Publishing5 min readBy Saradha R, Senior Research AnalystPublished 2026-10-24

Journal formatting requirements: mistakes that cause desk rejection (and how to avoid them)

A desk rejection means an editor declines a paper without sending it to peer review. Typical reasons are a mismatch with the journal’s scope, weak novelty or quality, missing required statements and not following the author guidelines. Formatting alone rarely decides the outcome, but a paper that ignores the guidelines signals carelessness. Read the guidelines first and check against a list before you submit.

Editors receive many more submissions than they can send to reviewers. They look for reasons the paper is not ready or not right for the journal. You cannot control everything, but you can remove the avoidable reasons. This guide shows what editors check first, and a checklist to run before you click submit.

What is a desk rejection?

A desk rejection (or “reject without review”) happens at the editor’s first screening. Journals do not publish a complete list of reasons, and you should not assume your case is typical. The ones below are widely reported by editors and publishers, and all are things you can check.

How do I read author guidelines?

Read them end to end for your chosen journal, and then again with the manuscript open. Highlight anything you must do. Look for these headings:

• Article types and word limits (abstract, main text, references).
• Required structure: headings, structured abstract, keywords.
• Reference style and how to format in-text citations.
• Figures and tables: file type, resolution, captions, where to place them.
• Required statements: ethics approval, informed consent, conflicts of interest, funding, data and code availability, AI use.
• Cover letter and suggested reviewers.
• Anonymisation if the review is blind.
• Preprint and prior-publication policy.

Tip Journal details change. Use the current version of the guidelines from the journal’s own website, not an old copy or a third-party summary.

Fix the most common formatting problems

• References: use one style throughout, make sure every in-text citation is in the list and the reverse, and check each entry against the original source.
• Figures and tables: number them in order, refer to every one in the text, and give each a caption that stands on its own.
• Length: keep within the word limit including or excluding references as the journal specifies.
• Abstract and keywords: follow the required structure and count.
• Names and affiliations: spell them as the journal asks, with ORCID if requested.
• Anonymisation: remove names from the file and file properties if review is blind.

A 12-point pre-submission checklist

1. The paper fits the journal’s aims and scope.
2. The article type and length match the journal’s categories.
3. The novelty statement is clear in the abstract and introduction.
4. The structure matches the journal’s required sections.
5. References follow one style, with every citation checked.
6. Figures and tables are numbered, cited in the text and in the right file type.
7. Required statements are included (ethics, conflicts, funding, data and code, AI use).
8. The similarity report has been read and flagged passages are fixed.
9. The language has been read by someone other than you.
10. The cover letter says what is new and why it fits the journal.
11. File names, formats and anonymisation follow the instructions.
12. All co-authors have approved the submission.

Write a short, honest cover letter

A cover letter should say what the paper does, why it fits this journal and that it is not under review elsewhere. If you used AI tools, or have related earlier work, say so where the journal asks. Avoid exaggeration and avoid claims you cannot support.

Language and presentation

Editors read the abstract and introduction closely. If the English is hard to follow, they may decide the paper is not ready, even when the science is sound. Ask a colleague to read the first two pages, use a language-editing service if you need one, and follow the journal’s policy on language editing and disclosure of any tools used.

What if I get a desk rejection?

1. Read the message for a reason, however short.
2. Check whether the problem is scope, quality, novelty or process.
3. Fix what can be fixed, and shorten your shortlist to the journals that really fit.
4. Reformat to the next journal’s guidelines, and update the cover letter.
5. Submit to one journal at a time.

A desk rejection costs a few days if you have a shortlist ready, and several weeks if you do not.

Where a tool can help

Once you pick a journal, EasySeer’s journal formatting arranges the manuscript to follow that journal’s author guidelines: sections, headings, reference style and figure placement, with a checklist to confirm before you submit. The files are yours to export.

Guidelines change, so the final check against the journal’s current instructions is yours. Special items such as cover letters or ethics forms need your own input.

See formatting and deliveryRead: set up your manuscript

Questions

Keep reading

Sources

Checked on 2026-10-24. Policies change, so read the current version before you submit.

• COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics
• ICMJE recommendations
• ORCID

Published 2026-10-24. Last updated 2026-10-24.