Specialised Scholarly Article Formats

Not every contribution is a full original research article. Technical notes report a method, a result or a correction concisely; brief reports present preliminary but sound findings; data papers describe datasets and how they were collected; registered reports peer review the study design before results exist; commentaries and perspectives offer argument or viewpoint; and some journals publish software, method or protocol articles. Each format has its own length, structure and expectations, and choosing the right one increases the chance that the paper is judged on its merits. We help authors select and execute the format that fits.

Match the format to the contribution: if the main value is the data, write a data paper; if it is a small, complete result, a brief report or note; if it is a viewpoint, a perspective; if you want design-stage review, a registered report. Check the journal's article-type list and word limits.

Submit a presubmission enquiry if the journal accepts them. We help prepare enquiries.

Suppose a team has developed a modification to a standard test method and validated it on a handful of materials. A technical note may suit if the modification is the main contribution; a full article suits if the modification yields new understanding. Suppose another team has built a labelled dataset of vibration signals from a test rig. A data paper suits, provided the rig, the faults and the labels are well documented. Suppose a third team wants to test a hypothesis about a control algorithm on hardware. A registered report may suit if the design is sound and the venue offers it.

These are illustrative scenarios. The right choice depends on the target journal's article types and on the maturity of the results.

Reviewers apply format-specific criteria. For technical notes, they ask whether the point is correct, new and useful. For data papers, they test whether the data are accessible, well described and of adequate quality. For registered reports, they assess whether the design can answer the question and whether the analysis plan is complete. For commentaries, they ask whether the argument is well founded and fair.

Aligning the manuscript with these criteria and answering the likely questions in the text shortens review. We help authors read the journal's reviewer guidelines and respond to them.

Always check the journal's current article-type definitions, since they vary between publishers and change over time.

Short does not mean low rigour. Reviewers expect the same standards for evidence, with space limits forcing precision. Use supplementary information for detailed derivations, extra data or code, and make sure the main text stands alone.

Check that figures are essential, tables are compact and references are focused.

For data papers and software papers, confirm that you have the right to share the data or code, that personal or sensitive data are protected and that licences are specified. Cite the datasets and software that you use.

We help prepare data availability and licence statements.

Supplementary files should be numbered, cited in the main text and described in captions. Provide code with a readme, a licence and a version tag, and data with a data dictionary and a persistent identifier. Avoid hosting only on personal websites that may disappear.

Check the journal's policy on supplementary file formats and size.

Re-read the instructions for authors and confirm word count, abstract limit, number of figures and reference style. Make sure that the title states the contribution, the first paragraph states why the note is worth reading, and the conclusion states what the reader can now do. Check that all supplementary files are cited and that data and code links work.

Tell us what you have: a dataset, a method, a short result or an argument. We will suggest suitable formats, check the target journals' requirements and agree on a plan.

Tell us what you have and the journals you are considering. We will compare the article types they offer, check word limits and structure, and propose a plan for drafting, figures and supplementary material.