PLOS ONE Format Guide
PLOS ONE manuscripts use 12pt Arial with double spacing and 2.54cm margins on A4 paper. Citations are numeric [1] in order of appearance. Abstracts are limited to 300 words. KERNIT applies all PLOS ONE formatting rules automatically when you select the PLOS ONE preset.
PLOS ONE Formatting Specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Font Family | Arial |
| Font Size | 12pt |
| Columns | 1 |
| Margins | 2.54cm all sides |
| Citation Style | PLOS numeric [1] |
| Line Spacing | Double |
| Abstract Word Limit | 300 |
How to Format for PLOS ONE 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 IMRAD structure and figure references.
- Select the PLOS ONE preset
Click the PLOS ONE card to apply PLOS formatting — 12pt Arial, double spacing, 2.54cm margins on A4.
- Review the preview
Verify numeric citation placement, figure numbering, and section structure in the live preview.
- Export
Download DOCX for submission via the PLOS ONE Editorial Manager portal. HTML and LaTeX are also available.
PLOS ONE Formatting Requirements
Typography
PLOS ONE requires 12pt Arial (or a comparable sans-serif font) with double line spacing throughout the manuscript. This applies to the main text, figure legends, table titles, and captions. Section headings follow a standard IMRAD structure: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion. Heading levels are differentiated by bold and italic formatting without numbering. KERNIT reproduces this heading style in all export formats.
Page Layout
PLOS ONE manuscripts use A4 paper (210×297 mm) with 2.54cm margins on all sides. The submission format is single column. All pages must be numbered. Line numbers are required in the submitted manuscript. Figures are not embedded in the manuscript file — they are uploaded as separate figure files during submission. KERNIT generates the manuscript text with figure reference placeholders in the correct positions.
Citations & References
PLOS ONE uses numeric citations in square brackets [1], numbered in the order they first appear in the text. The reference list at the end of the manuscript follows the same numerical order. PLOS reference format: Author AB, Author CD. Title of article. Journal Abbrev. Year;Volume(Issue):Pages. DOIs are required when available. PLOS uses a specific abbreviated format for author names — first author through all authors are listed, with no "et al." cutoff.
Abstract
PLOS ONE abstracts are limited to 300 words and must be unstructured — a single paragraph with no subheadings. The abstract should explain the background, what was done, the main findings, and their significance. No citations are permitted in the abstract. PLOS ONE also requires authors to provide separate metadata for the online submission system, including a brief summary (150 words) written for a general audience for the "Author Summary" section of research articles.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to publish in PLOS ONE?
- PLOS ONE charges an Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD $1,695 per accepted article (as of 2024). This fee covers open access publication, peer review administration, and permanent hosting. PLOS offers fee waivers for authors from low-income countries and partial waivers for authors from middle-income countries. Institutional members receive discounts. The APC is only charged upon acceptance, not submission.
- Does PLOS ONE require a data availability statement?
- Yes. PLOS ONE requires all authors to provide a Data Availability Statement stating where the data underlying the findings are stored and how they can be accessed. PLOS strongly encourages deposition of data in public repositories (Dryad, Zenodo, Figshare, NCBI, etc.). If data cannot be shared publicly, authors must explain why and provide instructions for requesting access. This statement appears in the manuscript file.
- Is PLOS ONE peer review transparent?
- PLOS ONE uses single-blind peer review (reviewers know author identities but authors do not know reviewer identities). Unlike some journals, PLOS ONE publishes the reviewer reports and author responses alongside the accepted manuscript, allowing readers to see the full editorial history. PLOS Genetics, PLOS Biology, and PLOS Medicine have additional editorial oversight for significance and novelty.
- What is the difference between PLOS ONE, PLOS Biology, and PLOS Medicine?
- PLOS ONE accepts all scientifically sound research regardless of perceived novelty or significance — it evaluates only scientific rigor. PLOS Biology and PLOS Medicine have higher bars for novelty and broader significance; they are selective journals with editorial assessment before peer review. PLOS Pathogens, PLOS Genetics, PLOS Computational Biology, and PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases are field-specific PLOS journals, each with their own scope and editorial standards.
- What are PLOS ONE figure file requirements?
- PLOS ONE requires figures as separate files (not embedded in the manuscript). Accepted formats are TIFF, EPS, PDF, or PNG. Minimum resolution is 300 dpi for halftones and 600 dpi for combination figures (text + image). Maximum file size is 10 MB per figure. Figures must not exceed print dimensions of 19.05cm width. KERNIT exports the manuscript text and figure references formatted correctly; figure files must be prepared and uploaded separately.