journal-compliance

name	journal-compliance
description	Use this skill when verifying a manuscript meets journal-specific submission requirements before upload, checking a revision addresses reviewer concerns, or validating formatting after structural changes. Triggers on "check compliance", "journal requirements", "submission checklist", "PRS requirements", "JPRAS requirements", "ready to submit".

Journal Compliance Check

Verify a manuscript meets journal-specific submission requirements before upload.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Final review before submitting to a journal portal
• Checking a revision addresses all editor/reviewer concerns
• Validating formatting after structural changes

Compliance Checklist

Structure

• Title page: title, authors with degrees, affiliations, corresponding author, COI statement, running head, word counts, keywords
• Abstract: structured (Background/Methods/Results/Conclusions), within word limit
• Introduction: 2-3 paragraphs, no subheadings, ends with study objectives
• Methods: appropriate subheadings (Study Design, Outcome Measures, Statistical Analysis)
• Results: primary outcome first, secondary outcomes, efficiency data
• Discussion: flowing prose without subheadings (except CONCLUSIONS)
• References: journal citation style applied
• Figure legends: after references, one per figure
• SDC legends: after figure legends, one per SDC item

Word Counts

• Body text (Introduction through Conclusions) within journal limit
• Abstract within journal limit
• Counts on title page match actual counts

Tables

• Numbered in order of first reference in text
• Each table as separate .docx file
• Three-line border format (top thick, header underline, bottom thick)
• No internal gridlines or shading
• Title/caption on each table

Figures

• Numbered in order of first reference in text
• Resolution >= 300 DPI
• TIFF format (or journal-accepted format)
• Named as "Figure N.tiff"

Cross-References

• Every table/figure referenced at least once in text
• References match actual numbering (no stale numbers)
• No unresolved Quarto references (?@tbl-, ?@fig-)

Terminology

• Consistent terminology throughout
• No AI writing tells (em-dashes, "Furthermore", "Moreover", "delve", etc.)

Supplemental Digital Content

• Within journal SDC limits (items, word count)
• Each SDC item has a legend
• SDC formatted as tables where possible

Reviewer Response (for revisions)

• Every reviewer concern addressed with specific manuscript location
• Response letter maps each concern to the fix
• No stale references to removed content

Journal-Specific Requirements

PRS (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)

Requirement	Specification
Body word limit	3,000 (+ 500 extension)
Abstract	250 words, structured
Max figures + tables	20 pieces
Figure format	300 DPI, TIFF
SDC text limit	500 words
SDC items limit	10
Reference style	AMA
Tables	Separate .docx files

JPRAS (Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery)

Requirement	Specification
Body word limit	No strict limit (varies by article type)
Abstract	250 words, unstructured
Figure format	300 DPI, TIFF/EPS/PDF
Reference style	Vancouver (numbered)
Tables	Embedded in single manuscript file

Annals of Plastic Surgery

Requirement	Specification
Body word limit	3,000
Abstract	200 words, unstructured
Figure format	300 DPI, TIFF
Reference style	AMA
Tables	Embedded in manuscript