Journal Manuscript Prep Made Easy

Journal Manuscript Prep Made Easy

Follow this road map for a smooth start to submission to an APS journal.

With so much groundbreaking research presented at this year’s American Physiology Summit, you may be inspired to write up your data and submit to an APS journal. But where to start? Let’s go through the basics and get your submission off to a sound start—from how to prepare your manuscript to which journal is right for your work. 

Ready Your Manuscript
APS Publications has completed another revamp of the Prepare Your Manuscript section of the site. It’s easier to locate the information you need, from article types and reference limits to how to prepare figures and format references. This streamlined version is more reader-friendly and focuses on what you need to know for a successful submission.

Review the Templates
We have also updated the manuscript templates to demonstrate more clearly how to assemble the main sections of your manuscript. Although we haven’t changed many policies, we hope the new presentation will make the webpage easier to use. 

APS continues to offer FlexSubmit, also known as format-neutral submission. At initial submission, authors can submit in any format, including a single-merged PDF. If you include the required information (author details, full text, figures and tables, etc.), the manuscript will be evaluated on its scientific merit. This places your research in front of the editors’ and reviewers’ eyes as quickly as possible. You don’t have to worry about details like figure file formats until the revision round.

Find the Right Fit
When you are ready to submit to APS, know that you will Publish with Purpose. The Society reinvests journal revenue directly into our programs and the research community we support, including scientific meetings, awards and fellowships, and career and educational resources. Find the right journal for your work. You will see short scope summaries and links to more detailed journal information. When you’re ready to submit, just follow the Submit button on that page or on your chosen journal’s homepage.

Once at the submission site for your journal, you’ll see that we have streamlined again, reducing the number of questions at initial submission. Just have your manuscript file(s) ready as well as an ORCID for the corresponding author. You’ll also need to validate your institution’s name so we can check for any open access deals between APS and your organization. Add keywords to help us match your manuscript to potential reviewers. 

That’s it! You now have the tools you need to turn your APS 2025 abstract into a manuscript submission. Now go forth and publish. 

This article was originally published in the May 2025 issue of The Physiologist Magazine. Copyright © 2025 by the American Physiological Society. Send questions or comments to tphysmag@physiology.org.