How to Choose a Journal for Your Article

After preparing a manuscript, your next step is to choose a journal for the publication of your research. Submitting a manuscript to an unsuitable journal is a common mistake, and can cause journal editors to reject the manuscript without even sending it for peer review. Choosing a journal that matches your study is thus very important because it helps the publication of your manuscript.

In this post, we will discuss the most important criteria in carefully choosing a reputable journal to submit an article.

Match between the topic of your article and the purpose and scope of the journal

The most common and at the same time avoidable reason for rejecting a journal is the mismatch between the manuscript and the aims and scope of the journal. First of all, determine if the topic of your article is relevant to the journal. Consider the type of research the journal focuses on. Journals are usually very specific about their subject area. In terms of subject matter, the journal may focus only on a specific aspect of the subject matter. Finally, make sure your target journal accepts the type of article you intend to submit. For example, if your article is a case study, check that the journal publishes case reports. Submitting to a journal that does not accept your article type will result in the rejection of your article.

Impact factor of the Journal

Quantitative criteria such as impact factor, journal rank, Article Influence Score, and h-Index are used to determine the impact of the journal. These are generally related to the citation rate for articles published in the journal. However, these values and absolute citation numbers are both verifiable.

Check the Journal Requirements and Distribution

Most journals have a specific style for the article. The article must comply with the requirements of the journal. The distribution (print / online) and the number of subscribers determine the accessibility of the journals. For free access, where the content is available to everyone, having an estimate of the normal number of readers helps. This means that your article reaches this number of people.

Collect Information about the Peer Review Process of the Journal

As an author, you should collect information about the peer review process for a particular journal, including review process, objectivity, and timeline from a variety of sources. You must know about the rejection rates of the journal submitting your manuscript to.

The Journal’s Target Audience

If you think that researchers in other fields will be interested in your study, a journal that covers a wide range of topics may be the best. On the other hand, if only researchers in your field would like to read your study, a specialized journal would be best. If your article is highly specialized or technical, you’ll do better to publish in a journal with a small but very specific target audience. Reaching the right readership can sometimes be more important than reaching a wide readership.

Careful selection of a journal for your manuscript submission can greatly reduce the rejection likelihood of your work. After making an initial decision about the journal, read the authors’ guidelines to discover the limitations imposed by the journal in terms of article format, number of words, citation styles, photo specifications, publication costs, and more. This will help you make a final decision.