SCI Resubmission Formatting Guide

Direct answer

When you resubmit an SCI paper to a different journal, the first job is not to change fonts or margins. The first job is to map the target journal’s real submission requirements: article type, word limits, abstract format, citation style, figure handling, supplementary files, cover letter expectations, reporting checklists, disclosure rules, and any reuse permissions. Resubmission is not only a formatting change. It is a submission-package migration.

Step 1: decide whether full reformatting is even necessary

One of the biggest mistakes in resubmission is doing final-stage formatting too early.

• Elsevier’s Article Transfer Service notes that in some transfer situations you may not need to reformat the manuscript fully before moving to the next journal.
• Springer Nature describes its LaTeX authoring template as taking a content-first, minimal-formatting approach.
• Nature explicitly states that there is no need to spend time visually formatting a LaTeX manuscript because the publisher’s house style will be applied later.
• Wiley’s own preparation guidance says authors should always follow the specific Author Guidelines of the chosen journal.

That means the correct question is not “How do I reformat this paper?” but “What does this target journal actually require at this stage?”

Step 2: build a requirement-difference sheet

Before touching the manuscript, compare at least these items:

• Article type.
• Main-text word limit.
• Abstract type and word limit.
• Citation system and reference style.
• Figure upload rules.
• Supplementary information rules.
• Required submission materials.
• Transparency and ethics statements.

Without that matrix, resubmission work is usually inefficient and error-prone.

Step 3: revise the title page and abstract first

ICMJE’s manuscript preparation recommendations explain that title pages often include the article title, author information, institutional details, word count, and sometimes the number of figures and tables. The abstract may need to be structured or unstructured depending on the journal, and it must accurately reflect the full manuscript.

When resubmitting, check:

• Whether the journal expects a structured abstract.
• Whether the title needs to be shorter or more explicit about study design.
• Whether keywords are required and capped.
• Whether funding or trial registration information belongs near the abstract.

Step 4: confirm the body structure, not just the layout

ICMJE describes IMRAD as the standard structure for original research: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Many journals also expect additional sections such as data availability, code availability, author contributions, conflicts of interest, acknowledgements, and funding statements.

In other words, resubmission is often about structural alignment, not just surface formatting.

Step 5: treat references as a system migration

Reference problems are among the most common resubmission failures.

Nature’s final-submission guidance requires numerical citations in the order they appear in the text and instructs LaTeX authors to paste the generated reference list back into the main manuscript file. It also recommends removing non-standard formatting complexity. If you are switching from author-year citation to numerical citation, that is not a cosmetic change. It affects the entire manuscript, including figure legends and supplementary materials.

A safe resubmission workflow is:

• Switch to the target journal style file.
• Refresh all citations globally.
• Check figure legends, table notes, and appendices for hidden references.
• Export a clean submission version without broken field codes or unresolved citation errors.

Step 6: rebuild the figure package

Wiley’s figure-preparation guidance recommends sequential numbering, clear legends, one figure per file where appropriate, and image sizes roughly in the 80-180 mm range with 300-600 dpi guidance depending on figure type. Nature also requires figures to be cited in sequence and commonly expects at least 300 dpi for publication-quality artwork, with specific size guidance for columns and page widths.

For resubmission, review:

• Figure numbering sequence.
• Whether figures stay embedded or must be uploaded separately.
• Whether legends belong after the references or within the main file.
• Whether file format, size, and resolution meet the target journal’s rules.
• Whether multi-panel figures still make sense in the new journal context.

Step 7: check permissions before you reuse material

Wiley’s permissions guidance states that reuse of previously published figures and tables often requires permission from the copyright holder or exclusive licensee, together with full acknowledgement of the original source. Even if you are the original author, republication rights may not automatically remain with you.

This matters in resubmission when you are carrying forward:

• Previously published figures.
• Conference paper visuals.
• Third-party graphics.
• Adapted tables from earlier publications.

Do not wait until acceptance to find this out.

Step 8: rewrite the cover letter and disclosure package

ICMJE’s guidance on sending the manuscript to the journal explains that submission materials may need to include statements on prior related submissions, conflicts of interest, authorship, and other information relevant to the editor. It also notes that previous editorial and reviewer comments can sometimes help expedite evaluation if the new journal allows them.

A resubmission cover letter should explain:

• Why the paper fits the target journal.
• What has changed since the previous submission.
• Whether the paper has prior review history relevant to the new editorial decision.

Step 9: do not ignore AI disclosure in 2026

ICMJE’s current recommendations on AI use by authors state that journals should require authors to disclose use of AI-assisted technologies during submission, explain how the tools were used, and avoid listing AI systems as authors. Authors remain responsible for accuracy, originality, and proper attribution.

If you used AI for language polishing, drafting support, figure ideation, or method wording, check the target journal’s policy and disclose appropriately where required.

A practical SCI resubmission checklist

• Read the target journal’s current author guidelines.
• Build a difference sheet before editing.
• Revise title page, abstract, keywords, and article type labels.
• Align manuscript structure with the target journal.
• Convert the citation system and refresh references globally.
• Rebuild figures, legends, and supplementary files.
• Check permissions for reused material.
• Rewrite the cover letter.
• Verify disclosures, checklists, and AI statements.
• Submit only after the entire package is internally consistent.

If the science and wording are already in place but the bottleneck is journal-to-journal formatting work, a workflow-focused tool such as AutoSCI can help on the repetitive side of resubmission, especially for structure cleanup and submission-readiness tasks.

Official references

• Elsevier Article Transfer Service
• Wiley Manuscript Preparation Guidelines
• Wiley Figure Preparation Guidelines
• Wiley Permissions for Reproducing Material
• Nature Final Submission Guide
• Nature Computational Science: AIP and formatting
• Springer Nature LaTeX Author Support
• ICMJE: Preparing a Manuscript for Submission
• ICMJE: Sending the Manuscript to the Journal
• ICMJE: Use of AI by Authors