Finding an Appropriate Journal - Citation Analysis - LibGuides at Long Island University-Brooklyn

Source: http://liu.brooklyn.libguides.com/c.php?g=138192&p=903185

Factors to Consider in Determining Appropriateness of Journal

Your choice of journal for manuscript submission may depend on several factors:


Purpose of publishing

• What are the interests of my program/department?

• What is the desired current and future use of my research?

Visibility of the journal

• Is the journal indexed?

• What is its circulation?

• What is its frequency? How many issues are published per year?

• What is the journal's “prestige” or impact factor?

• Hint: look at the “About this journal” section of publisher’s website

Focus of the journal

• Know target audience of a journal

• Who publishes the journal?

• What associations or societies may this journal be affiliated with? Will my paper appeal to the membership?

• Which journals are my peers most likely to read? 

Responsiveness and feedback of journal

• Instructions for Authors readily accessible and comprehensive

• Journal describes the editorial process

• Electronic submission systems

• Where have my colleagues published and did they have positive experiences?

Journal styles and distribution

• Copyrights are a bundle of rights: Can I have a free reprint or electronic copy of my work? Can I share in classwork?

• Ensure maximum distribution and use of scholarly output

• Various publishing models: OA, traditional, hybrid, electronic/print, embargoes

• Various versions of output:  Epub, short, long, abstract, unedited online, author manuscript, etc.

Journal accessibility/Access for your target audience

• How does the publisher make journal accessible?  Print and/or electronically?

• Is content free (Open Access) or subscribed?

• Google Scholar – retrieves articles posted in repositories

• Various repositories to deposit your work (but publisher may permit only certain output styles)

Author costs

• Traditional vs. Open Access publishing models (Open Access may require that author pays a pub fee)

• Does my program/department have a policy on handling submission, acceptance, or processing fees for faculty?

• Author costs can be a deterrent to selecting a fee-charging journal

• Possible benefits of a fee-charging journal?  OA, immediacy, accessibility, author retention of copyright

Content  is adapted from the following article:


Thompson, P.J. (2007). How to choose the right journal for your manuscript. Chest, 132(3), 1073-6.


Finding an Appropriate Journal - Citation Analysis - LibGuides at Long Island University-Brooklyn