Cover letter
Although optional, the cover letter is an excellent opportunity to briefly discuss the context and importance of the submitted work and why it is appropriate for the journal. Please avoid repeating information that is already present in the abstract and introduction. The cover letter is not shared with the referees, and should be used to provide confidential information, such as conflicts of interest, and to declare any related work that is in press or submitted elsewhere.
Main manuscript
The Nature journals are flexible with regard to the format of initial submissions. Within reason, style and length will not influence consideration of a manuscript. If revisions are requested, the editor will provide detailed formatting instructions at that time. For information on length and formatting consult
Nature Communications'
content types.
Title.
If possible, this should be 15 words or fewer and should not contain technical terms, abbreviations, punctuation and active verbs.
Authors.
Corresponding author(s) should be identified with an asterisk.
Abstract.
Provide a general introduction to the topic and a brief nontechnical summary of your main results and their implication.
Text length and formatting. Attention to the following details can help expedite publication if we invite a revision after external review.
- Articles: an abstract of approximately 150 words, unreferenced; main text of no more than 5,000 words and 10 display items (figures, tables). As a guideline, Articles allow up to 70 references. Section headings should be used and subheadings may appear in 'Results'. Avoid 'Introduction' as a heading.