Layout and formatting standards for a top-journal theory paper manuscript. Use when checking or fixing abstract structure, section balance, equation density, paragraph length, LaTeX conventions, and submission formatting. Referenced by presentation-lens and paper-writer (Improvement Pass).
Define the concrete layout and formatting standards for a formal theory paper targeting a top-5 journal in the relevant field. These are measurable targets, not aspirational guidelines.
Structure (5 sentences):
Length: 100–150 words. Hard maximum 200 words. No equations. Inline variable names are acceptable. Full equations are not. No citations.
For a 40–50 page main text (double-spaced, 12pt, 1-inch margins = ~250 words per page = ~10,000–12,500 words):
| Section | Target word range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 1,500–2,000 | No more; use footnotes for excess detail |
| Literature Review | 1,000–1,500 | Positioning only; not a full survey |
| Model Primitives | 800–1,200 | Signal structure, agent types, timing |
| Each component section | 1,000–1,500 each | Setup + proposition + interpretation |
| Integrating section | 1,200–1,800 | The core contribution; can be longer |
| Extensions | 800–1,200 | Framed as natural extensions |
| Empirics | 800–1,200 | Motivating only; not full empirical section |
| Conclusion | 500–700 | Concise restatement; not a summary |
Total target: ~10,000–12,500 words (main text, excluding references and appendix).
Per-section limit: No more than 8 displayed equations per section in the main text. Derivations beyond this belong in an appendix.
Prose requirement: Every displayed equation must be followed by at least one sentence of interpretive prose before the next displayed equation appears.
Consecutive equations: No more than 2 displayed equations in a row without an intervening prose sentence.
First page rule: The first page of any section must be mostly prose. Do not open a section with a displayed equation in the first 10 lines.
Appendix rule: Proof details, extended derivations, and auxiliary lemmas belong in an appendix. The main text states the proposition and proof sketch only.
Length: 100–200 words is the optimal range. Flag paragraphs over 250 words for splitting. Minimum: 3 sentences. Single-sentence paragraphs are structural fragments; merge or expand. Opening sentence: Every paragraph's first sentence signals what the paragraph is about. One point per paragraph. If a paragraph makes two distinct points, split it.
Total introduction length: 1,500–2,000 words.
\documentclass[12pt]{article} with \geometry{margin=1in} and \doublespacing\begin{table}[t] (top of page). Caption above the tabular. Label inside caption.\begin{figure}[t]. Caption below the figure. Label inside caption.[h], [H], or [!h] — these force awkward placement in double-spaced manuscriptsTable~\ref{tab:...} and Figure~\ref{fig:...} (capital letter, non-breaking space)\begin{equation}\label{eq:name}\end{equation}\begin{align}...\end{align} with \label on the last line or on each numbered line\eqref{eq:name} (not (\ref{eq:name}))$$...$$ (use equation environment instead)\begin{proposition}[Short descriptive title]
\label{prop:name}
Statement of the proposition.
\end{proposition}
\begin{proof}[Proof sketch]
Key steps.
\end{proof}
~\ref{} and ~\eqref{} (non-breaking space before the reference)--- or \textemdash)\textbf{} is for proposition labels only)\citet{} / \citep{})\paragraph{} headers within sections (use \subsection{} or prose transitions instead)