As you begin the search to identify journals for publication, some things to consider:
- Which journals do you cite regularly?
- Where are your colleagues or peers publishing?
- Consider the journals' prestige or reputation and what's important to you (impact factor, acceptance rate, etc).
- Do you want to to publish open access?
- Who is your audience: international, local, general, specific?
As you compile a list of potential journals to evaluate, you might consider the following to help narrow your choice:
- Read the journal's aims, audience, and scope
- Identify the types of articles accepted, including word counts
- Read the journal's peer review policy
- Read articles in the journal to asses quality
- Find the journal's turn-around time from submission to publication
- Look for journal metrics, like acceptance rate or impact factor
- What are the author rights? Do you retain the rights to your work?
- Does the journal charge an APC (article processing charge)?
