Authors: Renee Hoch, Managing Editor, PLOS Publication Ethics Team; Emily Chenette, Editor in Chief, PLOS ONE PLOS and other publishers have recently…
An easier way to submit research at PLOS
We’re always evolving our services to make sharing discoveries as easy as possible for researchers. To help authors save time and effort in the article submission process, all PLOS journals offer format-free initial submission for authors submitting research articles. Learn more about this service before you get started on your next submission.
What is Format-Free Submission?
Format-free submission is part of our 3-step submission process which includes:
- Initial submission. Participating journals waive all formatting requirements and will request formatting changes only after initial editorial evaluation or initial peer review depending on the journal. Simply upload your manuscript in a single PDF file (which can include text and figures) and submit to the journal’s online submission system.
- Editorial assessment. Our editors and reviewers review and provide initial feedback on your submission as quickly as possible.
- Full submission. Make any additional formatting changes only after initial feedback is received.
Together, these 3 steps are designed to help ease initial submission so you spend as little time in the article submission process as possible.
Getting started
To ensure your format-free submission is complete and gets handled as quickly as possible, be sure to review the submission checklists and guidelines provided by our journal editorial teams. Click a journal name below to learn more:
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases