Journal Typesetting Partnership

Production typesetting for academic journals & learned societies.

Running a scholarly journal takes editorial expertise, peer review coordination, and reliable production. That is where ManuscriptLab comes in. We partner with academic publishers, learned societies, university presses, and independent journal editors to handle the production side of your journal end to end: article typesetting, house style application, JATS XML, Crossref deposit prep, and submission-portal integration. Whether you publish a single issue a year or run continuous publication at scale, our PhD qualified typesetting team becomes your dedicated production partner so that your editorial team can focus on the scholarship.

What This Service Is

What is journal typesetting, exactly?

he production workflow that turns accepted peer-reviewed articles into finished, indexed, discoverable journal publications.

Dr. Sarah Mitchell, PhD

Senior Thesis Editor · ManuscriptLab

House style applied article after article

Your journal's visual identity, column layout, heading hierarchy, citation style, and running head conventions applied consistently. Dedicated production profile built from your style guide and sample issues so every article matches your journal's voice.

XML-first production for indexing

JATS 1.3 XML produced alongside print PDF so your articles are discoverable in Crossref, PubMed Central, DOAJ, and major indexing databases. HTML rendering and EPUB generation from the same XML source, powering your journal website and reader apps.

SLA-backed partnership workflow

Dedicated production team, guaranteed turnaround windows, integration with your journal management system. Volume pricing per issue or per year, with partnership agreements structured around your publication schedule rather than one-off project rates.

Quick Comparison

Journal typesetting vs author formatting

Author Side

Formatting

Publisher Side

Typesetting

Formatting is the author’s job before submission. Typesetting is the publisher’s production workflow after acceptance. We handle the publisher side as a partnership service.

Journal Types We Partner With

Five journal publishing models, each with its own production workflow.

Different journals have different production needs. Specifically, we partner across the five publishing models below with workflows tailored to each.

STEM

STEM Journals

Mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science journals with heavy equations, algorithms, and technical content. LaTeX-first workflows preferred.

MED

Medical & Biomedical

Medical journals with PMC indexing requirements, clinical trial reporting standards, and structured abstracts. NXML output for PubMed Central deposit included.

SSH

Social Sciences & Humanities

Humanities and social science journals with narrative articles, extensive citations, and visual complexity. Chicago, APA, or custom house styles supported.

STEM

Open Access Journals

Plan S compliant open access journals with Creative Commons licensing, DOAJ listing requirements, and accessibility mandates. PDF/UA tagged output included.

Multi

Learned Society Journals

Society-published journals with distinctive branding, member-facing print issues, and continuity across decades of back issues. Legacy template preservation.

Production Engines

Four production engines, matched to your workflow.

Professional journal production runs on different engines depending on content type and output format. Importantly, we work with the engine that matches your existing workflow rather than forcing migration.

Engine	Best For	Strengths	Journal Templates Supported
LaTeX	STEM journals, equation-heavy content, author LaTeX submissions preserved end-to-end	Perfect equation rendering, automatic cross-referencing, native BibTeX support, Knuth-Plass line breaking	elsarticle, acmart, IEEEtran, revtex4-2, aps, custom journal class files
InDesign	Visually designed journals, image-rich articles, print-focused distribution, varied article layouts	Pixel-precise control, master pages per issue, advanced OpenType, direct prepress export	Custom master pages built from your sample issues, legacy InDesign template import
JATS XML	XML-first journals, HTML and EPUB rendering, Crossref and PMC deposit, long-term archival	Industry-standard semantic markup, format-independent content, powers multi-format output	JATS 1.3 Publishing Tag Set, NXML for PubMed Central, DOAJ metadata profiles
XeLaTeX	Multilingual journals, non-Latin scripts, custom font requirements	Native Unicode support, system font access, right-to-left and CJK composition, polyglossia	XeLaTeX variants of standard journal classes with polyglossia or babel language packages

Production Elements

Every production element handled with precision.

Journal typesetting covers dozens of technical production tasks beyond basic composition. Below are the core elements included in every article we produce.

House Style Application

Your journal's visual identity applied consistently article after article. Font selection, column layout, heading hierarchy, running head conventions all drawn from your production profile.

Author Block & Affiliations

Author names, affiliations, ORCID identifiers, and corresponding author details formatted per your journal's conventions. Author contribution statements and funding declarations standardised across issues.

Abstract & Keywords

Structured or unstructured abstracts formatted per journal standards. Keyword blocks, graphical abstracts, and article highlights composed to display and indexing requirements.

Reference Verification

Every in-text citation verified against the reference list. DOIs checked for resolution, Crossref metadata added, linked references generated in both PDF and XML output.

Figure & Table Composition

Figures placed at 300 DPI minimum, CMYK converted for print, with consistent numbering and caption placement. Tables formatted with journal house style, long tables split across pages correctly.

DOI & Metadata

Article DOI, article metadata, and reference DOIs embedded in output files. Crossref deposit XML and ORCID author matching prepared alongside the typeset article.

JATS XML Output

JATS 1.3 XML produced for every article covering full-text, references, figures, tables, and metadata. NXML variant for PubMed Central indexed journals, DOAJ metadata profile where required.

Issue Assembly

Table of contents, editorial board page, submission guidelines, cover coordination, and issue-level metadata. Full issue PDF compiled from individual articles with correct pagination and front matter.

Publisher Pain Points

The production problems publishers bring to us.

Below are the most common production challenges journal publishers raise in our first consultation call. If any of these sound familiar, they are the exact problems our partnership service solves.

Our current typesetter does not deliver JATS XML and we are losing PubMed indexing.

What we do: JATS 1.3 and NXML production built into every article workflow. PubMed Central deposit ready on day one.

Author LaTeX submissions keep getting converted to Word and losing equation integrity.

What we do: LaTeX source preserved end-to-end for STEM authors. Equations stay native through to final production PDF.

Our continuous publication workflow needs 48-hour article turnaround and nobody can commit.

What we do: SLA-based partnership agreements with guaranteed turnaround windows. 24h, 48h, 72h options per volume contract.

Our special issue has 15 articles due in 4 weeks and our regular team is overloaded.

What we do: Dedicated special issue teams spin up on demand. Guest editor coordination and compressed delivery windows handled.

Plan S accessibility mandate is coming and our current PDFs will not comply.

What we do: PDF/UA tagged PDFs with semantic structure, alt text, reading order, and screen reader support. Plan S and DOAJ ready.

We are launching a new journal and need the production pipeline built from scratch.

What we do: Full production profile build from your style guide and reference issues. Templates, workflows, and SLA agreed before issue one.

Explore a Journal Partnership

Book a free 30-minute consultation call to discuss your journal, publication schedule, and production requirements. Moreover, we deliver a sample article typeset in your house style within 5 working days of our call, free of charge, so you can evaluate quality before any commitment.

Partnership Process

How a journal partnership starts with ManuscriptLab.

From first consultation to live production in weeks, not months. Importantly, we build your production profile before the first paid article so you see the quality upfront.

Consultation & Sample

Book a free 30-minute call to discuss your journal, publication schedule, and current pain points. We then typeset one of your accepted articles as a free sample using your house style so you can evaluate our production quality.

Partnership Agreement

We draft a partnership agreement covering volume pricing, SLA turnaround windows, dedicated production team allocation, and integration with your submission portal. Furthermore, agreements run annually with monthly or quarterly invoicing.

Live Production

Your dedicated production team begins work on your next issue or your continuous publication queue. Articles delivered as print-ready PDF, JATS XML, HTML, and EPUB with Crossref deposit XML and full metadata.

Why Partnership Matters

Why in-house or ad-hoc typesetting limits your journal.

Many journals try to handle production in-house or through ad-hoc freelancers and discover the hidden costs late. Importantly, partnership-based production unlocks workflows and standards that one-off work cannot deliver.

In-House or Ad-Hoc Typesetting

No consistent production profile between articles
JATS XML either absent or inconsistent
LaTeX author submissions converted and degraded
No SLA, turnaround slips during busy periods
Reference verification skipped or incomplete
Crossref deposit XML prepared manually, errors frequent
Accessibility (PDF/UA) rarely implemented
Freelancer availability unpredictable
Issue-level assembly done manually under pressure
Scale impossible beyond a few articles per month

ManuscriptLab Partnership

Partnership Pricing

Two engagement models for every journal size.

Per-article pricing suits journals testing our service or publishing a few articles per month. Alternatively, partnership pricing with volume contracts suits publishers with regular publication schedules or multiple journals. Importantly, all partnership pricing is set through consultation to match your publication volume, SLA requirements, and workflow complexity. Furthermore, every engagement begins with a free sample article so you can evaluate production quality before committing.

Per Article

Standard Journal Typesetting

39^$starting per article

3 to 5 working days standard turnaround

For Publishers

Partnership

Volume & SLA Agreement

Custom SLA matched to your publication schedule

Partner Feedback

What journal editors say about our production partnership.

Real feedback from journal editors, managing editors, and learned society publishers who partner with ManuscriptLab for their journal production.

We moved our quarterly chemistry journal to ManuscriptLab after our previous typesetter kept missing JATS XML deadlines for Crossref. The transition took one issue to settle, and now we have never missed an indexing deadline. Our editorial team can finally focus on the scholarship instead of chasing production files.

Our learned society publishes a biannual journal with a strong design identity we did not want to lose. ManuscriptLab built a dedicated production profile from our back issues, and every article since has matched our house style perfectly. The sample article they produced before contracting convinced our board immediately.

We run a continuous publication open access journal in biomedical research with a 48-hour turnaround SLA. ManuscriptLab has hit that SLA on every single article for 18 months. PDF/UA accessibility built into every output, PMC deposit never fails. Best production partner we have ever worked with.

Launched a new interdisciplinary humanities journal and needed the entire production pipeline built from scratch. ManuscriptLab designed our LaTeX class file, built the house style profile, set up the OJS integration, and delivered our launch issue on time. They are our production department.

Special issue with 18 articles from a conference, deadline four weeks out, and our regular typesetter could not take it on. ManuscriptLab spun up a dedicated special issue team within three days and delivered every article on schedule, with full JATS XML and Crossref deposit. Saved the entire project.

Need Help?

FAQs about our journal typesetting partnership.

Common questions answered to help you understand exactly how our journal typesetting service works for publishers and learned societies.

What is journal typesetting?

Journal typesetting is the production process that converts accepted peer-reviewed manuscripts into publication-ready journal articles. Specifically, this covers house style application, author block and affiliation formatting, abstract and keyword composition, in-text citation and reference list typesetting, equation and figure placement, running heads and folios, DOI metadata, and output in both print-ready PDF and web-ready XML or HTML formats. Journal typesetting runs as a production workflow at scale rather than one-off book composition.

Do you work with publishers on a partnership basis?

Yes. Our journal typesetting is designed primarily as a partnership service for academic journal publishers, learned societies, university presses, and independent journal editors. Specifically, we work with publishers producing single-article typesetting, full journal issues, special issues, and continuous publication workflows. Furthermore, partnership engagements typically include a dedicated production team, consistent turnaround SLAs, and bulk pricing agreements.

Which typesetting engines do you use for journals?

We work with the three leading professional engines matched to your workflow. LaTeX (with class files like elsarticle, acmart, IEEEtran, or your custom journal class) suits STEM and equation-heavy journals. Adobe InDesign suits journals with varied visual layouts, image-rich articles, or print-focused distribution. Affinity Publisher serves as a modern alternative. Furthermore, we also produce JATS XML for XML-first journal production workflows.

Do you produce JATS XML for journal articles?

Yes. We produce JATS (Journal Article Tag Suite) XML to the latest NISO standard for journals using XML-first workflows. Importantly, JATS XML is required by PubMed Central, Crossref, DOAJ, and most major indexing databases, and powers HTML rendering, EPUB generation, and long-term archival. Specifically, our workflow includes JATS 1.3 XML with full-text, references, figures, tables, and all required metadata.

Can you typeset full journal issues or just individual articles?

Both. We handle individual articles for continuous publication journals, complete issues (10 to 30+ articles per issue), special issues with guest editor coordination, and ongoing publication partnerships. Furthermore, we handle issue-level elements including table of contents, editorial board page, submission guidelines, cover design coordination, and issue metadata for your website and indexing databases.

How quickly can you turn around journal articles?

Standard turnaround is 3 to 5 working days per article for typesetting, with proofs returned to authors on day 1 or 2. For partnership publishers we offer SLA-based delivery with guaranteed turnaround windows (24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour, or 5-day options depending on volume agreement). Specifically, continuous publication workflows deliver per-article as submissions arrive, with batched monthly reporting.

How much does journal typesetting cost?

Standard per-article typesetting starts from $39 per journal article. Partnership pricing for publishers producing full issues or multiple issues per year is set through custom contracts with volume discounts. Specifically, bulk pricing kicks in from 10 articles per month and partnership agreements typically include dedicated production team allocation, SLA guarantees, and extended revision windows. Book a consultation to discuss your journal.

Can you handle house style application for our journal?

Yes. We take your journal’s style guide, template files, and sample issues and build a dedicated production profile for your journal. Specifically, every article we typeset for you follows your exact house style including font selection, column layout, heading hierarchy, citation format, running head conventions, and visual identity. Furthermore, we maintain your production profile across all articles so consistency holds issue to issue.

Do you work with STEM journals that need heavy equations?

Yes. STEM journal typesetting is one of our core specialities. We handle mathematical equations in LaTeX using the amsmath package, chemistry structures using mhchem or ChemFig, physics notation, computer science algorithms, and complex data tables. Importantly, LaTeX source submissions from authors are preserved and refined rather than converted to lossy formats. Specifically, this is critical for mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, and biomedical journals.

Do you handle reference verification and linking?

Yes. We verify in-text citations against the reference list for one-to-one correspondence, check DOIs resolve correctly, add Crossref DOI metadata to references, and generate linked references in both PDF and XML output. Specifically, this is critical for Crossref deposit, PubMed indexing, and reference discoverability from citation databases.

Can you produce accessible PDFs for open access journals?

Yes. We produce PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) compliant tagged PDFs for open access journals and journals subject to accessibility legislation. Specifically, this includes semantic tagging for screen readers, alternative text for figures, proper reading order, bookmarks for navigation, and language metadata. Importantly, this is increasingly required by Plan S funders, government open access mandates, and DOAJ listing requirements.

Do you support multilingual journals?

Yes. We typeset journals in Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Hebrew (right-to-left scripts), Chinese, Japanese, Korean (CJK scripts), Devanagari, Tamil, Thai, and other non-Latin writing systems. For LaTeX workflows we use XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX with appropriate language packages. For InDesign, we work with the Middle Eastern or World-Ready composer versions. Furthermore, mixed-language articles (English with Arabic citations, for example) are also handled.

Can you prepare files for Crossref and PubMed submission?

Yes. Our journal typesetting workflow includes Crossref deposit XML preparation, PubMed Central NXML preparation (for PMC-indexed journals), DOAJ metadata, and ORCID author matching. Furthermore, we can integrate with your journal management system (OJS, Scholastica, Editorial Manager, ScholarOne) for automated submission and metadata handoff.

What file formats do you accept from our authors?

We accept author submissions in LaTeX (.tex with .bib files, including Overleaf projects), Microsoft Word (.docx), Google Docs, Markdown, and other common academic manuscript formats. Specifically, figures accepted in TIFF, EPS, PDF, PNG, SVG, and vector formats. Furthermore, we handle format normalisation as part of production so your editors receive consistent output regardless of what authors submit.

Is our journal content kept confidential during typesetting?

All journal articles are handled with strict confidentiality during pre-publication typesetting. We sign Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and partnership confidentiality agreements with publishers. Furthermore, every typesetter on our team is bound by confidentiality terms regarding accepted-but-unpublished research, author identities during blind review workflows, and any sensitive pre-publication content.

🚀 Partner With Confidence

Your journal deserves a reliable production partner.

Free 30-minute consultation. Free sample article in your house style. PhD qualified typesetting team. LaTeX, InDesign, and JATS XML production for academic journals and learned societies worldwide.