Those minimums apply at publication, not at first submission — but the file you create at the start is the file you will be asked for later, so it is cheaper to hit them now.
JAMA figure specifications at a glance
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Illustrations, photographs, clinical images | 350 ppi minimum |
| Line drawings | 600 ppi minimum |
| File size at initial submission | Generally no larger than 1 MB per figure |
| Graphs and charts, revision and publication | .ai, .emf, .eps, .pdf, .wmf, .xls |
| Photographs, revision and publication | .eps, .jpg, .psd, .tif |
| Colour mode | RGB (Adobe RGB or sRGB) for colour; RGB or greyscale for black-and-white |
| Composite images | Each component uploaded separately and individually at the minimum resolution |
| Labelled images | Two versions required — one with markers, one without |
| Prohibited chart types | Pie charts, 3-D graphs, stacked bar charts |
| Original Investigation limits | 3000 words, up to 5 tables and/or figures |
How wide can a figure be at JAMA?
Design main-article figures at the size they will actually print rather than at screen size. A figure drawn at roughly 3 to 5 inches wide, with text that still reads after reduction, will survive the production process — and because JAMA re-creates most graphs and charts in its own style, an oversized or cramped layout mostly costs you control over the result, not an outright rejection.
What's the minimum font size inside a figure?
Set figure text at a size that stays legible after the figure is reduced to a printed column, and keep every label as live, editable text rather than pixels baked into the image. That is what lets an editor restyle the labels instead of asking you to redraw the figure.
Which file formats and resolutions does JAMA accept?
Two different lists apply at two different moments.
.ai, .bmp, .docx, .emf, .eps, .jpg, .pdf, .ppt, .psd, .tif, .wmf and .xls..ai, .emf, .eps, .pdf, .wmf, .xls for graphs and charts, and .eps, .jpg, .psd, .tif for photographs and clinical images.Bring an existing figure up to 350 or 600 ppi
Resolution has to be there at creation. Rebuild the artwork rather than upsampling a raster export that JAMA will refuse.
Explore the ToolDoes JAMA require a graphical abstract?
No. JAMA does not ask authors to supply a graphical or visual abstract with the manuscript. Visual abstracts do exist for JAMA papers, but they are produced by the journal as part of its promotion of accepted articles, alongside issue podcasts and video interviews.
How many figures can you include?
The cap is set by article type, not by a journal-wide number:
| Article type | Tables and/or figures |
|---|---|
| Original Investigation | up to 5 tables and/or figures |
| Brief Report | up to 3 |
| Research Letter | up to 2 small items |
| Special Communication | up to 4 |
| Clinical Challenge | 1 to 2 small figures |
| Viewpoint | 1 small table or figure, and only if the text drops to 1000 words |
Primary outcome data must not be presented in figures alone — exact values with a measure of variability belong in the text or a table as well.
Online-only supplements and eFigures
.wmf and insert them into the supplement document; .jpg, .tif and .gif are described as generally unsuitable for graphs. Photographs and radiological images go in at 300 dpi and 3 to 5 inches wide.Word and page limits by article type
This is the table most JAMA searches are actually looking for.
| Article type | Main text | Tables/figures | References | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Investigation | 3000 words | ≤5 | — | Structured abstract, Key Points, data sharing statement |
| Brief Report | 1200 words | ≤3 | 15 | Structured abstract and Key Points required |
| Research Letter | 800 words | ≤2 small | ≤10 | No abstract, no Key Points |
| Special Communication | 3000 words | ≤4 | 50 | Requires a presubmission inquiry |
| Clinical Challenge | 250-word case + 500–600-word discussion | 1–2 small | ≤10 | Maximum 3 authors; patient permission required |
| Viewpoint | 1200 words, or 1000 words with one small table or figure | 1 small | ≤7 | Maximum 4 authors, 2 affiliations each |
| A Piece of My Mind | ≤1600 words | — | — | Maximum 3 authors |
| Letter to the Editor | 400 words | — | 5 | Within 4 weeks of the original article; maximum 3 authors |
Two things worth knowing before you choose:
Templates: LaTeX or Word?
JAMA does not publish a downloadable manuscript template in Word or LaTeX, and it does not require one. The formatting requirements are expressed as limits — word counts, display-item counts, type sizes, margins — rather than as a house style file you have to fill in.
Practically, that means a plain double-spaced Word document with the required sections, a title page, and figures either embedded at the end or uploaded separately is a complete, compliant initial submission. One template does exist but only appears later: a Nonauthor Collaborator Template, supplied with the request for revision for group-authored manuscripts.
Title page, cover letter, and related manuscripts
Include a cover letter with complete contact details for the corresponding author — affiliation, postal address, email, and telephone — and state whether the authors have published, posted, or submitted any related papers from the same study. That last clause is not boilerplate: preprints, companion papers, and prior conference reports all belong there.
Formatting quirks specific to JAMA
Four rules that other journals do not have, and that cost a revision cycle when missed:
- Two versions of every labelled image. Photographs, clinical images, photomicrographs and gels that carry labels, arrows, or markers must be submitted twice — one version with the markers, one without. The submission system has a slot for both.
- Your graphs will be redrawn. Graphs, charts, some illustrations, titles, legends and keys in accepted manuscripts are re-created and edited to JAMA Network style before publication. Supply the underlying data cleanly; do not invest in decorative styling that will be replaced.
- Composites are uploaded in pieces. Each component of a composite image must be uploaded separately and must individually meet the minimum resolution.
- Three chart types are simply out. Pie charts, 3-D graphs, and stacked bar charts are not accepted as statistical presentations and must be converted to another figure type or to a table.
Figure problems that trigger a revision request at JAMA
- Resolution raised after the fact — JAMA states that increasing resolution after creation "causes a breakdown of detail" and produces an unacceptable image.
- A statistical package's native file submitted as the figure, which the journal cannot use for publication.
- A labelled image supplied in only one version.
- Axis labels or units missing, error bars drawn in one direction only, or symbols and line styles left undefined in the legend.
- Selective adjustment of brightness, contrast, or colour applied to part of an image rather than uniformly to the whole, or elements moved, deleted, or inserted between images.
Rebuild a figure that came back for revision
Redraw to the published specification — resolution, formats, labels — instead of patching the file that was rejected.
Try FreeBuild a JAMA-ready figure
Work backwards from the two lists above: pick the figure type that describes your scientific figure, take its minimum resolution, and create at that resolution from the start. Keep every label editable so the production team can restyle rather than return it. Export graphs to vector, keep photographs at 350 ppi, and split composites into their components before you upload.
Does JAMA allow AI-generated figures?
Two things this policy does not restrict, and they cover most of what authors actually need:
- An existing figure that needs to be editable. Turning your own raster figure into editable vector layers is a presentation problem, not a generation one. Vector Canvas does that and exports layered SVG.
- An existing figure that needs to meet 350 or 600 ppi. Figure Enhancer refines the text, improves clarity, and upscales a figure you already made to 8K without starting over.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- JAMA — Instructions for Authors — article types, word and display-item limits, Table of Figure Requirements, image integrity and AI policy
- JAMA — For Authors / Why Publish in JAMA — acceptance rates and decision timelines
- JAMA Network — Access Resources — open access policy and article processing charges
