Manuscript Format & Section Blueprint

Complete structural guide for formatting your scientific manuscript.

Official Template Available: We strongly encourage authors to write their papers using our official GYSJ Manuscript Template (.docx).

Automated Pre-Flight Checker: Test your manuscript draft against guidelines before submitting on the Author Guidelines Page or during online submission!

General Formatting Specifications

Element	Specification
File Format	Microsoft Word (.docx) or PDF (.pdf)
Font & Size	Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, 11pt or 12pt
Line Spacing	1.5 line spacing with standard 1-inch (2.54cm) margins
Line Numbers	Continuous line numbers recommended for reviewer feedback
Page Length	8 to 12 pages (body text excluding references & appendices)

Standard Section Breakdown

1. Title Page

Includes a concise, informative manuscript title; full names of all student authors; institutional/school affiliations; author email addresses; and 3 to 5 relevant keywords.

2. Abstract (150–250 Words)

A standalone, single-paragraph summary covering: Background context, main objective/hypothesis, core methodology, key results with metrics, and main conclusion. Do not include references, figures, or tables in the abstract.

3. Introduction

Provides scientific background, explains the significance of the problem, reviews existing literature, identifies research gaps, and states the study's primary research question or hypothesis.

4. Materials & Methods

Written in past-tense narrative paragraph format (not bulleted recipes). Provides sufficient technical detail for replication, including materials, apparatus, software versions, ethical approval statements, and statistical tests.

5. Results

Objective presentation of data and experimental findings. Supported by high-resolution figures and tables, complete with sample sizes (n), p-values, and error bar definitions.

6. Discussion

Interprets findings, compares results with existing published literature, discusses study limitations, explores practical implications, and highlights future research directions.

7. Acknowledgments & References

Recognizes mentors, funding sources, and AI tool disclosures. Concludes with a full reference list formatted in Chicago style with working DOIs or URLs.