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							<p>In many fields, publication in a professional journal is the main form of scholarly publication. It is generally recognised that authors "should not submit the same manuscript, in the same or different languages, simultaneously to more than one journal" (ICMJE, 2018a). It is, therefore, important to select the right journal when you submit, if for no other reason than to avoid slowing down the publication process. If your chosen journal rejects your submission, you will have to begin the process again.</p>
							<p>To familiarise yourself with some of the key terms associated with journal selection, see the "Additional information" pod.</p>
							
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								<pod-heading>Additional information</pod-heading> <!-- pod title -->
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								<pod-modal-heading>Additional information</pod-modal-heading>
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										<p>The following are basic definitions of some key terms associated with journal selection:</p>
										<p><strong>Peer-reviewed journals:</strong> Journals that follow established guidelines for the review and publication of scholarly articles.</p>
										<p><strong>Open-access journals:</strong> Journals that can be read by anyone and do not require a subscription.</p>
										<p><strong>Subscription journals:</strong> Journals that make articles available only to individuals or institutions that pay for a subscription (such articles are sometimes referred to as being 'behind a paywall').</p>
										<p><strong>Predatory/pseudo journals:</strong> For-profit journals that charge authors for their publication services but do not provide proper peer review and editorial oversight.</p>
										<p><strong>Journal rankings:</strong> Measures used to rank journals according to their impact and quality. Journal editors in particular consider rankings very important, as they are a useful tool to advertise the supposed 'quality' of a journal. However, journal rankings do not always equate with the reputation of journals within research fields. They can also sometimes be quite misleading and even manipulated. Before choosing a journal, it is best to:</p>
										<ol>
											<li>Consider which journals most of the important papers you reference are published in</li>
											<li>Talk to colleagues and peers as to which journals they think are most appropriate for your work</li>
											<li>Consider databases like <a href="https://www.scopus.com/" target="_blank">Scopus</a>, which provide tools for ranking journals in various ways.</li>
										</ol>
										<p><strong>Impact Factor:</strong> A measure of the frequency with which a journal is cited in a particular period. If considered with care alongside other metrics, it can be used to rank or approximate the relative importance of journals.</p>
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							<h3>Journal options</h3>
							
							<p>In most fields of research, there are many factors to consider. These include:</p>

							<ul>
								<li>The type of journal (e.g. <glossary content="Subject-specific journals that usually focus on primary research papers.">specialist</glossary>, <glossary content="Journals that focus mostly on publishing secondary reviews of scholarly literature.">review</glossary>)</li>
								<li>The reputation of the journal</li>
								<li>Your publication goals </li>
								<li>The audience you would like to address.</li>
							</ul>

							<p>In the last decade, arguments for choosing journals that make research papers (or even the original data) freely available (called open-access journals) have become increasingly prevalent, especially for research that received public funding.</p>
							
							<instructional-text><p>To further contemplate the different factors that need to be considered when deciding on a journal, answer the questions set out in the activity below and read our feedback.</p></instructional-text>
							<instructional-text-accessible><p>To further contemplate the different factors that need to be considered when deciding on a journal, work through the following questions and then consider our feedback.</p></instructional-text-accessible>
							
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								<!-- question 1 -->
								<action-panel panel="0">
									<action-question><p>Is it important to publish in a peer-reviewed journal?</p></action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>Yes, it's very important</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>No, it's most important to just get published</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- feedback 1 -->
								<action-panel panel="1">
									<action-question>
										<p>Peer-reviewed journals base publication decisions on reviews provided by experienced researchers in the same field of research (peers). The review process is important as it confirms that your publication meets the professional standards of your field of research.
										<br><br>Hiring, promotion and grant review committees will rely on peer-reviewed publications when evaluating your abilities as a researcher.</p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link class="short" goto-panel="2"><p>Next</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 2 -->
								<action-panel panel="2">
									<action-question>
										<p>Does the journal need to have a high Impact Factor?</p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>Yes, it's very important</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>No, that's not a big factor</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- feedback 2 -->
								<action-panel panel="3">
									<action-question>
										<p>A journal's Impact Factor is a measure of how often the articles in that journal are cited in other journals. High citation rates are assumed to reflect interest in the articles in that journal and, by implication, the importance or ranking of the journal. However, journal ranking does not always equate with the quality or reputation of journals within research fields. Impact Factors can sometimes be misleading, given the variety of influences on citation rates, or even intentionally manipulated.
										<br><br>On account of this, a journal's Impact Factor should only ever be considered alongside measures of journal article quality (e.g. peer review).</p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link class="short" goto-panel="4"><p>Next</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 3 -->
								<action-panel panel="4">
									<action-question><p>Is it important that the journal provides open access to its publications?</p></action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="5"><p>Yes, it's very important</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="5"><p>No, that's not a big factor</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- feedback 3 -->
								<action-panel panel="5">
									<action-question>
										<p>Open-access journals make the articles they publish available to everyone (also known as 'gold' open access). Increasingly, funding agencies and public pressure groups require publication in open-access journals.
										<br><br>As a responsible researcher, you might want to make sure your work is easily available to the public. When making a decision in relation to this, it is helpful to realise that many subscription journals still allow authors to publish a version of their article in an open-access repository (albeit with certain restrictions attached).</p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link class="short" goto-panel="6"><p>Next</p></action-link>
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								<!-- question 4 -->
								<action-panel panel="6">
									<action-question><p>Does the journal need to be clearly tied to my particular field of research?</p></action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>The journal must be dedicated to my field of research</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>It's okay if the journal isn't directly tied to my field of research</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- feedback 4 -->
								<action-panel panel="7">
									<action-question>
										<p>Some journals limit the articles they publish to a specific type of research or research methodology, while others seek to bring together different perspectives and approaches for a specific purpose.
										<br><br>If you are trying to break into a field as a new researcher, you might be best off choosing the journal that is most commonly read by the colleagues with whom you would like to work.</p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link class="short" goto-panel="8"><p>Next</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 5 -->
								<action-panel panel="8">
									<action-question><p>Is it acceptable to pay a fee to get my article published?</p></action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="9"><p>It's fine and an accepted practice</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="9"><p>It's unacceptable and you shouldn't be asked to pay any fees</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- feedback 5 -->
								<action-panel panel="9">
									<action-question>
										<p>Traditionally, journals have recovered costs by charging readers a subscription fee, but increasingly (often in response to pressure to become open access) many journals now recoup costs by charging authors a submission fee. Publication fees are generally more common in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.
										<br><br>If publication fees are common in your field of research, there may be ways of getting the fees waived, reduced or covered by grant funding. </p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link class="short" goto-panel="10"><p>Next</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 6 -->
								<action-panel panel="10">
									<action-question><p>Is it acceptable to publish in a predatory/pseudo journal?</p></action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="11"><p>A publication is a publication. The reputation of the journal does not matter</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="11"><p>If I intend to list an article as a scholarly publication, I should avoid publishing in what are known as predatory/pseudo journals</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- feedback 6 -->
								<action-panel panel="11">
									<action-question>
										<p>Predatory journals are primarily in business to make money. They usually send unsolicited emails encouraging researchers to submit a paper. They provide little or no peer review, and will publish any manuscript as long as a fee is paid.
										<br><br>Publishing in predatory journals is unlikely to advance your career and could get you into trouble if you list such a publication as peer reviewed when it was not. Publishing in predatory journals also allows them to stay in business, which is harmful to scholarly research in the long run.</p>
									</action-question>
								</action-panel>
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								<h4>Question 1:</h4>
								<p>Is it important to publish in a peer-reviewed journal?</p>
								<ul>
									<li>Yes, it's very important <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 1]</strong></li>
									<li>No, it's most important to just get published <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 1]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback 1:</h4>
								<p>Peer-reviewed journals base publication decisions on reviews provided by experienced researchers in the same field of research (peers). The review process is important as it confirms that your publication meets the professional standards of your field of research.</p>
								<p>Hiring, promotion and grant review committees will rely on peer-reviewed publications when evaluating your abilities as a researcher. <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 2:</h4>
								<p>Does the journal need to have a high Impact Factor?</p>
								<ul>
									<li>Yes, it's very important <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 2]</strong></li>
									<li>No, that's not a big factor <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 2]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback 2:</h4>
								<p>A journal's Impact Factor is a measure of how often the articles in that journal are cited in other journals. High citation rates are assumed to reflect interest in the articles in that journal and, by implication, the importance or ranking of the journal. However, journal ranking does not always equate with the quality or reputation of journals within research fields. Impact Factors can sometimes be misleading, given the variety of influences on citation rates, or even intentionally manipulated.</p>
								<p>On account of this, a journal's Impact Factor should only ever be considered alongside measures of journal article quality (e.g. peer review). <strong>[Proceed to Question 3]</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 3:</h4>
								<p>Is it important that the journal provides open access to its publications?</p>
								<ul>
									<li>Yes, it's very important <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 3]</strong></li>
									<li>No, that's not a big factor <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 3]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback 3:</h4>
								<p>Open-access journals make the articles they publish available to everyone (also known as 'gold' open access). Increasingly, funding agencies and public pressure groups require publication in open-access journals.</p>
								<p>As a responsible researcher, you might want to make sure your work is easily available to the public. When making a decision in relation to this, it is helpful to realise that many subscription journals still allow authors to publish a version of their article in an open-access repository (albeit with certain restrictions attached). <strong>[Proceed to Question 4]</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 4:</h4>
								<p>Does the journal need to be clearly tied to my particular field of research?</p>
								<ul>
									<li>The journal must be dedicated to my field of research <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 4]</strong></li>
									<li>It's okay if the journal isn't directly tied to my field of research <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 4]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback 4:</h4>
								<p>Some journals limit the articles they publish to a specific type of research or research methodology, while others seek to bring together different perspectives and approaches for a specific purpose.</p>
								<p>If you are trying to break into a field as a new researcher, you might be best off choosing the journal that is most commonly read by the colleagues with whom you would like to work. <strong>[Proceed to Question 5]</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 5:</h4>
								<p>Is it acceptable to pay a fee to get my article published?</p>
								<ul>
									<li>It's fine and an accepted practice <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 5]</strong></li>
									<li>It's unacceptable and you shouldn't be asked to pay any fees <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 5]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback 5:</h4>
								<p>Traditionally, journals have recovered costs by charging readers a subscription fee, but increasingly (often in response to pressure to become open access) many journals now recoup costs by charging authors a submission fee. Publication fees are generally more common in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.</p>
								<p>If publication fees are common in your field of research, there may be ways of getting the fees waived, reduced or covered by grant funding. <strong>[Proceed to Question 6]</strong></p>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 6:</h4>
								<p>Is it acceptable to publish in a predatory/pseudo journal?</p>
								<ul>
									<li>A publication is a publication. The reputation of the journal does not matter <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 6]</strong></li>
									<li>If I intend to list an article as a scholarly publication, I should avoid publishing in what are known as predatory/pseudo journals <strong>[Proceed to Feedback 6]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<h4>Feedback 6:</h4>
								<p>Predatory journals are primarily in business to make money. They usually send unsolicited emails encouraging researchers to submit a paper. They provide little or no peer review, and will publish any manuscript as long as a fee is paid.</p>
								<p>Publishing in predatory journals is unlikely to advance your career and could get you into trouble if you list such a publication as peer reviewed when it was not. Publishing in predatory journals also allows them to stay in business, which is harmful to scholarly research in the long run.</p>
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							<p>Selecting the right journals to publish in is not easy, particularly given the increase in the number of predatory journals. The best thing is to seek advice from more senior colleagues, but there are useful online resources that can help (see the "Useful links" pod). Before making any decisions, you should make sure you are not inadvertently submitting to a disreputable journal.</p>

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								<pod-heading>Useful links</pod-heading> <!-- pod title -->
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								<pod-modal-heading>Useful links</pod-modal-heading>
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										<p><a href="http://thinkchecksubmit.org/" target="_blank">Think. Check. Submit</a> &ndash; a helpful checklist to follow when making decisions on where to publish</p>
										<p><a href="https://doaj.org/" target="_blank">Directory of Open Access Journals</a> &ndash; an index of high-quality, open-access, peer-reviewed journals</p>
										<p><a href="https://oaspa.org/" target="_blank">Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association</a> &ndash; a variety of resources on open-access publication</p>
										<p><a href="https://publicationethics.org/" target="_blank">Committee on Publication Ethics</a> &ndash; an organisation offering guidance and many resources on ethical publishing practices</p>
										<p><a href="https://sfdora.org/read/" target="_blank">San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment</a> &ndash; a declaration intended to promote best practices for research assessment (including publication)</p>
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							<h3>Consequences of selecting the wrong journal</h3>
							
							<p>What are some unintended consequences of not fully considering all the factors when choosing a journal?</p>
							
							<instructional-text class="hide-in-mobile"><p>Click on each of the researchers below to learn about some of the problems you might encounter when choosing a journal to submit to.</p></instructional-text>
							<instructional-text-accessible><p>In the following activity, the researchers present some of the problems you might encounter when choosing a journal to submit to.</p></instructional-text-accessible>
							
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							<opinions>
								<opinion name="Access"> <p>"I forgot to check whether the journal I was publishing in was an open-access journal. I am an international researcher but many of my international colleagues cannot access my article. I can't escape the feeling that I should have published in an open-access journal..."</p></opinion>
								<opinion name="Review"> <p>"I listed my publication as a peer-reviewed article, but then someone in my department pointed out that the journal was a predatory journal. It's looking more and more like my article was never peer reviewed. This left me with no peer-reviewed publications when I was looking for a job."</p></opinion>
								<opinion name="Cost"> <p>"I forgot to check publication costs before I submitted. My acceptance message came with a &pound;1,500 invoice. I do not have the funds to cover this and I do not seem to qualify for a waiver, so I must withdraw the paper and look for another journal."</p></opinion>
								<opinion name="Focus"> <p>"I thought I was lucky when I found a journal that would publish my work in two weeks, but none of my colleagues read this journal and I am not even sure the article was peer reviewed.  Maybe I should have been more patient..."</p></opinion>
								<opinion name="Prestige"> <p>"In order to get my work published in a high Impact Factor journal, I had to forego publishing my methods and most of my data. All they wanted were the conclusions. I thought I could publish a more detailed version of my work later, but I have been rejected by all of the other journals in my field because my work has already been published. They are looking for original publications. I didn't realise that publishing a summary of my work in a high Impact Factor journal could limit my ability to publish the detailed results."</p></opinion>
							</opinions>
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							<p>The journal you select should match both your publication needs and your capacity to deliver. Any mismatch can result in a delay caused by having to select another journal and go through the submission review process a second time.</p>
							
							<h3>Summary</h3>
							
							<p>As the pressure to publish increases, the temptation to go with any journal that will publish your work may increase. As you consider your options, you should make sure you understand your options and publication potential. In particular, you should remember the following points:</p>
							
							<ul>
								<li><strong>Don't set your goals too high.</strong> You don't have to publish in the most prestigious journals to be a successful researcher</li>
								<li><strong>Don't set your goals too low.</strong> Publishing in a journal with a dubious reputation could reflect poorly on you.</li>
							</ul>
							
							<p>Aim to choose a journal that fits well with your objectives, and reflects where you are in your research career. You should also make sure you have a backup plan if your first option falls through.</p>
							
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