ACS Journal Format Guide
ACS manuscripts are submitted in 12pt Times New Roman with double spacing and 1-inch margins. Citations use superscript numerals¹ in order of appearance. Abstracts are limited to 150 words. KERNIT applies ACS formatting automatically when you select the ACS preset.
ACS Formatting Specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Font Family | Times New Roman |
| Font Size | 12pt |
| Columns | 2 |
| Margins | 1in all sides |
| Citation Style | ACS numeric superscript¹ |
| Line Spacing | Double |
| Abstract Word Limit | 150 |
How to Format for ACS Using KERNIT
- Open KERNIT
Go to kernit.org/formatter. No account required for the first export.
- Paste or upload your manuscript
Paste Markdown or plain text, or upload a .docx file with your chemistry paper content.
- Select the ACS preset
Click the ACS card to apply ACS formatting — 12pt Times New Roman, double spacing, 1-inch margins for single-column submission.
- Review the preview
Check superscript citation placement, abstract word count, and section heading hierarchy in the live preview.
- Export
Download DOCX for ACS submission via ACS Paragon Plus. LaTeX export is available for journals accepting LaTeX.
ACS Formatting Requirements
Typography
ACS manuscripts are submitted using 12pt Times New Roman with double line spacing. This single-column submission format differs from the final published two-column layout — ACS handles the typesetting transition during production. Section headings for full articles follow a three-level hierarchy: bold for major sections, italic bold for subsections, and italic for sub-subsections. Communication papers typically omit explicit section headings.
Page Layout
ACS manuscripts use US Letter paper (8.5×11 inches) with 1-inch margins on all sides. Despite the final published format often being two-column, ACS submissions use single-column layout. Pages are numbered and line numbers are strongly recommended for peer review. The title page includes title, author list, affiliations, corresponding author contact, and an abstract. KERNIT formats all of these according to ACS guidelines.
Citations & References
ACS uses superscript numerals¹ for in-text citations, numbered in the order they first appear in the text. The reference list at the end of the manuscript follows the same numerical order. ACS reference format varies slightly by source type: journal articles include abbreviated journal name, year, volume, and page range. DOIs are required when available. ACS Style Guide provides complete reference format specifications for all source types.
Abstract
ACS abstracts are limited to 150 words for most journals (JACS allows up to 200 words for Communications). The abstract should be a single paragraph summarizing the research question, approach, key results, and significance. No citations or undefined abbreviations are permitted. The abstract is indexed in Chemical Abstracts and other databases — clear, precise language aids discoverability. KERNIT enforces the character limit counter in the preview.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is ASAP publication in ACS journals?
- ASAP (As Soon As Publishable) is ACS's online-first publishing model. Accepted manuscripts are published online as soon as proofs are corrected and DOIs are assigned, before the print issue is assembled. ACS ASAP articles are fully citable by DOI immediately. Most ACS journals default to ASAP publication — your paper may appear online weeks before the print issue date.
- Does ACS require SI units?
- Yes. ACS journals require SI (Système International) units throughout the manuscript. Acceptable non-SI units include liter (L), minute (min), hour (h), and a few others specified in ACS style guides. Concentrations in molarity (M) are acceptable. Data in non-SI units should include SI equivalents in parentheses. KERNIT does not auto-convert units but preserves your unit notation in exports.
- How should chemical nomenclature be formatted in ACS papers?
- ACS requires systematic IUPAC chemical names for all compounds upon first mention. Trade names and abbreviations may be used thereafter. Chemical formulas in text should use subscript numbers (e.g., H₂O). Structural formulas and reaction schemes should be prepared using ChemDraw or equivalent software and submitted as separate high-resolution figure files.
- How is supporting information formatted for ACS?
- ACS Supporting Information (SI) is submitted as a separate PDF. The first page must include a title, author list, and a table of contents for the SI. Section headings use "S" prefixes (Figure S1, Table S1, Equation S1). SI is peer-reviewed along with the main manuscript but published separately on the ACS Publications website. File size limits vary by journal — typically 100 MB total.
- What is the difference between JACS and JPCB formatting?
- JACS (Journal of the American Chemical Society) and JPCB (Journal of Physical Chemistry B) share the core ACS formatting guidelines — 12pt Times New Roman, double spaced, superscript numeric citations. JACS has a 6,000-word limit for Communications; JPCB is more flexible. JACS requires an abstract of 200 words or fewer. Both use ACS Paragon Plus for submission. KERNIT's ACS preset applies formatting appropriate for either journal.