The document provides guidance on factors to consider when choosing a journal to publish research, such as the intended audience, journal submission process, funder requirements, metrics, personal experience, and customer service experience. It advises writing the article first before selecting the most suitable journal, and notes that submitting to multiple journals simultaneously is unacceptable. Tools are recommended to help identify reputable journals and avoid predatory publishers that do not provide proper peer review or indexing.

1. Choosing
the right
journal to
publish in

2. What we’ll cover:-
• What to consider when choosing a
journal
• Tools to help you choose
• Where NOT to publish

3. When writing an article, should you:
a.Write your article with a specific journal
already in mind?
b.Write your article and then find the journal
that you think is most suitable?

4. Can you submit your paper to more than
one journal at the same time?
a.Yes, it can take a long time to receive an
answer so you should submit your paper
to several journals.
b.No, you should only send your paper to
one journal and wait for their response.

5. What to consider when choosing
a journal:-
• Audience
• Journal submission process
• Institutional and funder requirements
• Metrics
• Your own experience and network
• Customer experience

6. Audience
Think about who the
intended audience is
for your paper:
• Researchers in your
own discipline
• Researchers outside
of your discipline
• Practitioners
• Members of the
public

7. Journal submission process
Before choosing a journal, make sure the
submission process suits your requirements:
• Timing
• Type of peer review
• Fees

8. Institution and funder
requirements
Most institutions and funders have requirements around
publishing that you should comply with. These could
include:
• Open Access policies
• Data policies
• Policies around on specific types of journals
• Fees
Funders can apply sanctions if you do not comply with their
policies. These can include withholding grant payments or
refusing to allow you to apply for future funding.

9. Your own experiences and your
network
Your own experiences and that of your network are
valuable. Think about:
• Which journals to you frequently consult?
• Which journals do you often cite?
• Where do your colleagues publish?

10. Metrics
Many researchers focus on metrics to choose a
journal. Metrics can be useful but you should use
them with care!
• Metrics like the journal impact factor can be
manipulated, and are often skewed by a small
number of highly cited papers
• Some metrics are based on the “perceived
prestige” of a journal which may not relate to the
number of citations
• Always compare like with like, don’t mix and
match metrics

11. “Customer” experience
Remember, you are often handing over your
research to a publisher for free, or paying them to
publish your paper. You should ensure you get good
customer service and if not, go somewhere else!
• Do they reply to emails promptly?
• Do they tell you about any applicable fees upfront?
• Is the submission process clear?
• Are they indexed in relevant databases?
• Are papers easy to access on their website?

12. Where NOT to publish
• Recent years have seen a huge increase in
“predatory” or “deceptive” publishers
• They prey on researchers wanting to publish
quickly
• They charge high fees but don’t deliver the
service they promise
• No, or very little peer review or editing
• Not indexed in academic databases so not
easily discoverable

14. THINK CHECK SUBMIT
• Helps researchers identify trusted journals
and publishers for their research.
• Checklists to help you decide whether the
journal or publisher is trustworthy.
• Available for journals, books and chapters.
https://thinkchecksubmit.org/

16. Four useful tools
1. Publisher journal finder tools – check the
publisher’s website
2. DOAJ: https://doaj.org/
3. Sherpa Romeo: https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/
4. Scopus “Sources” – access via the library
homepage

17. Sarah Roughley Barake
Scholarly Communications Librarian
sarah13@liverpool.ac.uk
Contactable on Microsoft Teams chat