Journal Selection
28 May 2019
Journal Selection
Selection of a journal remains a crucial step in publication planning. Searching and selecting a high-tier, peer-reviewed journal with a decent impact factor is required that can convey research work accurately to the right target audience in a timely manner.
One should select the journal based on the target of research area, i.e., if the article is focused on pre-clinical research work, the authors should search only pre-clinical journals and similarly if it is based on a clinical study, the authors should search only clinical journals so that manuscript falls under the scope of the journal and chances of acceptance are higher.
Important points for selection of journal
1. Journal list according to subject area: Authors should short-list journals which have published similar research articles and compare the quality of published research articles in the same therapeutic area to get an idea of the journal quality.
2. Journal selection tools: Authors can take help of journal selection tools to find journals that could be best suited for publishing their scientific article. Several journal selection tools are available freely such as Journal Author Name Estimator (JANE), Springer Journal Suggester, Elsevier® Journal Finder, Scimago Journal and Country rank. Few paid tools are also available i.e., PubSTRAT, DataVision, etc.
3. Indexation: After short-listing the journals, authors should evaluate the indexation preference whether the journal is indexed – indexation: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI/SCIE) Science Citation Index (SSCI), Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), PubMed central, Scopus, etc.
4. Aims and scopes: It is important for authors to check that the journal’s aims and scope should match with their research target, and the research objectives are fulfilled in the selected journal. The aims and scope are generally listed on the journal website under “Guide for Authors” or in “About us” sections.
5. Credentials of the journal and publisher: Effective and genuine journals place their detailed information such as editors and editorial board with contact numbers, peer-review, publication and submission charges, procedures, copyright and licensing form, and complete author instructions openly on their websites.
6. Quality of journal: Authors should check the journal quality based on the journal ranking from different sources; Scientific Journal Ranking https://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php is one such website.
7. Identify predatory journals: Several scholarly journals–known as predatory journal – published by predatory publishers – are very common these days. “Predatory” publishers, without meeting scholarly publishing standards, publish research in lieu of the financial profit they get via article processing charges or open access charges.
8. Author instructions: Authors should evaluate the detailed information such as open access process options, publication charges, journal readership, acceptance/rejection criteria and rates, and lead time for peer review process.
Once the target journal is shortlisted, it will allow the researchers to prepare their manuscript according to the journal’s guidelines, which will help in a smooth submission process.
References
1. How to choose journals for submitting your paper, https://www.editage.com/insights/how-to-choose-journals-for-submitting-your-paper
2. Tips for finding the right journal https://www.springeropen.com/get-published/find-the-right-journal
3. How do I choose a proper journal to publish my research paper? https://www.editage.com/insights/how-do-i-choose-a-proper-journal-to-publish-my-research-paper
4. How Do I Know If My Manuscript Matches a Journal’s Aim and Scope? https://wordvice.com/choosing-the-right-journal-scope-issues/
5. How do I know whether a publisher or journal is genuine when publishing my work? https://libanswers.brunel.ac.uk/faq/52606
6. Journal Quality List, https://harzing.com/resources/journal-quality-list
7. How to choose a journal, https://authors.bmj.com/before-you-submit/how-to-choose-a-journal/
8. How do I choose a proper journal to publish my research paper? https://www.editage.com/insights/how-do-i-choose-a-proper-journal-to-publish-my-research-paper