How to choose a journal for your paper On Time Publication Editorial Team Read the full, updated guide: https://www.ontimepublication.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-journal.html
In short: Start with your requirements (index, deadline, budget, open access rules), then build a long list from your own reference list, colleagues and publisher journal finders. Keep only journals whose aims, scope and recent articles match your study. Confirm indexing and legitimacy with official sources, compare fees, review model and timelines, and rank three journals you will try one at a time.
Why the journal choice matters Taylor & Francis says the top reason editors give for rejecting articles is that authors submitted to the wrong journal (Choosing a journal). The same guidance suggests choosing the journal before you start writing, so you can build on research the journal has already published and meet its article formats and word limits. This guide explains how to choose a journal yourself. For the whole process, from your rules to the proofs, see how to publish a research paper. If you would rather have a verified shortlist prepared for you, see our journal submission support service.
Step 1: Write down your non-negotiables Before you look at any journal, note the rules you must meet. If you skip this step, an accepted paper may not count for your purpose. Index or list required by your university, ministry or funder, for example Scopus, the Web of Science Core Collection (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI) or PubMed/MEDLINE. Our guide SCI vs SCIE vs ESCI vs Scopus explains the labels. Quartile or impact rule, if any, and which list it refers to (for example Journal Citation Reports or SJR). JCR gives no JIF quartiles for arts and humanities categories. Deadline, for example a promotion file, graduation or grant report. Budget for article processing charges (APCs), and whether your institution or funder has an open access agreement or mandate. Article type you have: original research, review, case report, short communication and so on.
Step 2: Build a long list Aim for 8 to 15 candidate journals. Good places to look: Your own reference list. Journals you cite most often usually publish work close to yours. Colleagues, supervisors and librarians. Ask which journals they read and trust, and where they have had a fair review. Publisher journal finders. You paste your title and abstract (or keywords) and the tool suggests matching journals. Tool
What it shows
Elsevier Journal
Suggests Elsevier journals that match your abstract or keywords, ranked
Finder
by relevance (Elsevier support).
Springer Nature
Suggests Springer Nature journals and shows metrics such as impact
Journal Finder
factor and median time from submission to first decision (Springer Nature support).
Wiley Journal Finder
Lets you search and filter Wiley journals, with abstract matching.
Taylor & Francis
Paste an abstract or keywords to see suggested Taylor & Francis journals
Journal Suggester
with citation and speed metrics.
Limitation: each publisher tool only suggests that publisher's own journals. Use more than one tool, and treat every suggestion as a starting point, not a decision.
Step 3: Check scope, readers and article type For each journal on your long list: 1. Read the aims and scope page. Does it name your topic, methods or field? 2. Look at recent issues. If the journal has not published anything like your study in the last year or two, the fit is probably weak, whatever the scope page says. 3. Check the article types and limits in the author guidelines: word count, number of figures and tables, abstract format and reference style. 4. Think about the readers: a specialist journal may reach the right people better than a broad one.
Step 4: Confirm indexing and legitimacy Never rely on a journal's own "indexed in" badge. Search the journal's ISSN in two free tools, Scopus Sources and Clarivate's Master Journal List, and make sure the website is the real journal, not a hijacked copy. Our guide how to check if a journal is really indexed walks through each check. Then run the Think. Check. Submit. checklist. It asks, for example, whether the publisher is easy to identify and contact, whether the type of peer review is clear,
whether fees are explained, and whether the journal avoids promising acceptance or a very short review time. For open access journals, a listing in the DOAJ is a useful extra signal. Be careful with third parties, too. Taylor & Francis warns that some submitting agents falsely claim its journals only accept submissions through agents, and that some authors have received fake submission IDs or acceptance letters (fraudulent submissions). You can always submit directly through the journal's own website.
Step 5: Compare the practical details Factor
Where to find it
Why it matters
Fees and open
Journal's "publication
APCs vary widely. Check whether an
access
charges" or "open access"
institutional agreement or a waiver applies.
page Peer review
Author guidelines or "about
Single-anonymous, double-anonymous or open
model
the journal"
review can affect how you prepare files.
Time to first
Journal homepage metrics or
Published figures are averages or medians, not
decision
publisher finder tools
promises. Leave a margin before any deadline.
Prior
Guide for authors
Matters if your work is in a preprint, a
publication
conference abstract or a thesis.
policy
Step 6: Rank a shortlist of three Put your remaining journals in order: an ambitious first choice, a realistic second and a dependable third. Submit to one at a time. The ICMJE says authors should not submit the same manuscript, in the same or different languages, simultaneously to more than one journal (ICMJE overlapping publications). If the first journal declines, use any reviewer comments to improve the paper before you reformat it. Our guide on how to respond to reviewer comments can help if you are asked to revise.
Common mistakes Choosing on impact factor alone, without checking scope fit. Accepting an unsolicited email invitation without checking the journal independently. Submitting an article type the journal does not publish, or ignoring its word limit. Sending the paper to several journals at once.
When to ask for help If you are short of time, our journal submission support is the next step. Your paper is matched to an editor in your field. Our team of qualified researchers and subjectspecialist editors with publishing experience prepares a shortlist with each journal's Scopus and Web of Science evidence, checked on the day. You choose the journal. You can submit yourself, or we can submit for you with the explicit authorisation of the corresponding author. We can also provide manuscript editing before submission. Acceptance is always decided by the journal's editors and peer reviewers. Independence: On Time Publication is not affiliated with Elsevier/Scopus, Clarivate/Web of Science, COPE, the ICMJE or any journal or publisher named on this page. We link to their public guidance so you can check it yourself.
Frequently asked questions How do I choose the right journal for my paper? List your requirements first (index, deadline, budget, article type). Build a long list from your references, colleagues and publisher journal finders, keep journals whose scope and recent articles match your study, verify indexing and legitimacy, compare fees and timelines, and rank three journals to try one at a time.
Are journal finder tools reliable? They are a useful starting point. Each publisher tool suggests only that publisher's own journals, so use more than one and check every suggestion yourself, including scope, indexing and fees.
Should I choose a journal by impact factor? Impact factor is one factor, not the main one. Scope fit, article type, your institution's rules and the journal's legitimacy usually matter more. A paper that does not fit the scope is often returned without review.
Can I submit my paper to more than one journal at the same time? No. The ICMJE says authors should not submit the same manuscript, in the same or different languages, simultaneously to more than one journal. Submit to one journal and wait for its decision.
How do I know if a journal is legitimate? Check its ISSN in Scopus Sources and the Master Journal List, make sure the website belongs to the real publisher, and work through the Think. Check. Submit. checklist. Promises of acceptance or very fast review are warning signs.
Should I choose the journal before I write the paper? Ideally, yes. Taylor and Francis suggests choosing the journal before you start writing, so you can build on research it has already published and meet its article formats and word limits.
Do I need an agent to submit to a journal? No. You can always submit directly through the journal's own website. Taylor and Francis warns that some agents falsely claim its journals only accept submissions through agents. If anyone submits for you, it should be with your explicit authorisation, and you should be able to see the submission in the journal's system.
Sources and further reading We link to official sources so you can check the rules yourself. Always follow your target journal's and institution's current instructions. Choosing a journal (Taylor & Francis Author Services) Elsevier Journal Finder How can I find the right journal for my paper in Journal Finder? (Elsevier support) Springer Nature Journal Finder Find the right journal for your manuscript (Springer Nature support) Wiley Journal Finder Taylor & Francis Journal Suggester Scopus Sources (free source title search), Elsevier Master Journal List, Clarivate Think. Check. Submit. journal checklist Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) Fraudulent submissions and acceptances (Taylor & Francis Author Services) ICMJE: Overlapping publications (duplicate submission, prior publication, preprints)
Related guides and services Check Scopus & WoS indexing Verify a journal before you submit. Read more →
Journal submission support A verified shortlist, then submission. Read more →
How to respond to reviewer comments Point-by-point response letters. Read more →
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