Elsevier Manuscript Format
Elsevier manuscripts use 12pt Times New Roman with double spacing and 2.5cm margins on A4 paper. Citation style is Vancouver [1] or Harvard (Author, Year) depending on the journal. Abstracts are up to 250 words. KERNIT applies Elsevier formatting automatically when you select the Elsevier preset.
Elsevier Formatting Specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Font Family | Times New Roman |
| Font Size | 12pt |
| Columns | 1 |
| Margins | 2.5cm all sides |
| Citation Style | Vancouver [1] or Harvard |
| Line Spacing | Double |
| Abstract Word Limit | 250 |
How to Format for Elsevier 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. KERNIT preserves your headings, tables, and reference list.
- Select the Elsevier preset
Click the Elsevier card to apply Elsevier formatting — 12pt Times New Roman, double spacing, 2.5cm margins on A4.
- Review the preview
Check the structured abstract, highlights section, and citation formatting in the live preview.
- Export
Download your DOCX for Elsevier submission. KERNIT also supports HTML and LaTeX export.
Elsevier Formatting Requirements
Typography
Elsevier's Guide for Authors specifies that manuscripts should use 12pt Times New Roman (or equivalent) with double line spacing. The font and spacing requirements apply to the main text, abstract, references, and footnotes. Table text may use 10pt. KERNIT applies these settings when you export with the Elsevier preset, producing a file that matches Elsevier's template specifications.
Page Layout
Elsevier manuscripts are formatted on A4 paper (210×297 mm) with 2.5cm margins on all sides. The submission layout is single column regardless of whether the published version will be single or double column — Elsevier handles layout during production. Pages must be numbered. Line numbers should be included in the submitted manuscript to facilitate peer review. KERNIT adds line numbers and page numbers automatically to Elsevier exports.
Citations & References
Elsevier journals use either Vancouver numeric citations [1] or Harvard author-date citations (Smith, 2024) depending on the journal. In Vancouver style, references are numbered in order of first citation and listed in numerical order at the end. In Harvard style, references appear alphabetically. KERNIT's Elsevier preset defaults to Vancouver. Elsevier accepts reference management exports from Mendeley, Zotero, and EndNote.
Abstract
Elsevier abstracts are limited to 250 words. Clinical and biomedical journals typically require a structured abstract with Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions sections clearly labeled in bold. Review articles and basic science journals often accept unstructured abstracts. The abstract must be able to stand alone — no citations, no undefined abbreviations, and no references to figures or tables within the abstract text.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Elsevier use Vancouver or Harvard citations?
- Elsevier journals use either Vancouver (numeric [1]) or Harvard (author-year) citation style depending on the specific journal. Most clinical and life science journals use Vancouver numeric citations. Social science and economics journals typically use Harvard author-date. Check your target journal's Guide for Authors to confirm which style is required. KERNIT's Elsevier preset uses Vancouver by default.
- What is a structured abstract in Elsevier journals?
- Many Elsevier clinical and medical journals require a structured abstract with labeled sections: Background, Methods (or Patients/Materials and Methods), Results, and Conclusions (or Interpretation). Each section begins with its label in bold. Total word count is typically 250 words. Not all Elsevier journals require structured abstracts — basic science and review journals often accept unstructured abstracts.
- What are Elsevier highlights?
- Elsevier requires authors to submit 3–5 "Highlights" — concise bullet points summarizing the core findings of the paper. Each highlight is a maximum of 85 characters including spaces. Highlights appear on the journal's website to help readers quickly assess relevance. They are submitted in a separate field in the submission system and should not be included in the manuscript file.
- Does Elsevier require a graphical abstract?
- Elsevier strongly encourages (and some journals require) a graphical abstract — a single image summarizing the main finding of the article. The recommended size is 400×300 pixels at 300 dpi. It should be self-explanatory without requiring reference to the text. Preferred file formats are TIFF, EPS, PDF, or MS Office files. KERNIT does not generate graphical abstracts but exports a correctly formatted manuscript for submission.
- What is the CRediT authorship statement in Elsevier?
- Elsevier uses the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) to describe each author's specific contributions. Authors are assigned roles such as Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, and Writing – review & editing. This statement appears at the end of the manuscript before the Conflict of Interest declaration.