Ready to submit your paper?

Use this article submission checklist to find out

By the time you’re ready to submit your paper to a journal, there are a lot of things you’ll need to have checked, understood, and incorporated into your article.

We’ve created this checklist to help you make sure that you don’t miss anything important, both in writing and preparing your paper, and when you’re using a submission system. This can speed up the submission process and avoid potential obstacles in receiving a decision from the journal editor(s).

Follow the steps in the checklists below.

Paper requirements


Is your article a good fit for your target journal?

Check by reading the aims and scope of the journal, and look at recently published articles.


Do you know the requirements for your target journal?

Visit Taylor & Francis Online to check the specific submission requirements for your chosen journal.

Have you read the instructions for authors (IFAs)?

The IFAs will tell you everything that the editorial board will be expecting to see in your paper, including word counts and style guides.

What are the open access options?

If you want to publish open access, check that the journal offers the option you want. Our open access cost finder is a useful tool to research what’s on offer. You should also check whether your research funder’s policy requires you to make your work open access.

Are you familiar with the Taylor & Francis Editorial Policies?

The Editorial Policies apply to all Taylor & Francis journals, and all authors should read them before submitting.

Do you know which submission system the journal uses?

The IFA for your chosen journal will tell you which system they use.
Then read our guides to using:

    Get the right result

    We have lots more guidance on choosing a journal so you can double check you’re targeting the right one before making your submission.

    Check my paper

    Have you identified 5-6 appropriate keywords?

    Keywords help relevant readers find your article online. 
    Find out how to make your article more discoverable.

    Have you written an effective title and abstract?

    The title and abstract are your chance to grab a potential reader’s attention. 
    Find out how to make your title and abstract more effective.

    Have you written an effective cover letter?

    The cover letter is an important way for you to explain to the journal’s editor why your paper is a good fit and should be considered for publication.

    Read our guidance and download a cover letter template.

    Does your article match the journal’s specified style guides?

    Your article should be a good fit and format for the target journal’s style guide. Experts in formatting will make sure your article meets your journal’s Instructions for Authors.

    Is your article easy to read?

    Check that your article has a logical structure with clear writing and accessible language. This means it meets international scholarly standards.

    Did you clearly describe your methodology and approach?

    Your study design, research argument strength and positioning should be structured and articulated properly. Check that you have carried out an in-depth technical review of your work.

    Do your figures and charts comply with your target journal’s requirements?

    Make sure you format your artwork according to the technical artwork guidelines for your target journal.

    Have you cited sources appropriately?

    Make sure you avoid accidental plagiarism by taking a look at our policy on citations. Also don’t forget to include all references in the reference section.

    Did you have another pair of eyes read through your article?

    It can be helpful to ask a friend or peer to read through your paper and make suggestions that will improve its clarity.

    Make sure your article is revised appropriately to address possible issues before you submit.

    Get expert help for your manuscript

    Taylor & Francis Editing Services offers a full range of pre-submission manuscript preparation services to help you improve the quality of your manuscript and submit with confidence.

    Get ready to submit

    Do you need or want to share research data associated with your article?

    Read all about data sharing in our extensive guide.

    Do you have written permission for any third-party materials you’ve included?

    Read our guidance on when you’ll need to seek written permission for third-party material.

    Have you included the name and affiliation of any co-authors?

    Read our guide to defining authorship.

    Have you included a disclosure statement and declared any competing interests?

    It is important to be transparent about any potential competing interests (also known as conflicts of interest).

    Find out about the different types of competing interests and how to declare them.

    Have you included your ORCiD?

    ORCiD is a unique identifier that links together all your published work. Read about how to create an ORCiD and include it with your submission. You can also add ORCiD information for your co-authors.

    Do you have the correct files ready to upload?

    This can vary depending on what type of peer review is used. For double-anonymous peer review, an anonymized version of your article will be needed.

    To submit your article, you need the following files:

    1. Your manuscript (including a title page with names of all authors and co-authors)
    2. A main document file with abstract, keywords, main text and references
    3. Figure files
    4. Table files
    5. Any extra files such as supplemental materials or biographical notes

    Ready? Let’s get published!

    Click the button to go to Taylor & Francis Online, find your chosen journal and click the green button to submit your research.