Submitting a paper to an unsuitable journal is a key cause of article rejection. When selecting a Science Research journal, take the time to review a journal’s aims and scope to confirm that it is suitable for your manuscript.

Points to consider:

What type of articles has the journal published previously?

As a reader, would you expect to see your article alongside the existing articles? Are they articles that you might have read during the course of your research?

Does the journal cover a wide range of topics or is it more focused?

For subject-specific journals, only relevant manuscripts will be considered for publication. If your article is cross-disciplinary or covers multiple topics, then a broader-scoped journal will be more suitable for publication of your article.

What is the impact of the journal?

The Impact Factor of a journal is a consideration for authors, but many journals without Impact Factors are also important. Some journals without Impact Factors are very popular with specific readers, or even with the general public. You may want to consider alternative statistical metrics, such as the google scholar index, in your decision making. Readership can also be an important indicator of impact, and many journals now publish article-level metrics, such as usage statistics.

How will readers discover your articles?

Consider where a journal is distributed and whether it is indexed in the services that you use to discover articles. Journals indexed in major databases such as google scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed are likely to receive more downloads and citations as a result of their improved discoverability.

What are the costs of publishing?

At present there is no fee for the submission and publication of articles. See our guide ‘What are Article Processing Charges?’ for more detail on how APCs are used at Science Research Journals.

Is the journal currently accepting submissions for a Special Issue?

Science Research Journals periodically publishes Special Issues of its journals. These focus on specific issues of contemporary importance to the journal’s audience. Special Issues are targeted, timely, and insightful collections, meaning that they are often very well received. Check the ‘Special Issues’ link on a journal’s page to see our current calls for papers. Once you’ve chosen a journal that meets your needs, you’re ready to begin the submission process. See ‘Ready to Submit?‘ for guidance on submitting your manuscript.