How to choose the right journal for your manuscript
Many rejections happen before peer review because the journal was the wrong fit. A step-by-step approach to building a strong shortlist.
Choosing a journal is one of the most important decisions in publishing a study, and one of the most rushed. A large share of desk rejections come down to a poor match between the manuscript and the journal, not to the quality of the research.
Start with the readers
Ask who needs to read your findings. Specialists in a narrow field? General clinicians? Public health planners? The right journal is the one those readers already use. Look at where the key papers in your reference list were published; that is often the best starting point.
Read the aims and scope carefully
The scope statement tells you what the editors want. Then read several recent articles. If the journal has not published anything like your study in the last two years, it may not be a good fit, whatever the scope says.
Check indexing and visibility
Confirm where the journal is indexed, for example in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science or DOAJ, and check this on the database itself rather than relying on the journal’s website. Indexing affects how easily other researchers can find and cite your work.
Compare the practical details
- Access model: open access or subscription, and the licence used.
- Fees: any article processing charge, stated clearly before submission.
- Timelines: typical time to first decision and to publication.
- Article types and limits: word counts, number of figures and reference limits.
- Policies: preprints, data sharing and reporting guidelines.
Verify that the journal is legitimate
Predatory journals imitate real ones. Check that the editorial board is real, that peer review is described, that fees are transparent and that the journal is listed where it claims to be.
Build a shortlist of three
Rank three suitable journals before you submit to the first. If the manuscript is rejected, you can reformat and resubmit quickly instead of starting the search again.
Our journal selection service gives you a shortlist with the reasons for each choice. See author support.