Nature Journal Format Guide
Nature manuscripts use 10pt Arial with double spacing and 2.5cm margins on A4 paper. Citations are superscript numerals¹ in order of appearance. Abstracts are limited to 150 words. KERNIT applies all Nature formatting rules automatically when you select the Nature preset.
Nature Formatting Specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Font Family | Arial |
| Font Size | 10pt |
| Columns | 1 |
| Margins | 2.5cm all sides |
| Citation Style | Nature superscript¹ |
| Line Spacing | Double |
| Abstract Word Limit | 150 |
How to Format for Nature 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 section structure and figure references.
- Select the Nature preset
Click the Nature card to apply Nature Portfolio formatting — 10pt Arial, double spacing, 2.5cm margins on A4.
- Review the preview
Verify heading hierarchy, superscript citation placement, and figure caption formatting in the live preview.
- Export
Export DOCX for submission to Nature or a Nature Portfolio journal. LaTeX and HTML formats are also available.
Nature Formatting Requirements
Typography
Nature manuscripts are submitted in 10pt Arial (or a similar sans-serif font) with double spacing throughout. The paper title is approximately 14pt bold. Author affiliations are in smaller text below the author list. Section headings do not use Roman numerals — Nature uses plain bold headings with no numbering. KERNIT reproduces this heading style in all export formats.
Page Layout
Nature manuscripts are formatted for A4 paper (210×297 mm) with 2.5cm margins on all sides. The layout is single-column for submission. The published version uses a different layout designed by Nature's editorial team, which is not what authors submit. Line numbers must be included in the submitted manuscript to facilitate peer review — KERNIT includes line numbers in the DOCX export for Nature submissions.
Citations & References
Nature uses superscript numerals for citations in the order they appear in the text. The reference list appears at the end of the paper in citation order. Nature has specific reference formats: journal articles include all authors (or first six authors et al. if more), journal name abbreviation, volume, pages, and year. DOIs are appended where available. References are not alphabetical — they follow order of first appearance.
Abstract
The Nature abstract is strictly limited to 150 words and must be a single paragraph with no subheadings. It should summarize the background, approach, key results, and main conclusions in plain language accessible to scientists in other disciplines. No citations are permitted in the abstract. A separate "Editor's summary" (fewer than 30 words) is often requested at submission to help editors assign reviewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the word limit for a Nature article?
- Nature Articles are limited to 3,000 words in the main text (excluding abstract, Methods, references, and figure legends). Letters to Nature have a 1,500-word limit. Brief Communications Arising and Matters Arising have shorter limits. Always check the specific Nature Portfolio journal's guidelines, as Nature Communications, Nature Medicine, and other journals have different word limits.
- How does Nature handle supplementary data?
- Nature allows supplementary information (SI) to be submitted alongside the main manuscript. SI is not copy-edited by Nature and is hosted online as submitted. Maximum file size is typically 50 MB for SI files. Supplementary tables, figures, and extended data should be referenced in the main text using "Supplementary Fig. 1" or "Extended Data Fig. 1" notation.
- What are Nature's figure requirements?
- Nature requires figures at 300 dpi minimum for halftones and 600–1200 dpi for line art. Preferred formats are PDF, EPS, or TIFF. Figure panels are labeled with bold lowercase letters (a, b, c). Each figure has a concise title as the first sentence of the legend. Figure legends are included in the manuscript file after the main text, not embedded in figures.
- Do I need a cover letter for Nature?
- Yes. Nature requires a cover letter explaining why the manuscript is appropriate for Nature, what the key findings are, and whether there are any related manuscripts under review elsewhere. The cover letter should also disclose any conflicts of interest and confirm that all authors agree to submission. It is submitted separately from the manuscript file.
- What is the difference between a Nature Article and a Brief Communication?
- A Nature Article is a full research paper (up to 3,000 words main text, up to 6 display items). A Brief Communication (formerly Letters) presents concise, focused findings (1,500 words, up to 3 display items). Some Nature Portfolio journals also accept Review articles, Perspectives, and Comments, each with their own format requirements. KERNIT's Nature preset applies the standard article formatting used across most Nature Portfolio journals.