FigureIQ guide

Scientific figure submission checklist

A final figure check should be short enough to use and strict enough to catch expensive mistakes. Work through the file, the reduced figure, the manuscript set, and the target journal in that order.

Open FigureIQ

Technical preparation

  • The figure is sized for the intended publication width.
  • Raster elements meet the effective-resolution target at that width.
  • Vector charts and line art remain vector where the journal accepts them.
  • The file format and colour mode match the target journal’s current instructions.

Final-size legibility

  • Axis labels, tick labels, legends, annotations, and panel labels are readable after reduction.
  • Thin lines, error bars, marker edges, and annotation leaders remain visible.
  • Text sizing is consistent within the figure and across related figures.

Accessibility

  • Important categories do not rely on colour alone.
  • Colour pairs remain distinguishable under relevant colour-vision simulations.
  • Text and important marks have sufficient contrast against their background.

Standalone structure

  • Axes and units are present where required.
  • Legend entries and abbreviations can be resolved from the figure and caption.
  • Multi-panel figures use consistent, easy-to-find panel labels.
  • Scale bars are present for image types that require a physical scale.

Manuscript consistency

  • Typography, palette, terminology, units, and panel-label conventions are consistent across the figure set.
  • Resolution and file preparation do not vary accidentally from figure to figure.

Venue confirmation

  • Check the current instructions for the exact journal, not only the parent publisher.
  • Distinguish initial peer-review requirements from final production requirements where the journal does.
  • Confirm journal-specific dimensions, file-size limits, accepted formats, font guidance, and accessibility instructions.
300 DPI, 7 pt text, and RGB are useful examples from common workflows, not universal requirements for every figure and every publisher.

Source note

Publisher specifications are not universal and can change by journal, artwork type, and submission stage. The target journal’s current instructions remain authoritative.