International Journal of Biological Macromolecules Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

IJBM follows the standard Elsevier abstract format with discipline-specific expectations.

• Word limit: 200 words for Research Articles
• Structure: Single unstructured paragraph
• Citations: Not permitted
• Abbreviations: Define at first use
• Keywords: 4 to 6 keywords required below the abstract

For a macromolecules journal, the abstract needs to specify which macromolecule you're studying and its source or preparation method. Reviewers expect quantitative results in the abstract: don't just say the biopolymer film showed "good" mechanical properties. Give the tensile strength, elongation at break, or whatever the primary metric is.

Keywords should be specific to your macromolecule system. "Biopolymer" alone is too broad. Better choices include "chitosan nanoparticles," "starch-based film," "collagen hydrogel," or "cellulose nanocrystals." The keywords drive the editor assignment and reviewer matching process, and IJBM's scope is broad enough that poor keyword selection leads to mismatched reviews.

IJBM follows Elsevier's standard figure guidelines.

Figure specifications:

Discipline-specific figure expectations:

Protein structure figures (rendered from PDB files) should include a clear indication of the rendering software (PyMOL, ChimeraX, VMD) in the caption. Color coding should be consistent and explained in the legend. Stick figures, surface representations, and ribbon diagrams should use standard conventions.

For SEM/TEM images of biopolymer materials (nanoparticles, nanofibers, films), scale bars are mandatory. Include magnification and accelerating voltage in the caption. Multiple magnifications of the same sample should be presented as multi-panel figures for space efficiency.

FTIR spectra, XRD patterns, and TGA/DSC curves are staples of IJBM papers. These should be plotted with clear axis labels, consistent font sizes, and sufficient resolution. Overlaid spectra (comparing multiple samples) need a legend that's readable at the published column width. Don't use color alone to distinguish curves; use different line styles (solid, dashed, dotted) as well.

Unlike many Elsevier journals where the graphical abstract is optional, IJBM makes it mandatory.

Specifications:

• Size: 531 pixels (height) by 1328 pixels (width)
• Resolution: 300 dpi minimum
• Format: TIFF, EPS, PDF, or JPEG
• Content: Single image summarizing the main finding or concept
• Text: Minimal text is acceptable but keep it sparse

The graphical abstract appears as the first visual element on the ScienceDirect article page and in search results. It also appears in journal table-of-contents alerts. For a high-volume journal like IJBM, the graphical abstract is functionally your paper's thumbnail, and it significantly affects whether readers click through.

Common mistakes with IJBM graphical abstracts:

• Making it too detailed. This isn't a summary figure. It's a visual hook. One clear concept, not six panels of data.
• Wrong dimensions. The 531 by 1328 pixel ratio is specific and odd. Create the image at this size from the start rather than cropping.
• Using copyrighted images. Software icons, stock photos, or figures from other papers can't appear in your graphical abstract without permission.

For biopolymer research, effective graphical abstracts typically show the material (source or synthesis), the key characterization result, and the application, connected by arrows or a flow layout.

IJBM uses the Elsevier numbered reference system.

In-text citations: Numbers in square brackets [1], [2,3], [4-7]. Numbered in order of first appearance.

Reference list format:

[1] A.B. Author, C.D. Author, Title of article, Journal Name Volume (Year) Pages.

Key formatting details:

• Author names: Initials first, then surname (e.g., "J.K. Smith")
• Commas between authors
• Journal names abbreviated per ISO 4
• Volume in bold
• DOIs recommended
• For references with more than 6 authors, list the first 6 followed by "et al."

IJBM papers typically cite 40 to 60 references. There's no strict cap, but reviewers may comment if a Research Article cites over 80 references, since that suggests the paper might be review-length content squeezed into a research format.

Given the 6,000-word limit, supplementary material is essential for most IJBM papers.

Common supplementary content:

• Full FTIR/NMR spectra that support but don't drive the main narrative
• Additional microscopy images
• Extended biological assay data
• Statistical analysis details
• Molecular docking parameters and extended results

Formatting:

• Submit as a single PDF when possible
• Use Fig. S1, Table S1 numbering
• Each item must be cited in the main text
• Maximum 50 MB per file

A word of caution: IJBM reviewers notice when authors dump essential results into supplementary material to stay under the word limit. If a result is necessary to support a main text claim, it should be in the main text. Supplementary material is for supporting evidence, not overflow.

For protein structure data, deposit coordinates in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and include the accession code in the manuscript. For nucleic acid sequences, use GenBank. For polysaccharide characterization data, there's no universal repository yet, but Zenodo or Mendeley Data work well.

Details specific to IJBM:

Graphical abstract is mandatory, not optional. This is the most distinctive IJBM requirement. Many Elsevier journals make it optional. IJBM won't let you submit without one.

The 6,000-word limit is unusually tight for a multidisciplinary journal. Most Elsevier journals in chemistry and biology allow 8,000 words. IJBM's tighter limit means you need to make hard choices about content. Common strategy: put the most impactful characterization in the main text and move supporting characterization to supplementary material.

Biological macromolecule nomenclature must follow IUPAC/IUBMB conventions. Protein names should use standard nomenclature. Polysaccharide names should follow the carbohydrate nomenclature guidelines. Non-standard abbreviations need to be defined at first use.

Ethical approval documentation. For papers involving animal studies, human tissue, or cell lines of human origin, IJBM requires ethics committee approval details in the Methods section. Include the committee name, approval number, and date. This is checked during the technical screening.

CRediT author statement and declaration of competing interests are mandatory. Standard Elsevier requirements, enforced at submission.

IJBM has a particularly strict stance on plagiarism. The journal uses iThenticate to screen all submissions. Similarity scores above 20% trigger manual review by the editorial office. Self-plagiarism (reusing text from your own prior publications) is treated the same as plagiarism. Paraphrase your methods if you've used the same techniques in previous papers.

The most common issues at IJBM:

1. Missing graphical abstract. Authors who've published at other Elsevier journals where it's optional forget that IJBM requires it. The submission system blocks you.

1. Exceeding 6,000 words. The limit is stricter than average. Authors often submit at 7,000+ words expecting the journal to be flexible, but IJBM returns these manuscripts during technical screening.

1. Inadequate characterization. While this is a content issue rather than formatting, reviewers consistently expect comprehensive characterization. A biopolymer paper without at least FTIR, XRD or NMR, and thermal analysis data will be flagged as incomplete.

1. Figures not cited in order. All figures must be referenced in the text in numerical sequence. Citing Fig. 4 before Fig. 3 triggers a production correction that delays publication.

1. Keywords too broad. Generic keywords like "biopolymer" or "characterization" don't help the editorial workflow. Be specific to your macromolecule and application.