How to write a chemistry research paper: Best free and paid resources
This article is in
Reading time
3 mins
Contents
At a Glance: Top 5 Writing Resources for Chemistry Researchers
- The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication
- Scientific Style and Format (Eighth Edition)
- IUPAC Brief Guides to Nomenclature
- A Short Guide to Writing about Chemistry
- The Editor’s Manual
Writing about research is a vital task for researchers in chemistry or any other scientific field, regardless of their professional level. While every scholar recognizes that writing is necessary, the process can be quite unpleasant, even if your research is going well. When the time comes to sit down and write out a paper, so many researchers experience writer’s block1, despite knowing the contents of their study better than anybody.
One of the best ways of ensuring that you can write productively and persuasively is making use of the many published writing resources that will help you efficiently structure your thoughts and text to write with maximum impact and minimum fuss. Here, we would like to introduce some writing resources that will help any research chemist, and indeed, many other scientists.
At a Glance: Top 5 Writing Resources for Chemistry Researchers
| # | Resource | Publisher | Free? | Best For |
| 1 | ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication | American Chemical Society | Partial (50 articles/year free) | ACS journal submissions, all-round guidance |
| 2 | Scientific Style and Format (8th ed.) | Council of Science Editors / U Chicago Press | Partial (quick guides free) | Broad scientific writing, editor’s perspective |
| 3 | IUPAC Brief Guides to Nomenclature | IUPAC | ✅ Fully free | Nomenclature accuracy, chemical naming |
| 4 | A Short Guide to Writing about Chemistry | Pearson Longman | ❌ Paid (book) | Beginners, postgraduates, holistic writing skills |
| 5 | The Editor’s Manual | Independent | ✅ Fully free | Quick reference, non-native English speakers |
1. The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
What it is
- The successor to the long-running ACS Style Guide (first published 1986), now expanded to cover all aspects of scientific communication
- Considered the definitive style authority for papers submitted to ACS journals
- Covers manuscript writing, peer review, ethical considerations, and publication workflows
What’s inside
- Writing and editing scientific manuscripts
- Citation and reference formatting
- Ethical guidelines for authors
- Guidance on figures, tables, and chemical structures
- Communication beyond the journal article (posters, talks, etc.)
How to use it
- Before writing: Read the relevant sections on manuscript structure and journal-specific requirements
- During writing: Use it as a live reference for citation style, abbreviations, and units
- After drafting: Check the ethics and submission guidelines before submitting
Access
- Requires an ACS membership, but a free membership grants access to 50 articles per year
- Full access available with a paid membership or institutional subscription
2. Scientific Style and Format (Eighth Edition)
Publisher: Council of Science Editors (CSE) / University of Chicago Press
What it is
- Originally created in 1960 as a biology style guide; now covers all scientific disciplines
- Produced from an editor’s perspective — making it especially useful for understanding what peer reviewers and journal editors look for
What’s inside
- Rules for every section of a scientific manuscript (abstract, methods, results, references)
- Guidance on units, symbols, and abbreviations across disciplines
- Referencing formats (Name-Year, Citation-Sequence, Citation-Name)
- Manuscript preparation and submission checklists
How to use it
- Even if your target journal doesn’t require CSE style, the editorial perspective is universally applicable
- The free quick guides on the website are excellent for a fast pre-submission check
- Particularly useful for researchers writing for interdisciplinary journals
Access
- Full book: paid (print or digital via the website)
- Free quick guides and tools: available at scientificstyleandformat.org
3. IUPAC Brief Guides to Nomenclature
Publisher: International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
What it is
- IUPAC is the global authority on chemical nomenclature, terminology, and standardization
- The Color Books are the definitive references; the Brief Guides are shorter, more accessible summaries of the key rules
Common nomenclature errors these guides help you avoid
| Error Type | Incorrect | Correct |
| Spelling (British vs IUPAC) | sulphur | sulfur |
| Punctuation in formulae | incorrect hyphens/commas | per IUPAC rules |
| Element naming | outdated/regional names | IUPAC-standardized names |
| Compound naming conventions | informal/abbreviated | full IUPAC name |
How to use it
- Bookmark the Brief Guides for quick checks during writing
- Download the free digital Color Books for comprehensive reference
- Review before submitting to any peer-reviewed chemistry journal
Access
- ✅ Fully free — available at iupac.org
4. A Short Guide to Writing about Chemistry
Publisher: Pearson Longman | Authors: Davis, Tyson & Pechenik
What it is
- Part of Pearson’s Short Guide series for academic disciplines
- Accessible, jargon-light writing style that is readable even by non-specialists
- One of the most practically oriented guides for chemistry writing
What’s inside
- How to conduct and record a literature search
- Taking and organizing notes effectively
- Structuring lab reports, research papers, and reviews
- Concrete tips on clarity, precision, and persuasive scientific writing
- Revision strategies such as how to critically evaluate and improve your own draft
Who should read it
| Audience | How useful? |
| PhD student/Postdocs/ first-time authors | Essential |
| Mid-career researchers | Very useful as a refresher |
| Senior researchers | Useful for mentoring students |
| Non-native English speakers | Highly accessible writing style |
Access
- ❌ Paid, available via online booksellers and university libraries
5. The Editor’s Manual
Publisher: Independent online resource
What it is
- A free, web-based writing reference covering grammar, style, punctuation, and common writing mistakes
- Presented through simple infographics and in-depth articles designed for busy researchers
- No institutional affiliation but highly practical and frequently updated
Why it’s especially useful for chemists
- Many chemistry researchers are non-native English speakers and the simple, clear format addresses this directly
- Covers common academic English pitfalls (articles, prepositions, sentence structure) alongside scientific writing conventions
- Shareable infographics make it easy to use in group or lab settings
Access
- ✅ Fully free, available at editorsmanual.com
We hope that these resources will serve you well as you get ready to share your research with the world. Do you have any other useful resources to share? Feel free to leave them in the comments below for your fellow researchers!
References
- Writer’s block: Why do scientists hate writing and what can we do about it? Science with style http://www.sciencewithstyle.org/1/post/2015/09/writers-block-why-do-scientists-hate-writing-and-what-can-we-do-about-it.html.
- About ACS. American Chemical Society https://www.acs.org/about.html.
- Dodd, J. S. & Society, A. C. The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors. (American Chemical Society, 1986).
- The ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication. (American Chemical Society, 2020). doi:10.1021/acsguide.
- Scientific Style and Format Online – History. https://www.scientificstyleandformat.org/info/About-Scientific-Style-and-Format/History-of-Scientific-Style-and-Format.html.
- Scientific Style and Format Online – Tools. https://www.scientificstyleandformat.org/Tools.html.
- Color Books. IUPAC | International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry https://iupac.org/what-we-do/books/color-books/.
- Brief Guides to Nomenclature. IUPAC | International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry https://iupac.org/what-we-do/nomenclature/brief-guides/.
- Davis, H., Tyson, J. & Pechenik, J. A. A Short Guide to Writing about Chemistry. (Longman, 2010).
- About The Editor’s Manual. The Editor’s Manual https://editorsmanual.com/about/.
This article was originally published on December 21, 2022, and revised on June 14, 2026.
