A Step-by-Step Guide to Formatting Engineering Manuscripts for Elsevier & IEEE

Fig. 1. The six steps, in the order you will meet them.

Step 1: Choosing Between Elsevier and IEEE Templates

Your target venue decides the publisher, so what you really choose is the file format and how closely you follow the template.

That last row matters. Elsevier typesets your paper after acceptance, so your manuscript only has to be easy to review. IEEE conference papers are often published almost exactly as you format them, so layout details count for much more.

Fig. 2. A two-column IEEE page next to a single-column, double-spaced Elsevier page.

LaTeX or Word?

Pick LaTeX if: Your paper is equation-heavy (control, signal processing, electromagnetics, mechanics), you want automatic numbering and cross-references, or you share the project through Overleaf or Git.

Pick Word if: Your paper is mostly experimental, your co-authors do not know LaTeX, or the venue gives you a Word template.

Get the Right Template

Elsevier: Open the journal homepage, then the Guide for Authors. It links to the current template, usually the elsarticle class [2] or a Word file.

IEEE: Use the template selector in the IEEE Author Center [3] or the one named in your conference call, with the IEEEtran class [4] for LaTeX. Never reuse an old paper's template, because conferences change theirs yearly.

And please do not tweak the template. Checkers flag changed margins, font sizes, and repeated \vspace tricks. If you are over the page limit, cut text.

Step 2: Preparing Section Structures

Most engineering papers share one skeleton. Check your journal first, since some want a structured abstract or a different section order.

Title, Abstract, and Keywords

Title: specific and short, roughly 10 to 15 words.

Abstract: one paragraph, usually 150 to 250 words. For IEEE, no equations, citations, or undefined abbreviations. Elsevier limits vary, so check.

Keywords: Elsevier usually wants 4 to 6. IEEE uses "Index Terms", normally alphabetical and drawn from the IEEE Taxonomy where possible.

Fig. 3. The first page of an IEEE paper, annotated.

Main Sections & Back Matter

• Introduction: context, related work and the gap, your contributions, and a one-paragraph outline.
• Methodology: detailed enough for someone else to reproduce. Define symbols at first use, and state assumptions, parameters, datasets, hardware, and software versions.
• Results and Discussion: follow the order of your methods. Compare against baselines fairly, report units and uncertainty, and explain results.
• Conclusion: findings and significance in a paragraph or two, plus limitations and future work. No new results.
• Back Matter: CReDiT author statement [5], competing-interest declarations, funding details, data availability statements, and AI disclosures where required.

Step 3: Formatting Mathematics and Equations

Use inline math for short symbols and simple definitions inside a sentence. Use display math for anything long, complex, or referenced later.

Fig. 4. A display equation with its number, punctuation, and "where" line.

Vectors, Matrices, and Symbols

Step 4: Figures, Tables, and High-Resolution Visuals

Vector (PDF or EPS) for plots, circuits, and block diagrams. TIFF or PNG for photos and microscopy.

Fig. 5. Same plot, same zoom: low-resolution raster versus a sharp export.

Fig. 6. Caption placement: below for figures, above for tables.

Step 5: Citation and Reference Management

Keep every reference in one .bib file and let the style file format it. IEEE uses numerical brackets ordered by first citation ([1], [2], [3]). Elsevier supports both numbered (elsarticle-num) and author-year (elsarticle-harv) styles.

Step 6: Final Pre-Submission Checklist

• Verify title length, abstract word count, and index term formatting.
• Ensure all equations are numbered, referenced properly, and symbols defined.
• Confirm figure resolutions (DPI), vector formats, and correct caption placement.
• Check for missing citation markers ([?]) and font embedding.