Q: Tips on general manuscript formatting

If you have already selected a target journal for your paper, it is best to read the author guidelines and follow the house-style recommended by the journal. However, if you have not yet identified a target journal, it is preferable to follow either the MLA style or the APA style as these are the most commonly used formatting styles for scientific papers.

might seem a daunting task. So here are some general manuscript formatting guidelines for a standard format which you can follow to give your paper a neat and professional look:

• Use a single font throughout your paper; do not mix different font styles.
• Always use a clear and legible font, preferably 12 point Times New Roman.
• Double-space the text of your paper.
• Use clear black text on a white background.
• Text should be left justified.
• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks. 
• Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. Use the tab key for indentation. Do not leave extra space between paragraphs.
• Create a header with your last name and the page number on the upper right-hand corner.

You can also read the post Scientific writing: Tips on capitalization in bullet point lists to know how to make the bullet point lists more presentable.