Research Paper Submission Checklist: Sources, Similarity, Policy and Files
Check a manuscript against the receiving journal’s instructions, source evidence, similarity matches, disclosure policy and submission requirements.
Use the receiving journal’s current instructions
A manuscript check should begin with the journal and article type you have chosen. Save the author instructions and check date. Confirm scope, required sections, word limits, figures, supplementary files, data statements, disclosures and the submission route. A general checklist cannot guarantee acceptance or predict the time saved in peer review.
Review authorship and author approval before uploading. Check that affiliation details, funding statements and conflicts of interest are accurate. Where research approvals or consent are required, confirm that the manuscript describes the actual approvals obtained rather than using a stock sentence.
Read similarity matches, not only the percentage
A similarity score reports matching text; it is not itself a plagiarism verdict. Turnitin explains why acceptable scores depend on context. There is no universal “under 10%” rule that makes every research paper safe.
Inspect the passages and their sources. Correct unattributed borrowing, inaccurate paraphrases and missing quotation marks. Check references and standard methods text in context. Do not manipulate wording simply to lower a number, and do not assume a low total excludes a serious problem in one paragraph. Follow the journal’s policy and any applicable institutional process.
Verify the evidence behind your claims
Open the primary source for important statements and confirm that it supports the claim, population and outcome you describe. Check bibliographic details and correction or retraction notices. Confirm that your tables agree with the analysis and that figures have readable labels, units and accessible descriptions.
For a worked check, choose one central claim and trace it from the manuscript to its citation and then to the relevant source passage or result. Record any mismatch, such as citing an abstract for a claim the full study does not make. Repeat the process for the claims on which your conclusions depend.
Disclose assistance and prepare the final files
If AI tools were used, follow the receiving journal’s current policy. ICMJE guidance is a useful medical-journal reference for disclosure and human responsibility, not a universal policy for all disciplines. Verify generated citations and statements against primary sources; do not list an AI tool as an accountable author.
Perform a final file check: correct manuscript version, anonymisation where required, complete legends, supplementary attachments, permissions and cover letter. Save what you submitted and the acknowledgement. Use a source-and-action sheet to track unresolved checks; an automated tool result does not certify publication suitability.
Sources and review notes
Reviewed 9 October 2026. Worked examples labelled illustrative are not assessments of named events, journals or institutions.