How to check a manuscript
- Open the .docx (or paste the text). The example shows the kind of problems found.
- Choose the journal to compare word counts, references and display items with its limits.
- Work through the list: “Fix” items are errors (a cited figure that does not exist, a p value that cannot be right); “Check” items need a look.
- Download the report to keep with your submission files, or share it with co-authors.
Check the figure files themselves with the Journal Figure Checker, and, for systematic reviews, see the meta-analysis toolkit.
Frequently asked questions
What does the checker look at?
It finds the title, abstract, keywords, main text, references, figure legends and tables in your manuscript and counts words the way journals ask (main text from the Introduction to the Discussion, without abstract, tables, legends and references). It then checks that every reference, figure and table is cited, in order of first citation, and that nothing cited is missing; that percentages match their counts (for example 12/40 is 30%, not 35%); that no p value is 0 or above 1; and that reported test results such as t(28) = 2.20, p = .036 are consistent.
How are the statistics checked?
With the rules of statcheck (Nuijten et al., Behavior Research Methods 2016): APA-style t, F, r, χ², z and Q results are read from the text, the p value is recomputed from the test statistic and degrees of freedom, allowing for rounding, and compared with the reported p. An inconsistency that changes significance at α = .05 is a decision error. The results match the statcheck R package on a test set of 322 reported results.
Is my manuscript uploaded or stored?
No. The .docx is opened and checked in your browser; nothing is sent to a server and the text is not saved, not even in your browser. Only your settings (the journal and the one-tailed option) are remembered. This matters for unpublished work under embargo or peer review.
Where do the journal limits come from?
From each journal’s own instructions for authors, read on 29 September 2026, with a link to the source. Limits the journal calls typical or not strictly enforced are shown as guidance. Instructions change, so check them before you submit; if you see an outdated value, please tell us.
Why does my word count differ from Word’s?
Word counts the whole document. Journals count only the main text, and some leave out more (Scientific Reports excludes the Methods; Nature counts the summary paragraph). The checker counts headings within the main text, as Word does. If a section is not recognised, give it its own heading such as “Abstract”, “Introduction” or “References”.
Which files can I use?
Word documents (.docx) from Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs, text or Markdown files, or pasted text. Save an older .doc as .docx first. For a PDF, copy the text and paste it. Tracked deletions and reference-manager field codes are left out, as in Word’s own count.