scopus indexed journal readiness checklist, then work through the package below.
1. Target journal confirmed You have checked aims and scope, recent articles, and indexing on official sources where indexing is required. See how to choose a Scopus journal and journal selection.
2. Manuscript matches the guidelines Word count, structure, reference style, line numbers, anonymisation for blind review, and any template rules. Follow manuscript formatting for journal submission as a how-to, or see journal formatting and referencing service for conversion help.
3. Title, abstract, and keywords Written for the journal’s audience, with the contribution clear on the first screen.
4. Figures and tables Correct resolution and format, clear captions, and in-text callouts that match.
5. Ethics and integrity statements Approvals, consent, competing interests, funding, data availability, and AI-use statements if the journal asks for them.
6. Authorship and contributions Final author order, affiliations, corresponding author details, and contributor roles where required.
7. Cover letter Short, specific, and honest about fit. No inflated claims.
8. Supplementary files Appendices, data notes, or other uploads the journal lists as required or optional.
9. Final proofread Author names, funding numbers, figure numbers, and broken citations. If the language still reads roughly, see academic English editing for journal submission.
Common technical problems
- Wrong file type or an incomplete upload set
- Missing ethics or competing-interest statements
- An abstract still written for a different journal
- Figures that fail resolution or format checks
- A generic cover letter that overclaims novelty
These issues are different from a scope-based desk rejection, but they waste time. For fit and framing problems, read why research papers get desk-rejected. When you already have a decision letter and need an action plan, see how to resubmit after journal rejection.
For wider help, see our research paper publication consultancy page.
After you submit
Save the submission ID and the confirmation email. If a major revision follows, see how to handle major revisions, or use reviewer response letter support to plan the reply.
How we can help
We can review a submission package, tighten the language, and check that the route still fits your indexing requirement. If a preprint is already posted or planned, see preprint and journal submission support. We are UK-registered in London. We are not a publisher. We do not guarantee acceptance.
A submission-day plan
1. Open the journal’s submission system a few days early. Create the account, link your ORCID iD if it asks, and read which fields and files are required.
2. Prepare the file set: the main manuscript (anonymised if review is blind), a separate title page if needed, figures as separate files, and any supplementary material.
3. Complete the forms: author details, funding, conflicts of interest, ethics, data availability and author contributions.
4. Add the cover letter, then build and read the system-generated PDF from top to bottom. Check figure order, special characters and tables.
5. Confirm with all co-authors, in writing, that they approve the final version and the submission.
6. Submit, save the confirmation and the manuscript ID, and file the confirmation email with the final files.
A cover letter skeleton
The letter below uses placeholders. Replace each with specific facts, and cut anything that does not apply. For a fuller walk-through of what a good letter contains, see journal cover letter writing support.
“Dear Dr [editor’s surname], we submit “[title]” as a [article type] for consideration in [journal]. The study asks [question] and finds [main result, in one sentence]. We believe it suits your readers because [one specific reason, such as a recent paper in the journal on the same topic].”
“The manuscript is original, is not under review elsewhere, and all authors have approved this version. [Ethics approval and consent in one sentence.] [Funding and conflicts in one sentence.] [If requested: suggested reviewers, with institution, and no conflicts of interest.] Yours sincerely, [corresponding author].”
Contributions, identifiers and AI-use statements
Many journals ask for author contributions in the CRediT format, which lists roles such as conceptualisation, data curation, analysis and writing. Describe what each person actually did. Give every author an ORCID iD where the system allows, and make sure names and affiliations match across your papers. If you used AI tools while preparing the manuscript, read the journal’s policy: most publishers say that AI tools cannot be listed as authors and ask for use to be disclosed in the way they specify.
Why submissions are sent back at the technical check
- The files are in the wrong format, too large, or in the wrong order
- The author list in the system differs from the author list in the manuscript
- A required statement, such as ethics approval or data availability, is missing
- Identifying details remain in a manuscript meant for blind review
- Figures are below the resolution required or are embedded in the text file
- The word count or abstract length exceeds the limit
Call to action Email info@publishwithscopus.com Call +44 330 001 1136 Message us on WhatsApp
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as Scopus publication support?
No. This page is a submission checklist. Scopus publication support is the broader service for readiness, route planning, and revisions.
Can you guarantee the paper will pass technical checks?
No. Journals control their own systems and requirements. We help you prepare carefully.
Do you write cover letters?
We can help draft a clear, ethical cover letter as part of submission guidance. You remain responsible for accuracy.
Should I edit the language before submission?
If clarity is weak, yes. See our academic English editing page for journal submission.
How do I start?
Email info@publishwithscopus.com or call +44 330 001 1136 with your target journal and current files.
What should I do if the system rejects my file?
Read the message, check file type and size, and contact the journal’s editorial office if the problem remains. Avoid starting a second submission, which can create a duplicate record.
Do I need to suggest reviewers?
Only if the form asks. If it does, suggest people with relevant expertise who are outside your institution and have not worked with you, and declare anything you are unsure about.
Can I submit before all co-authors have approved?
It is better not to. Most journals expect all authors to approve the submission. Get written agreement first, as a late objection from a co-author can delay a paper.
Important answers
Do you guarantee acceptance or Scopus indexing?
No. Journals and indexes decide. We help with readiness, selection, submission preparation, and reviewer responses in an ethical way.
Are you a journal or publisher?
No. We are a UK-registered consultancy based in London.
Who is this for?
Professors, doctors and clinician-researchers, and PhD researchers who want practical, ethical support.
How should indexing claims be checked?
Use official sources and the publisher’s own pages. Social graphics are not enough.