Physics & Astrophysics Paper Checker

Physics publishing has its own culture and conventions that differ markedly from biology or social sciences. The arXiv preprint tradition, distinct reference styles across APS and AIP journals, heavy reliance on equations and notation, and specific data reporting standards all create opportunities for formatting mistakes that delay publication. Whether you're targeting Physical Review Letters, Nature Physics, or a specialized optics journal, the requirements below matter.

The arXiv-Journal Submission Workflow

Physics is unique among the sciences in its near-universal use of arXiv as a preprint server. Most physicists post to arXiv simultaneously with (or before) journal submission. This creates specific formatting considerations:

• arXiv vs. journal formatting. arXiv accepts virtually any LaTeX format, but your journal submission must follow the publisher's template. Submitting a journal-formatted paper to arXiv is fine; submitting an arXiv-formatted paper to a journal usually isn't.
• Version tracking. When your paper is accepted, update the arXiv version with the accepted manuscript and add the journal DOI. Many journals now require this.
• Embargo considerations. Some journals (notably Nature Physics and Science) have media embargo policies that can conflict with arXiv posting. Check your target journal's preprint policy before posting.

CheckMyManuscript checks manuscript structure against journal requirements regardless of whether you've already posted to arXiv. We flag structural issues that arXiv won't catch: missing abstracts, incomplete author metadata, and formatting inconsistencies.

Reference Styles in Physics

Physics journals use two main citation systems:

• APS / Physical Review journals: Numbered references in square brackets [1], ordered by first appearance. References include article titles (as of the 2016 style change). Author names use initials: "J. K. Smith."
• AIP journals (Applied Physics Letters, Journal of Chemical Physics, etc.): Similar numbered system but with superscript numbers rather than brackets.
• Nature Physics, Science, PRL letters: Each has minor variations on the numbered system.

The most common reference errors in physics papers: missing article titles (still common after the 2016 APS style change), incorrect journal abbreviations (Phys. Rev. Lett. vs. Physical Review Letters), missing DOIs, and inconsistent author name formatting.

Equations and Notation Standards

Physics papers are equation-heavy, and proper formatting is critical for readability and editorial acceptance:

• Equation numbering. Number all displayed equations consecutively: (1), (2), (3). Reference equations as "Eq. (1)" or "as shown in (1)" — never "Equation 1" without parentheses.
• Variable definition. Every variable must be defined at first use. Standard practice is to define variables immediately after the equation in a "where..." clause.
• Units. Always use SI units unless there's a strong field-specific convention (electron-volts in particle physics, parsecs in astrophysics). Include a space between the number and unit: "5.2 eV" not "5.2eV."
• Uncertainty reporting. Report measurement uncertainties consistently: "3.14 ± 0.02" or "3.14(2)" in condensed notation. Specify whether uncertainties are statistical, systematic, or combined.

Data and Code Availability

The physics community has moved toward open data and code sharing, though requirements vary by journal:

• APS journals encourage data sharing and require a data availability statement
• Nature Physics requires data availability and encourages code availability statements
• Many journals now expect computational physics papers to include links to code repositories

If your paper involves simulations, provide sufficient detail for reproduction: software packages used (with version numbers), parameter files, and ideally a persistent repository link (Zenodo-archived GitHub, not just a GitHub URL).

Also see: [Mathematics paper checker](/for/mathematics-papers) | [Engineering paper checker](/for/engineering-papers) | [LaTeX paper checker](/for/latex-papers)