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Article templates: how to structure & format your research article
2015-08-13T11:00:32+01:00
Prepare your article for submission, format your references and produce clear chemical structures using Royal Society of Chemistry templates from our author and reviewer resource centre. Our templates will help you structure and format your manuscript in the Royal Society of Chemistry style, and give you a clear idea of length and layout of the final article.
This guidance is suitable for first-time and experienced authors.
Additional information
The Royal Society of Chemistry publishes 40 peer-reviewed journals, more than 1,500 print books and a collection of online databases and literature updating services. Our international publishing portfolio covers the core chemical sciences including related fields such as biology, biophysics, energy and environment, engineering, materials, medicine and physics.
Our author and reviewer resource centre provides information and services to help you publish your research with - and review for - Royal Society of Chemistry journals.
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AIP and formatting
Acceptance in principle (aip).
Once peer review is completed and the editor is satisfied that any concerns raised by the reviewers have been suitably addressed, the paper is accepted ‘in principle’ (AIP). The editor will send detailed instructions to ensure that the paper contains all the information required for publication and meets our standards for the reporting of data and code.
A high priority of Nature Chemistry is that all papers are accessible to non-specialists; manuscripts are subject to substantial editing to achieve this goal. After acceptance, a copy editor and an art editor may make further changes to ensure that the text and figures are readable and clear to those outside the field, and that papers conform to our house style.
Once your manuscript has been accepted in principle for publication, you will need to format it according to the guidelines below. Addressing these requirements at this stage will ensure your manuscript has a smoother path to publication.
FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS
- Document type
- Colour charges
- Acknowledgements
- Extended data figures
- Source data
- Supplementary Information
- New structures
- Gene nomenclature
- Chemical and biological nomenclature and abbreviations
- Cover artwork
- Characterization of chemical and biomolecular materials
- Deposition of chemical compound information to PubChem
- Graphical abstract
1 – Document type
Please submit your manuscript in either Word or TeX/LaTeX format. We do not accept PDFs for final submissions.
We accept all standard fonts; however, please note Symbol font should be used for Greek characters.
To submit a TeX/LaTeX file, please use any of the standard class files such as article.cls, revtex.cls or amsart.cls.
All textual material should be provided as a single file in default Computer Modern fonts.
Please avoid non-standard fonts and packages and remove all personal macros before submitting.
For graphics, we recommend graphicx.sty.
Please use numerical references only for citations, and include the references within the manuscript file itself.
If you wish to use BibTeX, please copy the reference list from the .bbl file, paste it into the main manuscript .tex file, and delete the associated \bibliography and \bibliographystyle commands.
Before submission, please ensure that the complete .tex file compiles successfully on your own system with no errors or warnings.
There is no need to spend time visually formatting the manuscript: our style will be imposed automatically when the paper is prepared for publication.
For further guidelines on TeX/LaTeX, please visit https://www.springernature.com/gp/authors/campaigns/latex-author-support where you can download the Springer Nature LaTeX template.
2 – Tables
Please include tables at the end of your text document.
Complex tables can be submitted as a separate Excel file.
Tables that include statistical analysis of data should describe their standards of error analysis and ranges in a table legend.
Tables that feature chemical structures should be included at the end of the text document and the native ChemDraw file(s) should be supplied separately as .cdx files.
3 – Figures
Effective figure preparation will enhance the readability of your manuscript – our image preparation guidelines will help you to produce effective publication-quality figures. In addition, please consider the following important requirements:
All figures must be cited in sequence within the main article text in the form Fig. 1, Fig. 2.
Figure panels should be prepared at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi and saved at a maximum width of 180 mm.
Use a 5–7 pt san serif font for standard text labelling and Symbol font for Greek characters.
Use scale bars, not magnification factors, and include error bars where appropriate.
Do not flatten labelling or scale/error bars onto images – uneditable or low-resolution images are two of the most common reasons for delay in manuscript preparation.
- Figure legends
Include a brief title for each figure with a short description of each panel cited in sequence.
Ensure the legend does not exceed the word limit of the article type.
Avoid methodological detail.
Use verbal cues to describe keys, eg. "open red triangles", not visual cues or symbols.
Include a description of centre values (median or average) and all error bars and how they were calculated. Give an indication of sample size (n number), state the statistical test used and provide P values.
Chemical structures
Chemical structures should be produced using ChemDraw or a similar program. Figures containing chemical structures should be submitted according to our image preparation guidelines . Authors using ChemDraw should make use of our journal template , submitting the final files at 100% as .cdx files. Creating molecules within or copying them into the template will ensure that most of our journal style points are followed. For more information, please see our Chemical Structures Style Guide .
Stereo images
Stereo diagrams should be presented for divergent 'wall-eyed' viewing, with the two panels separated by ∼5.5 cm. In the final accepted version of the manuscript, stereo images should be submitted at their anticipated final size.
Copyright Permission
You are responsible for obtaining permission to publish any figures or illustrations that are protected by copyright, including figures published elsewhere and pictures taken by professional photographers. Incomplete permission information may delay publication of your manuscript, as we cannot publish images without appropriate permission. If submitting figures created using BioRender, please confirm whether you own a full licence to publish or a free trial plan.
Advance Online Publication
Nature Chemistry provides Advance Online Publication (AOP) of research articles, which benefits authors with an earlier publication date and allows our readers access to published papers before they appear in a journal issue. Note that papers published online are definitive and may be altered only through the publication of a formal correction, so authors should make every effort to ensure that they check proofs carefully. All AOP articles are given a unique digital object identifier (DOI) number, which can be used to cite the paper before issue publication. Follow this link for details about advance online publication .
4 – Colour charges (print journals only)
Charges apply for authors of primary subscription content who wish to publish figures in colour in Nature Portfolio print journals. For further details please email editorial enquiries .
5 – References
References should be numbered sequentially in the following order:
- Data Availability Section
- Extended data
Only one publication is given for each reference.
Research objects (such as conference abstracts, numbered patents, datasets, protocols and code) that have been assigned a DOI are included in the reference list.
Unpublished meeting abstracts, papers in preparation and papers under review or in press without an available preprint should not appear in the reference list. Instead, they should be mentioned in the text with a list of authors (or initials if any of the authors are co-authors of the present contribution).
URLs for web sites should be cited parenthetically in the main text, not in the reference list.
Grant details and acknowledgments are not permitted as numbered references.
Footnotes are not supported.
For long-form manuscripts such as Articles, Letters, Review Articles, Perspectives and Progress Articles, titles of cited articles are required.
Eigler, D. M. & Schweizer, E. K. Positioning single atoms with a scanning tunnelling microscope. Nature 344, 524–526 (1990).
For shorter article types such as Commentaries or News & Views, titles of cited articles are not included.
Iijima, S. Nature 354, 56–58 (1991).
For book citations, the publisher is required.
Jones, R. A. L. Soft Machines: Nanotechnology and Life Ch. 3 (Oxford Univ. Press, 2004).
Data and code may be cited in the reference list if they have been assigned DOIs and should include authors, title, publisher (repository name) and DOI expressed as a URL.
Hao, Z., AghaKouchak, A., Nakhjiri, N. & Farahmand, A. Global Integrated Drought Monitoring and Prediction System (GIDMaPS) data sets. figshare http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.853801 (2014).
To cite a preprint
Example:
Babichev, S. A., Ries, J. & Lvovsky, A. I. Quantum scissors: teleportation of single-mode optical states by means of a nonlocal single photon. Preprint at https://arXiv.org/quant-ph/0208066 (2002).
6 – Methods
Methods should be subdivided by short, bold headings referring to methods used. We encourage the inclusion of specific subsections; for example Statistics, Reagents or Animal models. If additional references are included, numbering should continue from the end of the last reference in the main paper (see section 5 References). Any Methods-only references should accompany the additional Methods at the end of the paper.
Authors are encouraged to deposit the step-by-step protocols used in their study to Protocol Exchange . Protocols deposited by the authors should be mentioned in the Methods section and added to the reference list.
7 – Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements should be brief and avoid thanking anonymous referees and editors. Grant or contribution numbers may be acknowledged. Dedications are not permitted unless for someone directly involved with the research who for some reason is not an author.
8 – Extended data figures
Extended Data figures are display items that provide essential background to the data presented in the main paper.
A maximum of 10 Extended Data display figures is permitted.
Extended Data figures are not copy-edited or styled by Nature Chemistry ; for this reason, please follow journal style as closely as possible when preparing these figures.
Figures can be multi-paneled, if necessary, and should be sized such that they will fit on a single PDF page.
Legends for Extended Data figures should be prepared as for main figures and should be included in the ‘Inventory of Supporting Information’ document.
All Extended Data figures must be referred to as discrete items at an appropriate place in the main text.
9 – Source Data
We encourage you to provide source data for your figures whenever possible. Full-length, unprocessed gels and blots must be provided as source data for any relevant figures, and should be provided as individual PDF files for each figure containing all supporting blots and/or gels with the linked figure noted directly in the file. Statistics source data should be provided in Excel format, one file for each relevant figure, with the linked figure noted directly in the file. For imaging source data, we encourage deposition to a relevant repository due to size constraints.
10 – Supplementary information
Supplementary information is published as supplied to Nature Chemistry . Please ensure that it is presented clearly and succinctly in a logical order, and that terminology conforms with the rest of the paper. Once your paper is in production, Supplementary Information can only be replaced to correct significant scientific errors.
Requirements for Supplementary Information
Each item should be designated as either Supplementary Equation, Discussion, Notes, Figure, Table, Video, Audio, Data or Software, and all except Notes should be numbered sequentially. This numbering should be separate from that used for items appearing either in the main article or in the Extended Data.
Supplementary Figures should be used only for cases when the use of Extended Data to report these findings is not appropriate. Each Supplementary Figure should fit, along with its legend, on a single PDF page. Authors are encouraged to be selective in including other types of supplementary information.
Supplementary Figures, Tables and Videos should have a title and a caption that follow the guidelines for display items in the main text.
We encourage all methodological information to be included in the main text but if additional information is needed, e.g. for algorithm description, step-by-step protocol, compound synthesis and characterization, they can be included as a Supplementary Note.
Refer to each piece of supplementary information at least once within the text of either the main article or its Methods, at the appropriate point(s). Be sure to include the word "Supplementary" each time one is mentioned and cite them in sequence.
Please submit supplementary text, figures, simple tables or data, and associated legends within a single combined PDF file. For complex tables or data (larger than an A4 PDF page) we recommend combining all tables on separate tabs within one Excel workbook named ‘Supplementary Tables’ or ‘Supplementary Data’ as appropriate. We also accept tables and data as .csv files. We accept most commonly used audio and video formats, and supplementary software should be submitted within a .zip or .tar archive file.
11 – New structures
Manuscripts reporting new structures should contain a table summarizing structural and refinement statistics. Templates for such tables describing cryo-EM , NMR and X-ray crystallography data are available. To facilitate assessment of the quality of the structural data, a stereo image of a portion of the electron density map (for crystallography papers) or of the superimposed lowest energy structures (>10; for NMR papers) should be provided with the submitted manuscript. If the reported structure represents a novel overall fold, a stereo image of the entire structure (as a backbone trace) should also be provided. For cryo-EM structures, a representative micrograph showing individual particles should be provided in the submission.
12 – Gene nomenclature
Authors should use approved nomenclature for gene symbols, and use symbols rather than italicized full names (Ttn, not titin). Please consult the appropriate nomenclature databases for correct gene names and symbols. A useful resource is Entrez Gene . Approved human gene symbols are provided by HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC), e-mail: [email protected]; see also http://www.genenames.org . Approved mouse symbols are provided by The Jackson Laboratory, e-mail: [email protected]; see also www.informatics.jax.org/mgihome/nomen .
For proposed gene names that are not already approved, please submit the gene symbols to the appropriate nomenclature committees as soon as possible, as these must be deposited and approved before publication of an article.
Avoid listing multiple names of genes (or proteins) separated by a slash, as in 'Oct4/Pou5f1', as this is ambiguous (it could mean a ratio, a complex, alternative names or different subunits). Use one name throughout and include the other at first mention: 'Oct4 (also known as Pou5f1)'.
13 – Chemical and biological nomenclature and abbreviations
When possible, authors should refer to chemical compounds and biomolecules using systematic nomenclature, preferably using IUPAC and IUBMB rules. Standard chemical and biological abbreviations should be used. Unconventional or specialist abbreviations should be defined at their first occurrence in the text.
14 – Equations
Equations and mathematical expressions should be provided in the main text of the paper. Equations that are referred to in the text are identified by parenthetical numbers, such as (1), and are referred to in the manuscript as "equation (1)".
15 – Cover artwork
Authors of accepted papers are encouraged to submit images related to their research for consideration as an issue cover once their paper is assigned to an issue. Cover images are selected for their scientific interest and aesthetic appeal. Please upload good quality image files along with a clear and concise legend explaining the image content.
16 – Characterization of chemical and biomolecular materials
Nature Chemistry is committed to publishing the highest-quality research. Manuscripts submitted to the journal will be held to rigorous standards with respect to experimental methods and characterization of new compounds. Authors must provide adequate data to support their assignment of identity and purity for each new compound described in the manuscript. Authors should provide a statement confirming the source, identity and purity of known compounds that are central to the scientific study, even if they are purchased or resynthesized using published methods.
A. Chemical identity
Chemical identity for organic and organometallic compounds should be established through spectroscopic analysis. Standard peak listings (see formatting guidelines below) for 1 H NMR and proton-decoupled 13 C NMR should be provided for all new compounds. Other NMR data should be reported ( 31 P NMR, 19 F NMR, etc.) when appropriate. For new materials, authors should also provide mass spectral data to support molecular weight identity. High-resolution mass spectral (HRMS) data are preferred. UV or IR spectral data may be reported for the identification of characteristic functional groups, when appropriate. Melting-point ranges should be provided for crystalline materials. Specific rotations may be reported for chiral compounds. Authors should provide references, rather than detailed procedures, for known compounds, unless their protocols represent a departure from or improvement on published methods.
B. Combinatorial compound libraries
Authors describing the preparation of combinatorial libraries should include standard characterization data for a diverse panel of library components.
C. Biomolecular identity
For new biopolymeric materials (oligosaccharides, peptides, nucleic acids, etc.), direct structural analysis by NMR spectroscopic methods may not be possible. In these cases, authors must provide additional evidence of identity based on sequence (when appropriate) and mass spectral characterization. Detailed characterization of standard oligonucleotide reagents (for example, primers) for molecular biology experiments is not required.
D. Biological constructs
Authors should provide sequencing or functional data that validates the identity of their biological constructs (plasmids, fusion proteins, site-directed mutants, etc.) either in the manuscript text or the Methods section, as appropriate.
E. Sample purity
Evidence of sample purity is requested for each new compound. Methods for purity analysis depend on the compound class. For most organic and organometallic compounds, purity may be demonstrated by high-field 1 H NMR or 13 C NMR data, although elemental analysis (±0.4%) is encouraged for small molecules. Quantitative analytical methods including chromatographic (GC, HPLC, etc.) or electrophoretic analyses may be used to demonstrate purity for small molecules and polymeric materials.
F. Spectral data
Detailed spectral data for new compounds should be provided in list form (see below) in the Methods section or Supplementary Methods. Figures containing spectra generally will not be published as a manuscript figure unless the data are directly relevant to the central conclusions of the paper. Authors are encouraged to include high-quality images of spectral data for key compounds in the Supplementary Information. Specific NMR assignments should be listed after integration values only if they were unambiguously determined by multidimensional NMR or decoupling experiments. Authors should provide information about how assignments were made in a general Methods section.
Example format for compound characterization data. mp: 100–102 °C (lit. ref 99–101 °C); TLC (CHCl 3 :MeOH, 98:2 v/v): R f = 0.23; [α] D = -21.5 (0.1 M in n -hexane); 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ): δ 9.30 (s, 1H), 7.55–7.41 (m, 6H), 5.61 (d, J = 5.5 Hz, 1H), 5.40 (d, J = 5.5 Hz, 1H), 4.93 (m, 1H), 4.20 (q, J = 8.5 Hz, 2H), 2.11 (s, 3H), 1.25 (t, J = 8.5 Hz, 3H); 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl 3 ): δ 165.4, 165.0, 140.5, 138.7, 131.5, 129.2, 118.6, 84.2, 75.8, 66.7, 37.9, 20.1; IR (Nujol): 1765 cm -1 ; UV/Vis: λ max 267 nm; HRMS (m/z): [M]+ calcd. for C 20 H 15 C l2 NO 5 , 420.0406; found, 420.0412; analysis (calcd., found for C 20 H 15 C l2 NO 5 ): C (57.16, 57.22), H (3.60, 3.61), Cl (16.87, 16.88), N (3.33, 3.33), O (19.04, 19.09).
G. Crystallographic data for small molecules
Manuscripts reporting new structures of small molecules from crystallographic analysis should be accompanied by a standard crystallographic information file (.cif) and a structural figure with probability ellipsoids should be included in the main supplementary information file. The structure factors for each structure should also be submitted, preferably embedded in the main .cif file, although they may be provided as a separate .hkl and/or .fcf file. Use of the 2014 version of the program SHELXL, which embeds the structure factors information in the main .cif file, is encouraged. The structure factors and structural output must be checked using IUCr's CheckCIF routine and a PDF copy of the output included with the submission, explaining any A- or B-level alerts. Crystallographic data for small molecules should be submitted to the Cambridge Structural Database and the deposition number referenced in the manuscript. Full access must be provided on publication.
H. NMR and cryo-EM data
Manuscripts reporting new structures from NMR or cryo-EM data should contain a table summarizing structural and refinement statistics. Templates for such tables describing cryo-EM or NMR are available. For NMR structures, to facilitate assessment of the quality of the structural data, a stereo image of a portion of the electron density of the superimposed lowest energy structures (>10) should be provided with the submitted manuscript. If the reported structure represents a novel overall fold, a stereo image of the entire structure (as a backbone trace) should also be provided. For cryo-EM structures, a representative micrograph showing individual particles should be provided in the submission.
I. Solar cells
Research manuscripts related to photovoltaic cells that are sent for external review should include certain experimental details as detailed in our reporting summary for solar cell manuscripts . This summary will be made available to editors and reviewers during manuscript assessment and will be published with all accepted manuscripts.
J. Small-molecule high-throughput screening data
Manuscripts reporting high-throughput screens of small-molecule libraries should include a supplementary information table summarizing the assay, library, screen and post-screen analysis. A template and instructions for preparing the high-throughput screening table are available.
K. Chemical probe data
Manuscripts that report the identification and validation of new chemical probes are encouraged to submit their probes to the Chemical Probe Portal .
L. Macromolecular structural data
Manuscripts reporting new macromolecular structures (proteins, nucleic acids, etc.) should contain a table summarizing structural and refinement statistics. Templates for such tables describing NMR and X-ray crystallography data are available. To facilitate assessment of the quality of the structural data, a stereo image of a portion of the electron density map (for crystallography papers) or of the superimposed lowest energy structures (>10; for NMR papers) should be provided with the submitted manuscript. If the reported structure represents a novel overall fold, a stereo image of the entire structure (as a backbone trace) should also be provided.
Please note: because of the advanced features used in the form, you must use Adobe Reader to open the document and fill it out.
17 – Deposition of chemical compound information to PubChem
ournal name '/> staff. At the time of submission of the final revised version of the manuscript, authors should provide the following file:
A single ChemDraw file (.cdx) that contains all of the structures in the manuscript that are identified with bold Arabic numerals or other bold descriptors (see Chemical Structure Display Items below). Reagents and solvents should not be included, and the structure of each compound should be 'grouped' with its assigned numeral/descriptor and a compound name. If the paper contains more chemical structures than will fit on a single page in ChemDraw, additional pages should be created within the same file.
18 – Graphical abstract
A graphical abstract, which summarizes the manuscript in a visual way, is designed to attract the attention of readers in the table of contents of the journal. Graphical abstracts are published with Articles, Reviews and Perspectives. The graphical abstract may contain chemical structures or images. Textual statements should be kept to a minimum. Colour graphical abstracts are encouraged and will be published at no additional charge. The image must be sized to fit in a rectangle of dimensions 90 mm wide × 50 mm high. The graphic should be submitted as a single file using a standard file format (see below) and will be published in the table of contents in print and online. If your graphical abstract contains any ChemDraw structures (and you are not submitting it as a .cdx file), please provide a separate .cdx file for the ChemDraw structures. All graphical abstracts should be submitted with a white background and imagery should fill the available width and depth, whenever possible. Please see figure guidelines for resolution requirements.
Quick links
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Chemistry writing resources, starting a lab report or research paper, general writing style information, parts of research paper or report.
- Citations and References
- Return to Main Chemistry Guide
To get started writing a research paper or laboratory report, it is important to consider if you have enough data or enough information to compose a paper. Additionally, it is also important to consider what you want you want to report and how to report it--clear communication of results is crucial when discussing the experiments.
This American Chemical Society (ACS) blog post on How to Write a Research Paper provides some general guidelines to determine when to write a paper and how to get started when it comes to reporting and communicating the results of an experiment or experiments.
Every discipline has a style and format that is used for scholarly communication, and chemistry as a field has a certain format for papers as well as a a style of writing that developed as the field itself grew and information was shared and published.
General Style and Writing Guidelines:
- Chemistry is always written in the third person, in the past-tense and passive voice.
- Pronouns like "I", "We", and "Us" are not typically used
- Be succinct when describing observations and processes
- It is not necessary to provide detailed descriptions of standard practices or techniques.
For information on specific sections that might appear in a scholarly article or laboratory report you may wish to go to the next section in this guide that provides a summary on all the different Parts of A Research Paper and provides links to articles that provide significant detail regarding the style and content for each major section.
Note: While the resources in the guide are meant to help, it is always important to follow the guidelines of the publication or course instructor that you are writing for.
Adapted from information found in Chapter 2 of the ACS Style Guide
Additional resources and information on each sections are also provided from the journal Clinical Chemistry from the section of their journal "Guide To Scientific Writing." Click on the title for a direct link to the PDF or use the corresponding citation for each article to view the online version. All articles are open access articles.
The title should be brief and specific enough to clearly communicate the contents of the paper/research, but should not be overly technical.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: The Title Says it All
Thomas M Annesley, The Title Says It All, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 3, 1 March 2010, Pages 357–360, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2009.141523
The byline or list of authors includes all individuals that contributed in a substantial manner to the research being reported.
Generally, the person that did the research is listed as the first author of the paper and names are traditionally formatted as "first name, middle initial, and surname"
The abstract should provide an informative and brief summary of what is written in the paper, and should allow for a reader to quickly understand the nature/purpose of the research, the methods used, the results observed, and any major conclusions that came from the research.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: The Abstract and the Elevator Talk: A Tale of Two Summaries
Thomas M Annesley, The Abstract and the Elevator Talk: A Tale of Two Summaries, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 4, 1 April 2010, Pages 521–524, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2009.142026
An introduction puts the experiment or research into context; it should provide background regarding the question or problem being explored and using applicable scientific literature and references help explain why the question being answered or the research being pursued is relevant and/or important.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: It was a cold and rainy night”: Set the Scene with a Good Introduction
Thomas M Annesley, “It was a cold and rainy night”: Set the Scene with a Good Introduction, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 5, 1 May 2010, Pages 708–713, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.143628
Depending upon the publication or style, this section has many different possible names; chose the correct name for the section based upon the publication to which the research is being submitted or the laboratory report is meant to emulate.
This section should provide information regarding the techniques used in answering your research question and should say HOW the research question was probed or answered with enough information that another practitioner in the field could reproduce the experiment and results. In order to accomplish these goals, the experimental section should identify the materials used and must also provide sufficient details about characterization methods, experimental procedures, or any apparatus used that is not standard for the field.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why: The Ingredients in the Recipe for a Successful Methods Section
Thomas M Annesley, Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why: The Ingredients in the Recipe for a Successful Methods Section, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 6, 1 June 2010, Pages 897–901, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.146589
The data collected or the results of the research/experiment are presented and summarized in this section often using graphs, tables, or equations. When dealing with a large amount of data, the results section provides a summary while additional results or data can be included in a supporting information section.
It is important to remember that in this section, the results are NOT put into context nor are the results or observations explained.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: Show Your Cards: The Results Section and the Poker Game
Thomas M Annesley, Show Your Cards: The Results Section and the Poker Game, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 7, 1 July 2010, Pages 1066–1070, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.148148
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: If an IRDAM Journal Is What You Choose, Then Sequential Results Are What You Use
IRDAM = Introduction, Results, Discussion, Methods in terms of order of sections. Many ACS Journals follow this format!
IMRAD = Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion in terms of order of sections
Pamela A Derish, Thomas M Annesley, If an IRDAM Journal Is What You Choose, Then Sequential Results Are What You Use, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 8, 1 August 2010, Pages 1226–1228, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.150961
The discussion section highlights and interprets the results or data obtained and explains how the resulting data relates to the original research question. It explains how and why the results obtained are significant. It is appropriate to examine and explain why the results were observed and why the data was interpreted in a specific way. This is also the section where additional research or further work regarding the research question can be stated.
The results and the discussion can be presented as a combined "Results and Discussion" section if it makes sense to do so.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument
Thomas M Annesley, The Discussion Section: Your Closing Argument, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 11, 1 November 2010, Pages 1671–1674, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.155358 '
Figures and tables should be included in the Results or the Results and discussion section and should support, clarify, and make your work more clear through a visual, organized, representation of the data collected.
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: Put Your Best Figure Forward: Line Graphs and Scattergrams
Thomas M Annesley, Put Your Best Figure Forward: Line Graphs and Scattergrams, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 8, 1 August 2010, Pages 1229–1233, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.150060
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: Bars and Pies Make Better Desserts than Figures
Thomas M Annesley, Bars and Pies Make Better Desserts than Figures, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 9, 1 September 2010, Pages 1394–1400, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.152298
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: Bring Your Best to the Table
Thomas M Annesley, Bring Your Best to the Table, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 56, Issue 10, 1 October 2010, Pages 1528–1534, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.153502
The conclusion provides a brief summary of what was accomplished in a manner similar to the abstract, but the conclusion should specifically address how the results of the research relate back to the original question or problem.
A list of the published works that were cited in the paper or report using the proper citation and reference format for the field and publication (e.g. citing and providing a reference list using the American Chemical Society guidelines).
- Clinical Chemistry -Guide to Scientific Writing: Giving Credit: Citations and References
Thomas M Annesley, Giving Credit: Citations and References, Clinical Chemistry , Volume 57, Issue 1, 1 January 2011, Pages 14–17, https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2010.158048
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Scientific Methodology: Structure of a Research Paper e.g. Chemistry
- Structure of a Research Paper e.g. Biology
- Structure of a Research Paper e.g. Chemistry
- Tips : Writing Science Papers
- Citation Indexes
Scientific research papers usually follow a standard format which is logical, has an easy to understand structure, and which reflects “the scientific method of deductive reasoning: define the problem, create a hypothesis, devise an experiment to test the hypothesis, conduct the experiment, and draw conclusions.” (ACS Style Guide, Chap 2, p. 19).
Note: When writing a research paper, the sections may follow a different format and procedure for the different science disciplines. The format may also be varied by the specific journal which is publishing a research article.
Chemistry Research Paper Outline
Writing a Chemistry Research Paper
|
| - keep the title short, include the author's name
- use essential keywords to describe the paper’s content
|
|
| - briefly state the purpose of this research
- summarize the main concepts, scope, findings, and conclusions
|
|
| - state the problem and reason for completing this research - discuss any techniques used
- review the relevant research literature published on this topic (citing your sources) and relate your current research to this literature
|
|
| - describe the experimental procedures used (so that other researchers can replicate your research) - include information about the reaction and processes : list the materials & apparatus used in your experiment (mass of materials before/after, percent yield), and the process mechanism
- list the materials & apparatus used in your experiment
|
|
| - summarize the data you collected (e.g. in table format)
- summarize the statistical analysis you used on the data (calculations)
|
|
| - discuss & interpret what your results mean and relate them to the stated problem – Are there possible solutions to suggest?
- relate your findings to the research literature on this topic (citing sources)
|
|
| - state a brief conclusion to this research, if not already stated in the Discussion section
- in this section, you can make possible suggestions for future research on this topic
|
|
| - list all the research papers whose work you discussed and cited in the text of this paper
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|
- may be required (e.g. to list raw data that was collected)
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* Atlernative titles: Experimental, Experimental Section, Theoretical Analysis,
or Materials & Methods.
** The Discussion and Conclusion are often combined into one section.
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ACS (American Chemical Society) format
Contributed By: Najwa Jabir
This ACS Format pertains to formal reports for organic chemistry research publications, Chemistry 347, and Chemistry 348.
The header should include
- Title of the experiment
- Name of the people who did the experiment
- What department/company it was from
- City, state, and zip code
- Date published or the due date
Example header
Title of Experiment
Your name and possibly the partner's name Department, city, state, zip code [email protected] Month XX, 20XX
Abstracts should include the overall figure of the reaction. Under it should be a brief summary of the experiment. The abstract should include how the reaction works, the method used, the percent yield, and possibly the Rf factor. See example below.
The body paragraphs (Explanation of the structure of overall paper)
Your instructor may have said to make your report have a story. Therefore, it should have a beginning, middle, and end.
- With these formal reports, the beginning should have the background/history of the experiment.
- The middle should have aspects like how you conducted the experiment and explanations of the experimental and theoretical concepts.
- This section contains additional explanations with figures of reactions, the NMR/IR sample, and RF figures.
- The end should be the results that you have received, including but not limited to the look of the product, the yield, and maybe the NMR/IR result.
- Label figures. When looking at the abstract (see example above), notice how the scheme is labeled, “(Scheme 1)”, so the reader knows which figure you are referring to. When talking about the figure in the text, simply mention the figure that you labeled.
Acknowledgment
Give special thanks to anyone who helped mentor you when you were conducting your experiment. This will most likely be the TA and the professor for your Chemistry 347/348 lab.
ACS (American Chemical Society) citation
This is how the sources should be cited in the references section when doing a formal report. It is found at the end of the paper.
Last name, First initial.; Last name, First initial.; Journal name. Year published, volume, page numbers.
Doe, J.; Smith, J.; Scientific American. 2018 , 27, 1890-1892.
How to Write an Effective Chemistry Research Paper (Part 1)
Here, we will state the rules about the format and content of a research paper in chemistry and explain the scientific conventions used in chemistry papers. These rules and conventions will help you write research papers in chemistry effectively and confidently. Alternatively, there is an AI-driven language enhancement tool, Trinka, which could be used. Trinka is world’s first online grammar checker and language correction tool that is custom-built for academic writing and caters to subject-specific requirements.
Let us explore the rules about writing an effective Chemistry research paper.
Format and Content of Chemistry Articles
Readers expect two things while reading your paper:
- Understand the information presented
- Know that the findings are legitimate
How to Fulfill these Objectives?
Introduction
Methods and materials.
This format may slightly differ depending on the journal; for instance, some journals ask you to include an abstract or separate section for the hypothesis. Overall, however, this represents a textual version of the scientific method.
Table of Contents
Select terms that are as precise as the text permits.
Avoid: A magnetic alloy
Use: A vanadium-iron alloy
Things to Avoid
- Phrases such as “on the,” “a study of,” “research on,” and “regarding.”
- Non-quantitative, meaningless words such as “rapid” and “new.”
A quality abstract distinctly identifies the objective of the experiment and the key outcomes.
- Beginning with “ The purpose of this experiment was… ” Such background information belongs in the Introduction section.
- RBe specific about what was done.
- Instead use, “… hexaammine cobalt (III) chloride was prepared from cobalt (II), chloride, and hydrogen peroxide. The yield was 8.45 g. ”
Tip 1 When writing a full report, write the Abstract last.
Go step-wise!
- Begin by describing the larger area of the research
- Give examples of advancement in the field
- A distinct statement of the research problem
- Approach being addressed in the current report
Avoid: This experiment intends to investigate upon any measurable amounts of Nickel in the surrounding mud area and within barnacles living on the pilings.
Use: The purpose of this study is to determine the nickel content in the surrounding mud area and in the barnacles living on the pilings.
Include a description of your experimental procedure and the names of instruments used. Do not rewrite the lab manual or protocol.
Avoid: Next, prepare copper solution. Weigh 0.1821 g of copper nitrate and dilute it in 10 mL of tap water.
Use: A solution was prepared by dissolving copper nitrate (0.1821 g) in tap water (10 mL).
Further subdivide into
- Materials—sources and purity of reagents used
- Preparation of compounds—with the procedure and summary of characterization by NMR, IR, etc.
- Instrumentation—manufacturer, description of any adaptation, or sample preparation
Tip 2 A quality Materials and Methods section should allow the reader to holistically reproduce what you did in the lab, using what you have written.
Include an outline of your raw data, preferably aided by tables and figures, and main observations.
Tip 3 Don’t include lengthy tables of raw data; instead, simply present the outcomes of your calculations.
Avoid: The following standard concentrations were used to follow X law for the absorbances at the corresponding wavelength (Table).
Use: The standard concentrations were measured at the corresponding wavelengths and the data provided in Table 1.
Figures, Tables, Equations
Explain the objective of each figure, scheme, equation, and table in the Results section. When referring to a figure, table, or equation, use its number in the text.
A plateau was observed at reduced pressures >0.1, as indicated in Table 1.
Indicate every figure, table, and equation with a number. Figures and tables need a number and a descriptive title, and equations usually have a number placed in parentheses at the right margin.
Figure 1. Mass Uptake vs. Reduced Pressure for A
Table 1. Powder Diffraction Data Obtained for A
A = B 2 (1)
Tip 4 “Figure” is much preferred compared to the labels “chart” and “graph.”
- Analyze your outcomes
- Comment on the objective of the experiment
- Explain what the outcomes point to
- What are the sources of inaccuracy (experimental uncertainty/precision) and limitations?
- What further experiments could help address any open questions or loose ends?
- Do the outcomes agree with what others have discovered?
- Do the outcomes endorse a model or hypothesis?
Avoid: If, for example, we could have used a red and green apple to determine the components, we could have averaged the data and obtained more accurate results.
Use: For example, if data were obtained from both a red and a green apple, the averaged results could provide more representative values.
Summarize your outcomes and discussion with a concise conclusion, phrasing it in terms of the broad-ranging questions addressed in the Introduction. A notable feature of Trinka is the ability to present academic writing concisely.
Tip 5 When testing a hypothesis, you may want to say that the hypothesis was “ proved ” or “ disproved ” or was “ correct ” or “ incorrect .”
Remember, you are testing a theory with a procedure that lasts only a handful of hours and depends on only a few trials, which seriously compromises your ability to be certain about the “truth” you see.
Consequently, words such as “supported,” “indicated,” and “suggested” are more suitable to evaluate your hypothesis.
In the next article , we will discuss the scientific conventions and styles used in chemistry articles.
Again, to better understand how these rules and conventions can be incorporated in academic writing, you can try Trinka . This AI-driven writing tool understands subtle subject-specific requirements and enhances your writing with suggestions pertaining to technical spellings, formal tone, style guide preferences, and a lot more. Trinka’s exclusive features are designed make your research paper publication-ready easily!
Go beyond grammar & spelling
- Write with Trinka
How to Write a Research Proposal? – Guide with Examples
How to Write Any Type of Letter?
Do Citations Really Matter? How to Identify High-quality Academic Sources
Tips for IELTS Preparation: Why You Should Use Trinka AI to Help Your Writing
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Article templates. You can use our templates to help you structure and format your manuscript in the Royal Society of Chemistry style. Please note, these guidelines are relevant to all of our journals. Make sure that you check your chosen journal's web pages for specific guidelines too. The templates will give you an idea of length and layout ...
For help structuring and formatting your whole manuscript, choose one of these article templates. For detailed information on acceptable formats for your figures, visit our section on Figures, graphics, images & cover artwork. For a quick reference checklist to help you prepare a high quality article, download our 'How to publish' guide.
Document Templates. Templates currently available for Chemistry of Materials are highlighted below. A template is available for Articles. Authors are encouraged to use the template for preparation of Articles, but it is not required. The template facilitates a more equitable peer review process by standardizing format and allowing Authors to ...
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Chemical Science. Approved by publishing and review experts on SciSpace, this template is built as per for Chemical Science formatting guidelines as mentioned in Royal Society of Chemistry author instructions. The current version was created on 12 Jul 2020 and has been used by 977 authors to write and format their manuscripts to this journal.
Approved by publishing and review experts on SciSpace, this template is built as per for Template for Royal Society of Chemistry Articles formatting guidelines as mentioned in Royal Society of Chemistry author instructions. The current version was created on and has been used by 759 authors to write and format their manuscripts to this journal.
To get started writing a research paper or laboratory report, it is important to consider if you have enough data or enough information to compose a paper. ... Every discipline has a style and format that is used for scholarly communication, and chemistry as a field has a certain format for papers as well as a a style of writing that developed ...
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Scientific research papers usually follow a standard format which is logical, has an easy to understand structure, and which reflects "the scientific method of deductive reasoning: define the problem, create a hypothesis, devise an experiment to test the hypothesis, conduct the experiment, and draw conclusions." (ACS Style Guide, Chap 2, p. 19).
William N. Pennington Student Achievement Center, Mailstop: 0213. [email protected]. (775) 784-6030. Get a quick guide to citation using the American Chemical Society format for chemistry research publications from the Writing & Speaking Center at the University of Nevada, Reno.
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