Manuscript Preparation

The Preclinical Studies Journal (PCS) publishes original, high-quality research that advances knowledge in the preclinical and biomedical sciences. To facilitate efficient peer review and publication, authors are required to prepare their manuscripts in accordance with the formatting and presentation requirements described on this page.

Before preparing a manuscript, authors are strongly encouraged to:

  • Read the Author Guidelines for information on article types, submission requirements, publication fees, and the submission process.
  • Review the Journal Policies for editorial policies, publication ethics, authorship, conflicts of interest, research integrity, and data sharing requirements.
  • Download and prepare the manuscript using the official PCS Manuscript Template .
  • Refer to recently published articles in PCS (e.g., PCS111) to ensure consistency in formatting, writing style, manuscript organization, and presentation.

Failure to follow these instructions may result in the manuscript being returned for technical revision before peer review.

General Formatting

Manuscripts must be written in English using clear, concise, and grammatically correct scientific language.

Authors should prepare manuscripts using Microsoft Word (.docx) and the official PCS Manuscript Template . Before submission, manuscripts should be carefully checked for spelling, grammar, formatting consistency, and scientific accuracy.

The manuscript should generally not exceed 6,000 words, excluding references, tables, figure legends, and supplementary materials, unless prior approval has been obtained from the Editor-in-Chief. This limit applies to the initial submission. Revised manuscripts submitted in response to reviewers' comments may exceed this limit where appropriate.

Manuscript Formatting

Authors should prepare their manuscripts according to the formatting requirements outlined below. Using the official PCS Manuscript Template and following these specifications will help ensure consistency throughout the journal.

Additional Formatting Requirements

  • Use Times New Roman consistently throughout the manuscript.
  • Number all pages consecutively.
  • Apply formatting consistently throughout the manuscript.
  • Use Microsoft Word heading styles whenever possible to maintain a clear document structure.
  • Maintain consistent formatting for tables, figures, equations, abbreviations, and references.
  • Avoid unnecessary formatting such as coloured text, underlining, decorative fonts, WordArt, text boxes, or excessive use of bold and italics.
  • Before submission, carefully proofread the manuscript to correct spelling, grammar, formatting, and typographical errors.
Manuscript formatting specifications for submissions to the Preclinical Studies Journal (PCS).
Item Specification
Paper Size A4
Layout Single-column
Page Margins Top: 2.54 cm; Bottom: 2.54 cm; Left: 2.54 cm; Right: 1.6 cm; Gutter: 0 cm
Line Spacing Single (1.15)
Article Title (H1) Times New Roman, 14 pt, Bold, Left aligned, Capitalize Each Word, Maximum 30 words
Main Heading (H2) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Bold, Left aligned, Capitalize Each Word
Subheading (H3) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Bold, Left aligned, Capitalize Each Word
Sub-subheading (H4) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Bold Italic, Left aligned, Capitalize Each Word
Minor Heading (H5) Times New Roman, 12 pt, Italic, Left aligned, Sentence case; run-in heading where appropriate
Author Names Times New Roman, 12 pt, Bold, Left aligned, Capitalize Each Word
Author Affiliations Times New Roman, 10 pt, Regular, Left aligned, Capitalize Each Word
Corresponding Author Information Times New Roman, 10 pt, Regular, Left aligned, Sentence case
Abstract Times New Roman, 12 pt, Regular, Justified, 150–300 words presented as continuous text under the required structured headings
Keywords Times New Roman, 8 pt, Regular, Left aligned, 3–6 keywords separated by semicolons
Abbreviations Define each abbreviation at its first mention by writing the full term followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Use the abbreviation consistently thereafter. Avoid unnecessary or uncommon abbreviations, particularly in the title and keywords. All abbreviations used in tables and figures must be defined in their respective footnotes or legends. Standard abbreviations and SI units should be used where applicable.

Example: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subsequent mentions should use MRI only.
Main Text Times New Roman, 12 pt, Regular, Justified, Sentence case
Table Titles Times New Roman, 10 pt, Regular, Centre aligned, Sentence case; placed above each table
Figure Captions Times New Roman, 10 pt, Regular, Centre aligned, Sentence case; placed below each figure
References Times New Roman, 12 pt, Regular, Justified, Vancouver referencing style