Preparing a submission for Scientific American
Scientific American sets its own submission rules: length and word limits, the required citation and reference style, figure and table formatting, and editorial policies. Scraiber tracks 4 requirements for Scientific American and rewrites your manuscript to meet each one.
Instead of checking each rule by hand, import your draft into Scraiber, select Scientific American, and let it rewrite your text to match: the exact word limits, reference style and structure, so your paper is submission-ready.
If the paper was rejected elsewhere, most of the work in retargeting Scientific American is mechanical: the reference style changes, headings and sections move, word and abstract limits differ, and the declarations have to follow Scientific American's own template. Scraiber applies those changes to the draft you already have instead of you rebuilding the manuscript by hand.
Manuscript types at Scientific American
Scientific American documents its author requirements per manuscript type: Feature Article, Opinion. The rules differ between them, so Scraiber applies the set that matches the type you are submitting.
What Scientific American specifies
These are the areas Scientific American writes rules for. Scraiber holds the exact value behind each one and applies it to your draft.
- Length & word limits 1 rule: word limit.
- Formatting & submission 2 rules: competing interests, contributor roles.
What Scraiber changes in your manuscript
Scraiber rewrites the parts of your draft that Scientific American constrains: it brings sections within the required lengths, converts in-text citations and the bibliography to the required style, adjusts headings and structure, and flags the declarations Scientific American expects. Your argument, results and voice stay yours — only what the journal dictates changes.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the submission requirements for Scientific American?
- Scientific American has 4 documented author requirements covering length limits, citation style, figures, tables and submission policies. Sign in to Scraiber to see each exact value and rewrite your manuscript to match.
- Which citation style does Scientific American use?
- Scraiber tracks Scientific American's required reference style and reformats your citations to it automatically. Open the journal in Scraiber to apply it to your document.
- Can I automatically format my paper for Scientific American?
- Yes. Paste or import your draft into Scraiber, pick Scientific American, and it rewrites your text to meet the journal's requirements: length, references, structure and more.
- How do I reformat a paper rejected by another journal for Scientific American?
- Import the manuscript you already submitted elsewhere, select Scientific American, and Scraiber rewrites it against Scientific American's requirements: reference style, length limits, structure and declarations. You never start from a blank page.
- How long does it take to prepare a manuscript for Scientific American?
- Minutes rather than an evening. The rewrite runs on your existing draft, so what disappears is the manual pass over every formatting rule.
- Does Scientific American have different requirements per manuscript type?
- Yes. Scientific American documents separate requirements per manuscript type. Pick your type in Scraiber and it applies that set to your document.
- Do I have to redo my references for Scientific American?
- No. Scraiber converts your existing citations and bibliography to the reference style Scientific American requires, including the in-text citation format.
Official author guidelines: scientificamerican.com