The publication process is often accompanied by certain difficulties that can lead to the rejection of a paper at the review stage. As is well known, Scopus journal editors have strict requirements for submitted materials and conduct thorough reviews. Read on to find out how to format an article for publication in Scopus.
IMRAD structure: How to format an article correctly?
Journals indexed in the Scopus database prefer the IMRAD (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) structure, which is an internationally recognised standard for scientific articles. Below, we will look at its features.
Introduction
This section should describe the problem, the relevance of the research, as well as its novelty and hypotheses. The main part of the section should consist of an analysis of relevant literature on the research topic. Please note that if there is an excessive amount of literature in the Introduction, it is recommended to analyse it in a separate section – “Literature Review” or in the “Discussion” section.
Methods
In this section, the author should describe all the methods and approaches used in the work. In addition, it is necessary to indicate the information sources and literature base used, as well as the statistical data and ethical standards that were followed during the research.
Results
This section should be formatted in accordance with the methodology described and the results obtained. The information should be presented clearly, logically structured and in accordance with the requirements of scientific style. It would be advantageous to include graphic materials (tables, figures, diagrams, etc.) in this section, as this will greatly facilitate the perception of the material.
Discussion
In this section, the author should do a comparative analysis – comparing their own results with the data of other researchers who have studied a similar problem. It's important to compare the methods used, the data obtained, the approaches, etc., as well as to suggest directions for further research.
This structure will help to present the material logically and will also allow for better navigation of the text thanks to the presence of sections.
What to pay attention to when formatting a scientific article?
- Journal requirements. Each journal has its own requirements for the formatting of scientific articles. Before preparing your work, familiarise yourself with the journal's recommendations on its official website. Pay attention to the citation style used by the journal, and do not forget about the abstract, keywords, etc.
- Formatting the list of references. When formatting the list of sources used, pay attention to the formatting style, the presence of DOIs and links to source websites, and carefully check the authors' names and journal titles.
- Citation style. Some researchers use several citation formats in their works, which is not correct. Most Scopus journals clearly require adherence to a single style (Chicago, Vancouver, APA, etc.).
Compliance with these requirements and the correct formatting of a scientific article will facilitate the perception of the material by reviewers. It will also increase confidence in the results and increase the chances of successful publication in a reputable Scopus journal.
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