# PubArx LaTeX template A refined two-column LaTeX class for research preprints posted on [PubArx](https://pubarx.com). It gives you a full-width title block with ORCID-linked authors, a tinted abstract panel with keywords, optional highlights, colour-accented headings, booktabs tables, theorem environments, numbered natbib citations and complete PDF metadata for Google Scholar. Version 1.0 (29 October 2026). Licence: MIT No Attribution (see `LICENSE`). | File | What it is | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | `pubarx.cls` | The document class. You normally do not need to edit it. | | `main.tex` | A complete example paper that uses every feature. | | `references.bib` | The example bibliography (BibTeX). | | `README.md` | This guide. | | `LICENSE` | MIT No Attribution licence for the template files. | ## Quick start ### On Overleaf 1. Use **Open in Overleaf** on , or choose *New Project > Upload Project* in Overleaf and upload the zip file. 2. Check that *Menu > Compiler* is set to **pdfLaTeX** and that *Main document* is `main.tex`. 3. Press **Recompile**. Overleaf runs BibTeX and the extra LaTeX passes for you. ### On your own computer You need a TeX distribution from 2023 or later (TeX Live, MacTeX or MiKTeX). In the template folder, run: ```sh pdflatex main bibtex main pdflatex main pdflatex main ``` or simply `latexmk -pdf main`. Run LaTeX twice after BibTeX so that the citations, cross-references and the "Page X of Y" footer are all resolved. ## A minimal paper ```latex \documentclass[a4paper]{pubarx} \begin{document} \title[Short running title]{Full Title of Your Paper} \author[1]{Maryam Rahimi}\orcid{0000-0002-1825-0097} \corresponding{m.rahimi@northbridge.example} \author[1,2]{Daniel K. Okafor} \affiliation[1]{Department, University, City, Country} \affiliation[2]{Institute, City, Country} \keywords{first keyword, second keyword, third keyword} \begin{abstract} One paragraph that summarises the question, the method and the main result. \end{abstract} \maketitle \section{Introduction} Text with a citation~\citep{key}. \bibliographystyle{unsrtnat} \bibliography{references} \end{document} ``` Everything before `\maketitle` (title, authors, affiliations, keywords, abstract and highlights) is collected and typeset as one full-width block at the top of page 1. The same information is written into the PDF metadata. ## Class options Combine options with commas, for example `\documentclass[letterpaper,review]{pubarx}`. | Option | Effect | | ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `a4paper` (default) | A4 paper. | | `letterpaper` | US Letter paper. | | `twocolumn` (default) | Two columns, 10 pt body text. | | `onecolumn` | One column, 11 pt body text and wider margins. | | `10pt`, `11pt`, `12pt` | Override the body text size. | | `font=libertinus` (default) | Libertinus Serif, Sans and Math: elegant and very readable. | | `font=newtx` | Times-like text and maths (newtxtext and newtxmath). | | `font=lm` | Latin Modern, the classic LaTeX look; available everywhere. | | `libertinus`, `newtx`, `lm` | Short forms of the three `font=` options. | | `review` | Line numbers and 1.5 line spacing for reviewers. Combine with `onecolumn` for the most comfortable review copy. | | `columnrule` | A thin rule between the two columns. | | `nologo` | No PubArx band on page 1, e.g. for a journal submission. The status, identifier and licence move to a small line above the title. | | `notheorems` | Do not predefine theorem environments, so you can define your own. | Any other option, such as `draft`, `fleqn` or `leqno`, is passed on to the standard `article` class. If a requested font is not installed, the class falls back to the next one (Libertinus, then newtx, then Latin Modern) and says so in the log. ## Title-page commands Put these before `\maketitle`, in any order, except that `\orcid`, `\corresponding` and `\equalcontrib` must directly follow the `\author` they belong to. | Command | Example | Purpose | | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | | `\title[short]{full}` | `\title[Stable routing]{Stable Token ...}` | Paper title. The optional short title is used in the running head. | | `\author[labels]{name}` | `\author[1,2]{Daniel K. Okafor}` | One command per author, in order. Labels refer to affiliations. | | `\orcid{iD}` | `\orcid{0000-0002-1825-0097}` | Adds a linked ORCID icon after the author's name. | | `\corresponding{email}` | `\corresponding{m.rahimi@northbridge.example}` | Marks the author with * and lists the email below the affiliations. | | `\equalcontrib` | `\author{...}\equalcontrib` | Marks the author with a dagger and adds an equal-contribution note. | | `\affiliation[label]{text}` | `\affiliation[1]{Department, University, City, Country}` | One line per affiliation. Omit the label if there is only one. `\address` works too. | | `\keywords{a, b, c}` | `\keywords{sparse routing, load balancing}` | Comma-separated keywords, shown under the abstract and stored in the PDF. | | `\received{date}` | `\received{14 September 2026}` | Date line under the authors. Also `\revised`, `\accepted` and `\posted`. | | `\posted{date}` | `\posted{2 October 2026}` | When the preprint was posted. | | `\runningauthor{text}` | `\runningauthor{Rahimi, Okafor and Fischer}` | Footer text on pages after the first. | | `\pubarxid{identifier}` | `\pubarxid{2026.00042}` | Your PubArx identifier, shown in the band and the running head and linked to your paper page. Leave it out until PubArx has assigned one. | | `\pubarxversion{n}` | `\pubarxversion{2}` | Appends `v2` to the identifier. Has no effect without `\pubarxid`. | | `\pubarxstatus{text}` | `\pubarxstatus{Preprint -- not peer reviewed}` | Status shown in the band (this is the default). | | `\pubarxlicense{text}` | `\pubarxlicense{CC BY 4.0}` | Licence shown in the band and the first-page footer (default CC BY 4.0). | | `\pubarxsubject{text}` | `\pubarxsubject{Machine Learning}` | Subject line above the title, e.g. your primary PubArx subject; also stored in the PDF. | | `\thanks{text}` | `\title{... \thanks{Funded by ...}}` | A footnote on page 1, as in the standard classes. | Environments for the title block: ```latex \begin{abstract} ... \end{abstract} \begin{highlights} % optional: three to five short bullet points \item First key finding. \item Second key finding. \end{highlights} ``` ## In the body of the paper - **Headings:** `\section`, `\subsection`, `\subsubsection` and `\paragraph`. Use `\section*{...}` for unnumbered back-matter sections such as *Acknowledgements*, *Data availability*, *Author contributions* and *Competing interests*. After `\appendix`, sections are titled "Appendix A", "Appendix B" and so on. - **Theorems:** `theorem`, `lemma`, `proposition`, `corollary` and `conjecture` (italic text), `definition`, `example` and `assumption` (upright text) and `remark`. They share one counter. `proof` ends with a terracotta square; use `\qedhere` to place it on the last line of a display. Theorems you define with `\newtheorem` get the same style. - **Figures and tables:** use `figure` and `table` for one column and `figure*` and `table*` for the full page width. Put table captions above the table and figure captions below the figure. The class loads `booktabs`: use `\toprule`, `\midrule` and `\bottomrule` and no vertical lines. - **Lists:** `itemize` and `enumerate` are compact and use the PubArx colours. Customise them with `enumitem` options, e.g. `\begin{enumerate}[label=(\roman*)]`. - **Citations:** `\citep{key}` gives [1] and `\citet{key}` gives "Author et al. [1]". Several keys are sorted and compressed: [2-4, 7]. Use `\bibliographystyle{unsrtnat}` (numbered in order of citation) or `\bibliographystyle{plainnat}` (numbered alphabetically). DOIs become links. - **Colours:** `pubarxnavy`, `pubarxaccent` (terracotta), `pubarxaccentlight`, `pubarxmuted`, `pubarxrule`, `pubarxtint` and `pubarxwarm` are available for your own figures, e.g. `\draw[pubarxaccent]` in TikZ. ## Packages the class already loads `amsmath`, `amsthm`, `graphicx`, `xcolor` (with the `dvipsnames` and `table` options), `booktabs`, `caption`, `enumitem`, `titlesec`, `fancyhdr`, `lastpage`, `natbib` (`numbers`, `sort&compress`), `microtype`, `geometry`, `url`, `hyperref` and, when installed, `orcidlink`. With `review` it also loads `lineno`. - Do **not** load these again with different options; that causes an "Option clash" error. Change their settings with `\hypersetup{...}`, `\captionsetup{...}`, `\geometry{...}` or `\setlist{...}` instead. - To pass options to `xcolor` or `hyperref`, write `\PassOptionsToPackage{svgnames}{xcolor}` *before* `\documentclass`. - `amssymb` is not needed: the Libertinus and newtx maths fonts already contain its symbols, and `\usepackage{amssymb}` is accepted and ignored. If a rare symbol or alphabet (such as `\mathfrak`) is then undefined, use `font=lm`, which loads the original `amssymb`. - Load `cleveref`, if you use it, after `\documentclass` as usual; it then comes after `hyperref`, as it must. ## Getting indexed by Google Scholar Google Scholar reads the first page of your PDF and the metadata on your PubArx paper page. To be indexed quickly and correctly: - **Keep the title and all authors at the top of page 1**, in larger type than the body text. The class does this for you; do not add a separate cover page. - **Match the metadata exactly:** the title and author names in the PDF should be identical to those you enter when you submit to PubArx. - **Keep text as text.** Never flatten pages, equations or tables into images, and do not scan printed pages. Scholar must be able to select and search the words. - **Keep the file small:** under 5 MB if you can. Export photographs as JPEG at 300 dpi and charts as vector PDF. - **Embed all fonts.** pdfLaTeX does this automatically with the fonts used by this class; check under *File > Properties > Fonts* in your PDF viewer. - **Include a references section** with complete entries. Scholar uses it to link citations between papers. - **One paper per PDF.** Put supplementary material in a repository and cite it in the *Data availability* section. ## FAQ **I write in Word or Google Docs. Can I still use PubArx?** Yes. The template is a recommendation, not a requirement. Any PDF with selectable text, the title and authors on page 1, and a references section is accepted. You can also paste your text into the template on Overleaf, which needs no installation. **How do I keep the file size down?** Use vector graphics (PDF) for plots and diagrams, JPEG for photographs and avoid embedding images at a higher resolution than they are printed. Run `pdffonts main.pdf` to check that no bitmap (Type 3) fonts slipped in; they usually come from old packages or from figures with unusual fonts. **Which fonts does the template use, and can I change them?** Libertinus by default, or Times-like newtx with `font=newtx`, or Latin Modern with `font=lm`. All three are open-source, ship with TeX Live and Overleaf, and are embedded as Type 1 fonts, which is what printers and indexers expect. **Can I use a different bibliography style or biblatex?** Any natbib-compatible BibTeX style works, e.g. `plainnat`, `abbrvnat` or a style your target journal provides. If you prefer author-year citations, use `\setcitestyle{authoryear}` and a style such as `plainnat`. biblatex is not compatible with natbib; if you need it, use the `article` class instead. **How do I prepare a version for a journal?** Add `nologo` to remove the PubArx band, and `onecolumn,review` if the journal asks for a single-column manuscript with line numbers. Most journals accept preprints; check your journal's policy before posting. **I am coming from elsarticle. What changes?** `\author[1]{...}` and `\address[1]{...}` work as before (`\affiliation` is the preferred name). Replace `\begin{keyword} a \sep b \end{keyword}` with `\keywords{a, b}`, `\ead{...}` with `\corresponding{...}` and remove `\begin{frontmatter}` and `\end{frontmatter}`; `\maketitle` builds the title block. **Something does not compile. Where do I get help?** Make sure the compiler is pdfLaTeX and that you ran BibTeX. Read the first error in the log, not the last. If you think the class is at fault, tell us through and include the log file.