Articlo
Check my manuscript free

Taylor & Francis

Prepare your manuscript for Monumenta Serica.

Review the checklist, choose your article type, and turn your draft into a cleaner submission package.

Checked 2026-08-02
Check readiness freePrepare this manuscript

Article types

Review
Research Article
Book Review
Editorial
Clinical Trial
Protocol
Letter
Systematic Review
Lectio

Readiness requirements

Review the key details below, or download the complete checklist with every stored source-backed requirement.

Abstract length

  • Provide an author-written abstract of no more than 150 words.
  • Use a unstructured abstract.
Show 3 more
  • Should contain an unstructured abstract of 150 words.
  • Your abstract should focus on what your research is about, what methods have been used, and what you found out.
  • The instructions for authors for each journal will give specific guidelines on what’s required here, including whether it should be a structured abstract or graphical abstract, and any word limits.

Keywords

  • Provide 7-7 keywords chosen by the author.
  • Should contain between 7 and 7 keywords.
Show 1 more
  • The “slanted” or “dun” (Chinese: 頓號; pinyin: dùnhào; literally: “pause mark”) enumeration comma (、[U+3001]) should be used instead of the regular comma when separating words constituting a list (such as the Chinese keywords).

Reference style

  • Articlo formats your supplied references in Chicago style and checks that citations match the reference list; source validity is not verified.
  • Should be no more than 15000 words, inclusive of: References.
Show 7 more
  • Chicago style footnotes and bibliography should be used.
  • A complete bibliography should be provided at the end of the article, divided into Primary and Secondary Sources.
  • Footnotes should be used for references, left and right justified, regardless of what language or information (i.e. Chinese text) the text contains.
  • For references in footnotes do not use op. cit., ibid., loc. cit., supra, and the like.
  • Readers should be able to interpret the table without reference to the text.
  • The unspaced em-dash should be used when required to appear in between Chinese characters (usually in the bibliographies between titles and subtitles of Chinese books and articles).
  • A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Confirmation the authors take full responsibility for the integrity of the whole content, including accuracy of references.

Figure and table rules

  • Keep every figure and table numbered, captioned, and cited in the manuscript. Keep figures embedded; Articlo also extracts numbered source files for the package.
  • Group figures at the end of the manuscript.
Show 18 more
  • Group tables at the end of the manuscript.
  • Tables should be cited in the text as (Table 1).
  • Figures should be cited in the text as (Figure 1).
  • Figures should be high quality (1200 dpi for line art, 600 dpi for grayscale and 300 dpi for colour, at the correct size).
  • Tables and figures Show clearly in your article text where the tables and figures should appear, for example, by writing [Table 1 near here].
  • Tables should be numbered sequentially throughout the article and a caption is required for each.
  • Table captions should be centred above table, no full point at end of caption, no colon after table number.
  • Tables should be centred on page, all columns left-aligned.
  • Table footnotes should be ranged left below table.
  • Use asterisk for table footnotes, with asterisk placed next to relevant material within table.
  • Figures should be numbered sequentially throughout the article and a caption is required for each.
  • The figure caption should credit the copyright holder.
  • Figure captions should be ranged left, below figure.
  • Figures should be saved separately from the text.
  • Tables should present new information rather than duplicating what is in the text.
  • It’s very important that you have been given permission to use any tables or figures you are reproducing from another source before you submit.
  • Figures should be supplied in one of our preferred file formats: PS, JPEG, TIFF, or Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX) files are acceptable for figures that have been drawn in Word.
  • Check the instructions for authors to see how you should supply tables and figures, whether at the end of the text or in separate files, and follow any guidance given on the submission system.

Funding statement

  • You should declare only the acquired funds and grants that are directly relevant to the work reported in your article; for example, This work was supported by the [Funding Agency #1] under Grant [number xxxx]; [Funding Agency #2] under Grant [number xxxx]; and [Funding Agency #3] under Grant [number xxxx].

Competing interests

  • Include or confirm the competing interests required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Data availability statement

  • Include or confirm the data availability statement required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Ethics statement

  • Include or confirm the ethics statement required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Cover letter

  • Using Third-Party Material You must obtain the necessary permission to reuse third-party material in your article.
  • Authors are required to obtain written permission from the copyright holder to reproduce images (in all formats including digital, in perpetuity, and in all geographical regions worldwide) in the manuscript, and are liable for any fee(s) charged for image use.
Show 2 more
  • The use of short extracts of text and some other types of material is usually permitted, on a limited basis, for the purposes of criticism and review without securing formal permission.
  • If you wish to include any material in your paper for which you do not hold copyright, and which is not covered by this informal agreement, you will need to obtain written permission from the copyright owner prior to submission.

Title page and author information

  • All authors of a manuscript should include their full name and affiliation on the cover page of the manuscript.
  • One author will need to be identified as the corresponding author, with their email address normally displayed in the article PDF (depending on the journal) and the online article.

Article structure and word limits

  • Do not use superscript for ordinals (6th, not 6 th ).
  • The titles for sources should be formatted as《… 》((U+300A LEFT DOUBLE ANGLE BRACKET, U+300B RIGHT DOUBLE ANGLE BRACKET)) within Chinese text.
Show 46 more
  • Use en-dash between page numbers (e.g., pp. 7–10).
  • Use en-dash for years (e.g., 1940–1950) and other number spans.
  • Use numerals for all other numbers: 101; 1,036; 9,999; 10,003; etc.
  • Use numerals for measurements with a unit (8 mmol/l 3.4%) or when in a list with other numbers (14 dogs, 12 cats, 9 gerbils).
  • Ordinals must always be written in words “first,” “second” etc., except in titles: (6th Duke of Zhou).
  • Datespans before the Christian era should be given in full: 264–241 BC, not 264–41 BC 2000 BC.
  • Please use the Chinese middle dot (Unicode 00B7).
  • The “fullwidth” comma (， [U+FF0C]) is the regular comma, and should not be used for enumerating a list.
  • They should be cited in text as (1), (2), etc.
  • This could be adapted from your departmental website or academic networking profile and should be relatively brief (e.g. no more than 200 words).
  • Margins Margins should be at least 2.5cm (1 inch).
  • It should be a maximum width of 525 pixels.
  • These instructions will ensure we have everything required so your paper can move through peer review, production and publication smoothly.
  • Your research funder or your institution may require you to publish your article open access.
  • Use our APC finder to view the APC for this journal.
  • Titles of frequently cited works should be abbreviated, e.g., Shiji ( SJ ), Zizhi tongjian ( ZZTJ ), Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies ( BSOAS ).
  • Use double inverted commas; single for a quote within a quote.
  • Interpolations of the author should be shown in square brackets.
  • Use square brackets to indicate author insertions.
  • If there is an emission in a block of quoted poetry […] should appear, flushed left on its own line.
  • When ellipses appear at the start or end of quoted text, they should also be surrounded by square brackets.
  • Use hyphen between word combinations, i.e., re-cover, twenty-first etc.
  • Use square brackets in the text only to include an author’s comment within a quote, e.g. [ sic ].
  • Use commas in groups of three digits, counting from the right.
  • Whole numbers followed by “hundred,” “thousand,” “million,” “billion” etc. should be written in words e.g., “a thousand,” “five hundred” etc.
  • Roman numerals should be confined to: ordinals for kings (large caps), book volumes/Acts in a play etc. (small caps), and cited preliminary pages (lower case).
  • Circa should be abbreviated when giving approximate dates: ca.
  • Only use number or roman numeral lists if manuscripts specifically require it, for all else use bullets.
  • For numbered lists, follow the same text formatting rules as for bullet lists, and the numbers should be followed by full point.
  • They should be cited in text as (I), (IV), etc.
  • Before you submit your article, make sure you’ve checked the instructions for authors for your chosen journal, so you are aware of everything required.
  • Most journals create image descriptions during the production process, but a minority may require authors to provide image descriptions.
  • Review: Running heads and received dates These aren’t required when submitting a manuscript for review.
  • A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Originality and accuracy of content has been confirmed by the authors.
  • Authors must provide full methodological details and adhere to relevant reporting guidelines where applicable.
  • Authors must retain the original and revised versions which must be shared upon request.
  • The PLSP guidelines for authors must be followed at all times.
  • Folios should be displayed as f.
  • Do not use larger dots.
  • There should be no breaking in the line.
  • Please use SI units (non-italicized).
  • Special characters If you are preparing your manuscript in Microsoft Word and your article contains special characters, accents, or diacritics, we recommend you follow these steps: European accents (Greek, Hebrew, or Cyrillic letters, or phonetic symbols): choose Times New Roman font from the dropdown menu in the “Insert symbol” window and insert the character you require.
  • Special characters If you are preparing your manuscript in Microsoft Word and your article contains special characters, accents, or diacritics, we recommend you follow these steps: Asian languages (such as Sanskrit, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese): choose Arial Unicode font from the dropdown menu in the “Insert symbol” window and insert the character you require.
  • Please do not embed it in the manuscript file but save it as a separate file, labelled GraphicalAbstract1.
  • If you are at the early stage of your research, you may also need to read how to start writing a journal manuscript.
  • Image descriptions are typically used by systems such as pronouncing screen readers to make images accessible to people that cannot read or see the object due to a visual disability.

Reporting guidelines

  • Include or confirm the reporting guidelines required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.

Preprints and prior publication

  • If you have shared an earlier version of your Author’s Original Manuscript on a preprint server, please be aware that anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

Artificial intelligence disclosure

  • Add or confirm the author-written Artificial intelligence statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
  • Please include a statement disclosing whether and how generative AI has been used in the research and manuscript preparation process.
Show 6 more
  • Use of AI tools as part of ethical research studies is permitted.
  • A declaration must be included within the submission stating: The name and version number of the AI tool used.
  • Systematic Review: Use of AI tools as part of ethically conducted literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis and bibliometrics studies is permitted.
  • Use of AI tool assisted plain language summaries (PLS) of authors own work is permitted.
  • Please read our guidance on using AI tools in your research and manuscript preparation to understand scenarios where their use may be permissible, and the required information that must be disclosed.
  • A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Confirmation the authors have checked terms of use for the specific AI tool used, and therefore confirm suitability for publication.

Article type and manuscript length

  • Quotations of over 40 words should be indented left and right, with the font is smaller than main text, and a line space above and below.
  • Direct submissions for this article type should be sent to wesolowski@monumenta-serica.de.
Show 5 more
  • Direct submissions for this article type should be sent to institut@monumenta-serica.de.
  • Figures should be placed in the main text if feasible or else, after the Bibliography, under the heading FIGURES.
  • For bullet lists, colon should be used at the end of the main text to signify the start of a list, with a line space above and below the bullet section.
  • Should be written with the following elements in the following order: title page; main text.
  • Should be written with the following elements in the following order: title page; abstract; keywords; main text; acknowledgments; declaration of interest statement; references; appendices (as appropriate); table(s) with caption(s) (on individual pages); figures; figure captions (as a list).

Manuscript structure

  • Should be no more than 15000 words, inclusive of: Footnotes.
  • Should be no more than 15000 words, inclusive of: Endnotes.
Show 7 more
  • Multiple footnotes should be listed vertically and use up to 3 asterisks: * = Han Feizi 10.
  • Multiple footnotes should be listed vertically and use up to 3 asterisks: ** = Yanzi chunqiu 7.13.
  • Multiple footnotes should be listed vertically and use up to 3 asterisks: *** = Shuoyuan 14.
  • Use spaced en-dash for punctuation (“The discussion is – rather untypically – opened by the host.”).
  • The source should be given as a footnote.
  • Headings This will show you the different levels of the heading section in your article: First-level headings (e.g. Introduction, Conclusion) should be in bold, with an initial capital letter for any proper nouns.
  • Authors must retain full records of the methods undertaken, including full descriptions and records of the prompts used, which must be shared with the journal upon request.

Language and text style

  • Please use double quotation marks, except where “a quotation is ‘within’ a quotation”.
  • Please note that long quotations should be indented without quotation marks.
Show 13 more
  • Where there is more than one word in the abbreviation, a full point should follow each initial e.g., a.m., i.e., n.p., q.e.d., n.b., t.b.c., s.h.v.
  • British style “quotation marks” should be used for English articles.
  • German style „quotation marks” should be used for German articles.
  • Chinese quotation marks should be used in Chinese text in traditional characters.
  • Omissions from a quote should be denoted by ellipsis in square brackets […] in Western language texts.
  • Quotations given in the original language and in translation should appear with the translations given in-line.
  • The translation of a title of a book or article in a foreign language, if given, should be placed after the original in brackets.
  • Headings This will show you the different levels of the heading section in your article: Fourth-level headings should be in bold italics, at the beginning of a paragraph.
  • Headings This will show you the different levels of the heading section in your article: Fifth-level headings should be in italics, at the beginning of a paragraph.
  • Headings This will show you the different levels of the heading section in your article: Second-level headings should be in bold italics, with an initial capital letter for any proper nouns.
  • Headings This will show you the different levels of the heading section in your article: Third-level headings should be in italics, with an initial capital letter for any proper nouns.
  • The following contractions and abbreviations should have a period following: e.g., Mme., St., M. (Monsieur), Prof., p., pp., sc., viz., vol., etc.
  • The following abbreviations should not be followed by a full point: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Dr, Mme, Jr, St, vols, Revd, kg, km, l, cm, mm, ml.

Study reporting guidelines

  • Authors must provide full methodological details and adhere to relevant reporting guidelines where applicable (e.g. CONSORT-AI, STARD-AI, GAMER, TRIPOD-AI, etc).
Save journal and get updates Download complete checklist

What your package checks

Abstract: 150 words
Keywords: 7-7 keywords
References: Chicago
Declarations: Artificial intelligence
Format: Times New Roman

Source transparency

This preparation guide uses published journal-specific author requirements. Journal instructions can change, so authors should complete a final review before submission.

Open official guideline source