# Start a manuscript from a template

> Say what you are writing, such as a systematic review for a Q1 journal, and your draft opens with its headings, word targets and a guideline that checks it.

Source: https://www.alfredscholar.com/changelog/manuscript-templates/
Published: 2026-11-06

New manuscript now asks what you are writing. Finish one sentence, such as "I'm writing a literature review for an Elsevier journal ranked Q1 in computer science, citing in APA 7", and you see the first page of your paper before you start.

## What's new

- **Pick in your own words.** Choose the kind of document (a research article, a conference paper, a literature review, a systematic review, a synopsis, a thesis or a thesis chapter, and more), the venue, the journal tier from Q1 to Q4, your field and your reference style.
- **See the page first.** The preview shows every heading in order, a word target for each, what belongs under it, and the checks Alfred will run on your draft.
- **Opens ready to write.** Your draft starts with those headings in place, the matching guideline attached, and the reference style set.
- **Venue rules respected.** When a venue requires a reference style, such as IEEE, the style is set for you and the picker says why.
- **Your field first.** The picker starts in the field you chose when you signed up and lists the venues researchers in it use most.
- **A blank page is always there.** Start with a blank page whenever you prefer. Without a connection, that is the option offered, and you can apply a guideline once you are back online.