Free Format: Focus on your research
Your time is valuable and should be spent on your research, not re-typing reference lists. Free format submission helps make getting your manuscript ready to submit easier and faster.
If you submit to a journal that offers Free Format, either directly or by accepting an invitation to transfer your manuscript to that journal, you don’t ever need to worry about formatting requirements. Simply submit your manuscript in the format of your choice, and Wiley will update the formatting for you into journal style if your manuscript is accepted for publication. Over 1,100 journals published by Wiley offer Free Format submission.
How does free format work?
Check out our step-by-step guide to submitting to a Free Format journal in the video below.
If you accept a transfer to a journal that offers Free Format, a draft submission will be started for you and your manuscript files and details transferred to that journal. You will have the opportunity to make changes before finalizing your submission.
- Read your chosen journal’s author guidelines on their homepage, but you do not need to reformat before finalizing your submission.
- Format your manuscript and your references in the style or format you’d prefer. Be sure to use a consistent format throughout.
- References should include author(s) name(s), journal title/book title, article title (where required), year of publication, volume & issue/book chapter, and pagination. Including the DOI is highly encouraged.
- Be sure to include all the required sections for the manuscript.
- These may include Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Figures and Tables with captions. You should also include conflict of interest disclosures and other ethics statements as appropriate for the manuscript type.
- Go to your chosen journal's submission site.
- Upload all your manuscript files.
- If your manuscript is accepted for publication, Wiley will format your manuscript for you to match the journal’s style.