Choosing the right journal
Choosing the right journal
Author Resources > Choosing a data repository > Choosing the right journal
There is a lot to consider when deciding where to submit your work. Learn how to choose a journal that will help your study reach its audience, while reflecting on your values as a researcher.
Why journal selection matters
Choose a journal that aligns with your research goals, audience, and values. The right fit boosts visibility, citations, and impact. For some studies, a niche journal works best; for others, broader reach is key.
Submitting to journals where your work has a fair chance of acceptance saves time and speeds up publication. While rejections are normal, targeting the right journals reduces resubmissions and gets your research out sooner.
Follow these tips to determine which journals are best suited to your needs:
How to determine what you need from a journal
Start by thinking about your research and how it might best reach its intended readers. Consider your values and expectations.
Take a moment to answer the following questions:
- What is the topic of your study?
- Is your article specialized or interdisciplinary?
- Is your article an incremental finding, or a big breakthrough?
- Who is your audience? Does your article have a broad potential readership, or will it be of interest only to experts in a narrow area of study? How will readers discover your study?
- Does your funding come with any special requirements for publication (for example, some funders may stipulate that you publish the work under an Open Access license)
- How do you plan to share your study? Is it a priority to you to post a preprint, or publish your peer reviews
- Does the journal uphold the highest values of ethics and integrity? Are you prepared to meet journal requirements for licensing, publishing data, and ethical disclosures?
- What is your publishing budget?
How to identify suitable journals
Even if you have favorite journals, it is worth revisiting the publishing landscape. Journals evolve, scopes shift, and new titles emerge—staying updated helps you find the best fit for your work.
Here are some easy ways to discover new publishing opportunities:
Online search
For a look at journals on the rise in your field, try searching for related articles published in the past 1-2 years. To find journals that expand into your field, search Call for Papers in your subject area. Review the publisher’s website to learn more about how your article will fit into the journal. (Journal blogs can also be a very valuable source of information).
Word of mouth
Check in with colleagues, labmates, mentors or collaborators. What are the exciting journals in your discipline?
Journal finding tools
Many websites track journal metrics and performance, including factors like speed, acceptance rate, and compliance with open science policies. Check out Think. Check. Submit. to help guide and support our authors we include metrics on all our journals.
- What topics are within the journal’s scope?
- Who serves on the editorial board?
- Is the journal indexed in databases that are standard in your field?
- Does the journal uphold the highest values of ethics and integrity?
- Will the journal provide article-level metrics, so you can track the impact of your study?
- Does the journal charge an article processing charge (APC), and how much is it? Are your publication fees covered by a regional fee structure or an institutional partnership agreement?
- Are there any additional fees (for example, for color figures or extra pages)?
- Does the journal offer the type of article you have written? For example, do they publish meta-analyses, negative results, review articles, or protocols?
How to avoid predatory journals
Predatory journals accept articles for monetary gain and do not offer a robust peer review process. Spotting predatory journals can be difficult, but there are some ground rules to help you get started. We suggest you consider the following when selecting a journal:
- Is the peer review process clearly described?
- Is the editorial board listed?
- Is the journal indexed in databases like PubMed or Web of Science?
Choosing the right journal
Things to consider
- Take the time to investigate options that may be new to you
- Choose your first and second choice journals with care, taking the needs of your readers and funders for this specific study into account
- Take into account the type of article you have written, and the journal scope and requirements
- Watch out for predatory journals that charge fees without reliable peer review
- Discuss your needs and priorities with your coauthors and achieve consensus about your submission choice
Things to avoid
- Submitting the same study to more than one journal at the same time
- Submitting to journals that do not publish your type of study or article
- Just submit to the most prestigious journals in order (e.g. top general science journals, top journals in discipline, others)
Final thoughts
Whether you are a researcher looking to get published for the first time or you are a published author, selecting the right journal for your needs can be tricky. Yet, choosing the right journal for your publication is a critical step that requires careful consideration and research. Follow our guidance to identify and avoid predatory publishers and make an informed decision that aligns with your research goals. This will help ensure a smooth and successful publication process.
Next: Writing your manuscript
How to write a methods section
How to report statistics for a journal article
How to write effective discussions and conclusions
