Submission essentials
Science is among the world’s leading general-science journals, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Competition is extreme; editors screen quickly for novelty and broad significance. The journal asks for a simple initial format: single column, double-spaced — not the same as final journal layout — to aid reviewers and annotation.Editors and reviewers care whether the abstract stays within 125 words, main text stays near ~4500 words for Research Articles, and figures are clear but limited in number. Read the current Science Instructions for Authors before your first upload.
Formatting in detail
- Paper and layout: US Letter; single column; double spacing; initial main text often ≤10 pages.
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
- Fonts: body Times New Roman 12 pt; title 14 pt; heading levels bold, typically unnumbered.
- Required structure: Title, Authors, Affiliations, Main Text, References and Notes, Acknowledgments.
- Optional: Supplementary Materials, Materials and Methods (sometimes in supplements), One Sentence Summary.
Abstract requirements
- Length: ≤125 words — one of Science’s strictest format rules.
- Content: 1–2 sentences of context and question; 1–2 on methods; remainder on key findings and importance. Avoid citations, unnecessary jargon, and nonstandard abbreviations.
- One Sentence Summary: some article types require ~20–25 words, separate from the abstract, with no undefined abbreviations.
Citations and references
- Style: numbered in order of first appearance — superscript numbers in text (e.g. ¹, ²).
- References and Notes: Science merges footnotes and bibliography into one numbered sequence; note numbering must stay continuous.
- Typical errors: author–year style instead of numbers; broken continuity between notes and references; missing DOI or PMID where expected.
Common formatting mistakes
- Abstract over 125 words — a frequent reason for return; some systems may flag length automatically.
- Main text over the word limit for the article type (Research Articles ~4500 words; Reports shorter).
- Single-spaced initial submission — double spacing is required.
- Figures embedded mid-text when the journal wants figures at the end or as separate files.
- Author metadata inconsistent with the submission portal (email, ORCID).
How to convert to Science format with AutoSCI
- Upload your paper — PDF or Word
- Select the template — Science (AAAS)
- Export in one click — LaTeX, PDF, or Word
AutoSCI helps with single-column double-spaced layout, 125-word abstract discipline, and numbered References and Notes formatting for Science initial submissions.
Figures, tables, and supplementary material
Science expects high-quality figures. Research Articles often allow 4–6 main figures, each as a separate file (TIFF/EPS/PDF, typically ≥300 dpi). Captions should be self-contained. Supplementary Materials are not tightly page-limited but should stay organized and essential.
Research Articles vs Reports vs Reviews
Limits differ strongly by article type:
| Type | Main text (approx.) | Figures/tables | References (approx.) |
|------|---------------------|----------------|----------------------|
| Research Article | ~4500 words | 5–6 | ~50 |
| Report | ~2500 words | 3–4 | ~30 |
| Review | By arrangement | Flexible | Flexible |
Confirm the article type and its caps before finalizing files.
LaTeX submissions
Science accepts LaTeX but often prefers Word. If you use LaTeX, apply Science-provided style files. Typical flow: pdflatex → bibtex → pdflatex ×2. Science’s .bst handles References and Notes differently from generic BibTeX styles — follow the package documentation.
Pre-submission checklist
- US Letter, single column, double spacing.
- Abstract ≤125 words.
- Main text within limits for the chosen article type.
- Numbered citations; References and Notes continuously numbered.
- Figures listed as required, ≥300 dpi where rasterized.
- Corresponding author data consistent with the portal.
- One Sentence Summary ≤~25 words if required.
Version note and disclaimer
The binding source is Science (AAAS) Instructions for Authors; this content is for orientation only.