Export Academic Markdown to Journal-Ready Word

Section structure maps to journal template

Heading levels become Word styles the journal template can restyle in one step.

Markdown:
# Title
## Abstract
## 1. Introduction
## 2. Methods
### 2.1 Participants

In Word:
Heading 1: Title
Heading 2: Abstract / 1. Introduction / 2. Methods
Heading 3: 2.1 Participants
(Attach journal .dotx -> all sections restyle.)

Results table stays an editable Word table

A GFM table of results becomes a real Word table the copyeditor can adjust.

Markdown:
| Group   | n  | Mean | SD  |
|---------|----|------|-----|
| Control | 42 | 3.1  | 0.8 |
| Treated | 41 | 4.6  | 0.7 |

In the .docx:
[ Word table, bold header: Group | n | Mean | SD ]
Body cells plain text, 1pt borders.

Equations come through as raw source

Math is NOT rendered — plan to re-enter it with Word's equation editor.

Markdown:
The estimator is $\hat{\beta} = (X^TX)^{-1}X^Ty$.

In the .docx (literal text, dollar signs included):
The estimator is $\hat{\beta} = (X^TX)^{-1}X^Ty$.

Next step: retype in Word -> Insert -> Equation.

Figures need manual insertion

Figure references render as alt text; add the actual images in Word.

Markdown:
![Figure 1: Study flow diagram](flow.png)

In the .docx:
Figure 1: Study flow diagram   <- alt text only, no image

Next step: in Word, place cursor here -> Insert -> Pictures.

Clean the outline before converting

Shift headings so the manuscript starts at the level the template expects.

Workflow:
  1. md-heading-shifter (delta -1): demote a stray top H1
  2. md-to-docx: manuscript.md -> manuscript.docx
  3. Word: attach journal template, add figures + equations

Inline $x$ and block $$...$$ math are not rendered as equations — the dollar-delimited source passes through as plain text, including the dollar signs. Word's equation editor is not invoked. Normalize delimiters first with md-math-normalizer if you want a consistent source string, then re-key equations in Word's editor after conversion.

![alt](path.png) does not place a picture in the Word file. An inline image renders its alt text as plain text; a standalone image line renders as text too. No binary image data is fetched or embedded. After converting, insert images in Word via Insert → Pictures, or export your figures separately and add them where the alt text appears.

There is no footnote engine in this converter. Markdown footnote markers ([^1]) and their definitions are emitted as ordinary text in document order — they do not become Word's native footnotes at the bottom of the page. Convert footnote references to inline notes with md-footnote-linker first if you want predictable placement, then add Word footnotes manually if the recipient requires them.

The converter emits Word list paragraphs for top-level items only — bullets for -/* lists, decimal numbers for 1. lists. A nested list under an item is folded into that item's text run rather than written as an indented Word sub-level. The bullet/number markers still read clearly, but you won't get true multi-level outline numbering automatically. If you need precise sub-level numbering, flatten the list to one level in Markdown first, or apply Word's list styles after opening the file.

GFM tables convert to real Word tables with a bold header row and 1pt borders, but cell contents are written as plain text. **bold**, [links](url), and ` code ` inside a cell keep their literal Markdown characters rather than becoming formatted runs. Keep table cells to plain values; put rich formatting in the surrounding body paragraphs, or style the cells in Word afterward.

md-to-docx takes a single Markdown source — paste it or upload one .md/.markdown/.mdx/.txt file. It does not merge multiple files into one Word document. To assemble several Markdown sections into one document, combine them first with md-merger, then run the merged file through md-to-docx.

A --- delimited YAML frontmatter block at the top of the file is not stripped for this converter — marked sees the opening --- as a horizontal rule and the key/value lines as a paragraph, so your metadata can appear as visible text plus a divider line in the Word output. Remove frontmatter before converting, or build/clean it with md-frontmatter-builder and delete it before export.

Markdown allows ####### (seven hashes) but Word only has Heading 1 through Heading 6. Any heading deeper than six maps to Heading 6 rather than being dropped. If your document relies on a seventh level, restructure the outline or shift it up with md-heading-shifter before converting so the hierarchy reads correctly in Word's Navigation Pane.

Pandoc-style citation keys ([@smith2024]) are not resolved into formatted citations — they appear verbatim as text. md-to-docx has no bibliography processor. If you need formatted citations, process the bibliography in your Pandoc/CSL pipeline before converting, or apply the journal's citation style in Word afterward.