Choosing the right journal for publication is an important and challenging task for researchers. There are many factors to consider, such as the aim and scope, the impact factor, the indexing, the peer-review process, the publishing time, the acceptance rate, the reach, and the similarity of the journal to your research topic. Here are some steps to help you select the right journal for publication:
- First of all, list the available journals within your research field. This will give you an idea of the range of suitable options and, with further examination, learn more details concerning the adequacy of your paper to its scope and the fulfillment of your expectations regarding the journal’s profile (e.g. audience and/or rank).
- Read the journal’s aims and scope to make sure it is a match for your topic and type of article. Exemplary and remarkable research also can have the chance of rejection if the topic is not in line with the scope of the journal. In the homepage of all the journals, there is a section titled “About the journal” or something similar to that.
- Use journal metrics to understand the impact, audience and reach of a journal. You can use tools such as CiteScore metrics, Journal Citation Reports or Google Scholar Metrics. These tools can help you measure the journal citation impact, the number of citations, the h-index, the Eigenfactor score, the article influence score, the open access statistics, and other indicators of quality and reputation.
- Check whether you can submit an article – some journals are invitation-only. You can also check the journal’s submission guidelines, editorial policies, and ethical standards to make sure you comply with them.
- Look for journals that are indexed in reputable databases, such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, etc. Indexing means that the journal is recognized and trusted by the scientific community and that its articles are easily accessible and searchable.
- Choose journals that are peer-reviewed, which means that the articles are evaluated by experts in the field before publication. Peer-review ensures the quality, validity, and originality of the research.
- Consider the publishing time and the acceptance rate of the journal. Publishing time refers to the time between submission and publication, which can vary depending on the journal’s workflow, the number of submissions, the peer-review process, and the editorial decisions. Acceptance rate refers to the percentage of submitted articles that are accepted for publication, which can indicate the competitiveness and selectivity of the journal.
- Check the journals for any publication similar to your research article. This can help you identify the journals that are interested in your topic and that have a relevant audience for your research. You can use tools such as Manuscript Matcher or JournalFinder to match your paper to the most appropriate scientific journals in a few simple steps.
- Review the Think.Check.Submit. checklist for ways to identify trusted journals. This checklist can help you avoid predatory or low-quality journals that may charge fees, publish without peer-review, or make false claims about their impact or indexing.
