Science Journal Style: 3 Columns Format

[kelly0303]

Hello! I read a few papers from the journal Science and I see that they are written in 3 columns format. However when I opened the latex template from their website it appears to be just one column. Can someone who submitted there before help me understand what is the right format and if it is the 3 columns one, where can I find the template? Thank you!

 

[Choppy]

The journals have typesetters (or at least typesetting software) for formatting your paper according to the journal standards.

As an author, your job is to adhere to the submission guidelines. That puts the manuscript in the format that the typesetters want for producing the final paper.

 

[kelly0303]

The journals have typesetters (or at least typesetting software) for formatting your paper according to the journal standards.

As an author, your job is to adhere to the submission guidelines. That puts the manuscript in the format that the typesetters want for producing the final paper.

So is it 1 column or 3 columns that I have to write my paper in?

 

[Orodruin]

So is it 1 column or 3 columns that I have to write my paper in?

You should check the submission guidelines as suggested in #2.

Note that if you are unfamiliar with the process of submitting to a journal and writing something without somebody that is who you could simply ask, Bayesian statistics would suggest that your manuscript is highly probable to be rejected by Science.

 

[berkeman]

So is it 1 column or 3 columns that I have to write my paper in?

Your PF Profile page says that you are currently in Undergrad. Are you part of some research group at your university?

 

[kelly0303]

Your PF Profile page says that you are currently in Undergrad. Are you part of some research group at your university?

Ah sorry I am doing my PhD now (forgot to update that) and yes I am part of a research group. We haven't submitted to Science before and I am a bit confused about the actual format to submit the paper.

 

[Twigg]

Sorry, I can't help with formatting from lack of experience. Just wanted to say congrats on getting a result!

 

[kelly0303]

Sorry, I can't help with formatting from lack of experience. Just wanted to say congrats on getting a result!

Thank you so much!

 

[Orodruin]

The instructions are pretty clear I think. Use their template and don’t do anything fancy to it (or, preferably, write in Word - Science says this, not me). If the template gives you single column, submit that. As has already been stated, it is the job of the journal’s typesetters to typeset what goes into the journal and up to you to follow the manuscript preparation guidelines so they get input in the format they require. Your supervisor should have been able to tell you this.

 

[symbolipoint]

The instructions are pretty clear I think. Use their template and don’t do anything fancy to it (or, preferably, write in Word - Science says this, not me). If the template gives you single column, submit that. As has already been stated, it is the job of the journal’s typesetters to typeset what goes into the journal and up to you to follow the manuscript preparation guidelines so they get input in the format they require. Your supervisor should have been able to tell you this.

What exactly did you say? Submitter writes according to some instructions the journal expects and the journal has an automatic way to typeset the necessary columns?

 

[Orodruin]

What exactly did you say? Submitter writes according to some instructions the journal expects and the journal has an automatic way to typeset the necessary columns?

No. Submitter prepares the manuscript according to the instructions of the journal. Then (if the manuscript is accepted) it is the job of the typesetters working at the journal to set it in the format the journal uses for published material.

 

[symbolipoint]

No. Submitter prepares the manuscript according to the instructions of the journal. Then (if the manuscript is accepted) it is the job of the typesetters working at the journal to set it in the format the journal uses for published material.

What did that mean? The author follows instructions without typesetting into columns and then if accepted, somebody at the journal or some automatic system typesets the article into columns?

 

[Orodruin]

What did that mean? The author follows instructions without typesetting into columns and then if accepted, somebody at the journal or some automatic system typesets the article into columns?

Yes. It is generally not the author's job to typeset the article in the publication style (unless the submission guidelines says it is).

 

[symbolipoint]

Yes. It is generally not the author's job to typeset the article in the publication style (unless the submission guidelines says it is).

My difficulty is confusing style with typesetting. Now these are beginning to feel more distinct.

 

[f95toli]

Note that Science (and Nature) is much, much more involved in the formatting and editing of manuscripts than "normal "journals.
If you e.g. submit a paper to an APS journal it needs to be in format that is very close to the final version. However, Science can even on occasion get their own illustrators involved to help create figures , re-format graphs etc.
It is much more the like the process for a "normal" magazine where the author is just the first step in the process.

This means that all you are doing at the moment is formatting the manuscript in such as way that it is easy to read for the editors and the reviewers.

 

[symbolipoint]

This is an area of knowledge I do not have. Publishing in books, magazines, journals - not my subfield.

 

[DrClaude]

No reviewer wants to work on an article in 3 columns. Physical Review will have submitted manuscripts in a format close to the publishing format, but for many other journals the will be single column, even double spaced. Much easier for taking notes.