The process of selecting the appropriate journal has become increasingly complex due to the proliferation of journals, areas of specialization, and emergence of interdisciplinary topics. Authors have to optimize between many criteria or constraints before reaching a decision about where to publish. You have already about the selection criteria of the journals in details in the previous articles. In case you are in a hurry, go through the following checklist to get the general tips for journal selection.
Quick Tips for Journal Selection
Make a List of the Journals Available
It is essential to obtain reasonably comprehensive knowledge about available journals in the given subject area. Consulting your peers, searching through online listings, and checking with professional associations can help us get a list of the journals.
Determine the Impact of the Journal
Quantitative measures such as the Impact Factor, Journal Rank, Article Influence, and h-Index are used to determine the impact of the journal. These are generally linked to the citation rate for articles published in the journal; however, these values and the absolute numbers of citations can both be scrutinized.
Make Sure the Journal Scope and Policies match your Needs
The subject areas covered and the types of articles published should be ascertained. This will contribute towards addressing the suitable target audience. Further, you should go through the editorial policies and practices of the journal. This would help to anticipate any situations that may emerge during the submission and peer review process.
Check the Journal Requirements and Distribution
Most journals have a certain style for the article. The article must be consistent with the requirements of the journal. The mode of distribution (print/online) and number of subscribers determine the reach of the journal. For open access, where the content is available to all, having an estimate of the typical number of readers helps. This would mean that your article would reach that many number of people.
Collect Information about the Journal’s Peer Review Process
Information about the peer review process for the specific journal, including stature of reviewers, objectivity, and timelines, should also be gleaned from a variety of sources. Actual values or estimates of rejection rates should be obtained.
Check the “Instructions for Authors” thoroughly
The “Instruction for Authors” has certain additional information for the authors that one must keep in mind before submitting the manuscript. For example, topics that are welcome, discouraged, page limit etc. may be mentioned here, that are important for the authors. Therefore, this list must be thoroughly checked.
Now that you have gone through the checklist, you can make the selection of the best possible journal for your manuscript. So get going!
What are the points you keep in mind while selecting a journal? Are there any that have not been mentioned above? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
