PLOS Climate figures, tables, and captions: a file-map checklist

A PLOS Climate manuscript does not keep every visual element in the same place. Figure files are uploaded separately, tables remain inside the manuscript, figure captions sit in the manuscript after first mention, and supporting-information captions belong near the end of the main file.

That split is easy to understand one rule at a time and surprisingly easy to scramble during the final upload. This guide answers one narrow question: where should the manuscript text, figures, tables, captions, and supporting information go for a PLOS Climate submission?

The direct requirements below come from the journal's current submission guidelines. The folder and reconciliation steps are practical suggestions for authors, not additional journal rules. Start with the PLOS Climate preparation page and compare the stored checklist with the journal's live instructions for the intended article type.

Start with the main manuscript file

PLOS Climate currently accepts manuscript files in DOC, DOCX, or RTF format. A Microsoft Word file should not be locked or protected. Authors using LaTeX submit the manuscript as a PDF and should also check the journal's separate LaTeX guidance.

The main manuscript should use a standard font, with the named Symbol font excluded. The journal asks for double-spaced text, a single-column layout, page numbers, and continuous line numbers. Heading depth is limited to three levels. Footnotes are not permitted; material that would otherwise appear in a footnote needs to move into the main text or the reference list, depending on what it contains.

Before placing any visual material, make the document structure stable. PLOS Climate describes the beginning in this order:

1. title page;
2. abstract; and
3. introduction.

The middle can contain Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and an optional Conclusion, with some flexibility in naming and combining those sections. The ending sequence is Acknowledgments, References, and supporting-information captions when applicable.

This order matters because reference numbering, figure callouts, table callouts, and captions all depend on a stable reading sequence. If the section order changes late, perform the visual-file check again rather than assuming the numbers moved correctly.

Keep figure files separate from the manuscript

The journal says not to include figures in the main manuscript file. Each figure is prepared and uploaded as an individual file. Figures should be cited in ascending numeric order at their first appearance in the manuscript.

The figure caption, however, stays in the manuscript. Insert it immediately after the first paragraph that cites the figure. At minimum, each caption should include the figure label and a concise descriptive title. PLOS Climate abbreviates the label as “Fig” followed by an Arabic numeral.

The manuscript label and uploaded filename need to agree. If the text first cites Fig 3, the separate file should be named so the submission system and reviewer can clearly connect it with Fig 3. A practical reconciliation table can contain four columns:

• first callout in the manuscript;
• caption location;
• uploaded filename; and
• final file opened and checked.

Keep that table as a private author-side aid rather than adding it to the submission unless the journal asks for one. Its purpose is to catch skipped numbers, duplicated labels, or an older image export that still carries the right-looking filename.

Leave tables in the manuscript

Tables follow a different rule. PLOS Climate asks authors to insert each table directly in the manuscript after the paragraph where it is first cited. Tables are not submitted as separate files.

Cite tables in ascending numeric order. Place the table label and brief descriptive title above the table, then put legends, footnotes, and other explanatory text below it. This arrangement should survive the final export, so inspect the exact file that will be uploaded rather than only the editable working copy.

During the last pass, check each table for three things:

1. its first callout appears before the table;
2. its number matches the order of first appearance; and
3. its title and notes remain attached to the correct table after page reflow.

The distinction is simple but important: figures upload separately; tables stay in the manuscript. Treating both as generic “visuals” is what often creates the wrong file package.

Put supporting-information captions at the end

Supporting-information files are uploaded separately and are reviewed with the manuscript. The journal says each file can use a descriptive item name as long as it includes an “S” and a number, such as S1 Appendix or S2 Table. Each file must be smaller than 20 MB.

The supporting-information captions belong at the end of the main manuscript file. Do not place those captions in a separate caption document. The file number and item name are required in the caption, and the journal strongly recommends a one-line title. A longer legend is optional.

PLOS Climate recommends citing supporting information in the manuscript text, although it does not require those citations or require them to appear in numeric order. If authors do include callouts, they should still reconcile cleanly with the separate uploads and end-of-manuscript caption list.

A useful practical sequence is:

• list every supporting item in the final manuscript caption section;
• match each caption to one separate file;
• confirm every intended in-text callout points to the correct item; and
• open each upload from the clean submission folder.

Supporting files are published as provided and are not copyedited, so filename, content, and caption checks should happen before upload.

Reconcile the title, abstract, and portal copy

The journal asks for both a full title and a short title. The full title may contain up to 200 characters, while the short title may contain up to 70. Titles use sentence case and should avoid specialist abbreviations where possible.

The abstract follows the title page and is also entered into the submission system. It must not exceed 500 words, should not contain citations, and should avoid specialist abbreviations. Although the journal describes a conceptual Background, Methodology or Principal Findings, and Conclusions or Significance sequence, it says not to add those distinct headings inside the article abstract.

Copying title and abstract text into a portal creates a second version that can drift from the manuscript. After entering those fields, compare them against the final file character for character where practical. This is especially useful after a last-minute title edit, because the manuscript, short-title field, and portal abstract can otherwise represent different revisions.

Build a clean upload folder

Once the manuscript order and callouts are stable, create a clean folder that contains only the author-approved upload files. Open every item from that folder rather than from a recent-files menu.

For the main manuscript, confirm:

• the file format is currently accepted and the Word document is not protected;
• the layout is single-column and double-spaced;
• page and continuous line numbers are visible;
• no heading exceeds the three-level hierarchy;
• the title page, abstract, and section order remain correct;
• every table is in the manuscript after its first citation;
• every figure caption follows the first paragraph that cites that figure; and
• supporting-information captions appear at the end.

For separate uploads, confirm:

• there is one current file for every numbered figure;
• figure filenames match their manuscript labels;
• supporting-information names match their caption labels;
• each supporting file is below the current size limit; and
• no obsolete draft or duplicate export remains in the folder.

Then download or preview the compiled submission PDF if the portal provides one. PLOS Climate notes that this compiled PDF shows low-resolution figure previews after the reference list and supplies links to higher-resolution figures and supporting files. Use the compiled view to verify sequence and connections, not to judge the final resolution of the separate figure files.

Finish with a file-map check

The final PLOS Climate package is easier to audit when each element has one clear home: manuscript text and tables in the main file, figures and supporting items as separate uploads, figure captions after first mention, and supporting-information captions at the end of the manuscript.

Recheck the official guidelines on the day of submission because requirements and portal behavior can change. Articlo formats author-provided manuscripts and checks them against stored journal requirements. It does not write or interpret research, verify references, submit on an author's behalf, or guarantee acceptance. Authors remain responsible for the research content, uploaded files, and submission decisions.

Run a free PLOS Climate readiness check or revisit the journal-specific preparation page before upload.