How to Target JournalsHow to Target Journals

Dr. Steve WallaceDr. Steve Wallace

Outline of SpeechOutline of SpeechReview journal guidelines to determine what kind Review journal guidelines to determine what kind of papers journals are looking for. of papers journals are looking for. Avoid two things in a paper that always make Avoid two things in a paper that always make reviewers angry.reviewers angry.Use an academic social network to increase your Use an academic social network to increase your chance of acceptance.chance of acceptance.Identify journals with rising and falling impact Identify journals with rising and falling impact factors.factors.Cite references politely to earn better reviews. Cite references politely to earn better reviews. Identify the three types of academic journals.Identify the three types of academic journals.Select and target journals while identifying those Select and target journals while identifying those where you probably won’t be accepted.where you probably won’t be accepted.

Collect a Pool of Potential Journals for Each Collect a Pool of Potential Journals for Each ArticleArticle

For each paper, collect a pool of For each paper, collect a pool of potential journals. potential journals. 1) Do not submit two papers to the 1) Do not submit two papers to the same journal in two months, same journal in two months, especially if the two articles are especially if the two articles are related. related. 2) Editors prefer to publish two 2) Editors prefer to publish two articles by different authors.articles by different authors.3) Better for your CV3) Better for your CV

Collecting Your PoolCollecting Your Pool

KeywordsRelatedness metricsReferencesScopusAims and scopeEditor’s letterReviewing the journal

Send Your Research Where You Have the Send Your Research Where You Have the Highest Probability of PublicationHighest Probability of Publication

Sometimes journals have biases and Sometimes journals have biases and preferences.preferences.Subject matter: empirical, theoretical Subject matter: empirical, theoretical papers? papers? Check past issues of the journal. How Check past issues of the journal. How many Chinese names can you find? many Chinese names can you find? Preferences are known; biases are Preferences are known; biases are difficult to detect. difficult to detect.

Practice:Practice:Pick Journals Like You Pick StocksPick Journals Like You Pick Stocks

Do homework on journals. Do homework on journals.

Submit paper to a journal with a rising Submit paper to a journal with a rising impact factor and higher acceptance rates. impact factor and higher acceptance rates. Avoid declining journals with low Avoid declining journals with low acceptance and diminishing impact acceptance and diminishing impact factors. factors.

Could cause the journal to be removed Could cause the journal to be removed from the SSCI and SCI ranking. from the SSCI and SCI ranking.

Practice: Practice: Identifying Journals with Rising Impact Identifying Journals with Rising Impact

FactorsFactors

Good specialty journal’s impact factors are rising. Good specialty journal’s impact factors are rising. General journals’ impact factors, except for a few General journals’ impact factors, except for a few at the top, are expected to decline. at the top, are expected to decline. In general journals, "readers are confronted with In general journals, "readers are confronted with a decreasing probability of finding at least one a decreasing probability of finding at least one important article in their field" (Holub, Tappeiner, important article in their field" (Holub, Tappeiner, and Eberharter, 1991). and Eberharter, 1991). In the 1970s, the top ten journals in every field In the 1970s, the top ten journals in every field were general journals. were general journals. In the 1990s, half of the top ten journals were In the 1990s, half of the top ten journals were specialized journals. specialized journals.

How Do Journals Compare to Each How Do Journals Compare to Each Other? Other?

Journal Citation ReportsJournal Citation Reports, published , published annually by the Institute for Scientific annually by the Institute for Scientific Information in Philadelphia, Information in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, provides statistical Pennsylvania, provides statistical information about all established information about all established journals. journals.

Total CitationsTotal CitationsTotal Citations (TC) is the number of all Total Citations (TC) is the number of all citations of papers published in the journal citations of papers published in the journal during a year. A large TC may indicate a during a year. A large TC may indicate a journal's dominance in the field. journal's dominance in the field. A large TC is also characteristic of A large TC is also characteristic of multidisciplinary journals (such as multidisciplinary journals (such as NatureNature) ) and journals catering to broad fields (such and journals catering to broad fields (such as as Journal of Geophysical ResearchJournal of Geophysical Research). ). A small TC may indicate a journal's A small TC may indicate a journal's weakness or less frequent publication. weakness or less frequent publication. However, a small TC is also typical for However, a small TC is also typical for narrow-specialty journals, even of high narrow-specialty journals, even of high quality. quality.

Cited Half-LifeCited Half-LifeCited Half-Life (CHL) is the number of Cited Half-Life (CHL) is the number of journal publication years going back from journal publication years going back from the current year, accounting for 50% of the current year, accounting for 50% of the total citations received by the cited the total citations received by the cited journal in the current year. journal in the current year. Indicates the age of its average cited Indicates the age of its average cited articles. A large CHL may imply longevity articles. A large CHL may imply longevity of the published information. of the published information. However, a relatively small CHL may However, a relatively small CHL may reflect a journal's emphasis on cutting reflect a journal's emphasis on cutting edge research and timeliness. edge research and timeliness.

Impact FactorImpact FactorImpact Factor (IF) is the ratio between the Impact Factor (IF) is the ratio between the number of all current citations of source items number of all current citations of source items published in a journal during the previous 2 years published in a journal during the previous 2 years to the total number of articles that the journal to the total number of articles that the journal published during that time. published during that time. Can also be viewed as the frequency with which Can also be viewed as the frequency with which the "average article" in the journal has been cited the "average article" in the journal has been cited in a particular year. in a particular year. Also believed to be a fair quality measure that Also believed to be a fair quality measure that "tends to discount the advantage that large, "tends to discount the advantage that large, frequently issued, older journals have over frequently issued, older journals have over smaller, less frequently issued, newer journals" smaller, less frequently issued, newer journals" [[McDonnellMcDonnell, 1997]. , 1997].

Practice Practice Approach Different Types of JournalsApproach Different Types of Journals

Sending all papers to top journals is Sending all papers to top journals is risky. risky. Sending all papers to low-quality Sending all papers to low-quality journals is unsatisfactory. journals is unsatisfactory. Quantity and quality important. Quantity and quality important. Having three papers in different Having three papers in different journals is better than three in one journals is better than three in one journal, if the relative quality of the journal, if the relative quality of the journals is the same.journals is the same.

Questionable Publishing OutletsQuestionable Publishing OutletsChapters in edited volumesChapters in edited volumesNon-peer reviewed academic journalsNon-peer reviewed academic journalsGraduate student journalsGraduate student journalsNote journals Note journals Review journalsReview journalsLocal journalsLocal journalsNew journalsNew journalsElectronic journalsElectronic journalsNon-SCI journals Non-SCI journals

Preferred Publishing OutletsPreferred Publishing Outlets

Regional journalsRegional journals

Newer journals Newer journals

Interdisciplinary journalsInterdisciplinary journals

Field journalsField journals

Disciplinary journalsDisciplinary journals

Problems of JournalsProblems of JournalsAssociation journalsAssociation journals: Editors change every few : Editors change every few

years, and usually accept more papers from years, and usually accept more papers from colleagues and friends. Because the editors are colleagues and friends. Because the editors are chosen from a few major institutions, they get a chosen from a few major institutions, they get a larger share of publications. They are larger share of publications. They are subsidized subsidized by associationsby associations (AER, Econometrica, IEEE, ACM). (AER, Econometrica, IEEE, ACM).

University journalsUniversity journals: Universities protect their own : Universities protect their own interests and will often have a stated preference for interests and will often have a stated preference for their own teachers’ and students’ papers. their own teachers’ and students’ papers. Subsidized by universitiesSubsidized by universities (HBR, MIT Sloan). (HBR, MIT Sloan).

Commercial journalsCommercial journals: Least likely to have : Least likely to have preferences or biases. preferences or biases. Subsidized by reader Subsidized by reader subscriptionssubscriptions (Blackwell, North-Holland, Elsevier ). (Blackwell, North-Holland, Elsevier ).

Reviewing Journals (1)Reviewing Journals (1)Is the journal peer reviewed?Is the journal peer reviewed?Is the journal in the recommended Is the journal in the recommended publishing outlet category?publishing outlet category?Does the journal have a solid reputation Does the journal have a solid reputation and reputable publisher?and reputable publisher?How old is the journal?How old is the journal?Is the journal carefully produced?Is the journal carefully produced?Does the journal come out on time?Does the journal come out on time?Are the authors published in its pages Are the authors published in its pages diverse?diverse?

Reviewing Journals (2)Reviewing Journals (2)Does the journal publish more than five or Does the journal publish more than five or six articles a year?six articles a year?

Is the journal online or indexed Is the journal online or indexed electronically and where?electronically and where?

Does it take a long time to get published Does it take a long time to get published once you submit your manuscript?once you submit your manuscript?

Is the journal going through a transition?Is the journal going through a transition?

Who reads the journal?Who reads the journal?

Matching Your Article to the JournalMatching Your Article to the Journal

Does the journal have an upcoming theme Does the journal have an upcoming theme or special issue on your topic?or special issue on your topic?

Does the journal have word or page length Does the journal have word or page length limits you can meet?limits you can meet?

Does the style of your article match the Does the style of your article match the journal style?journal style?

Do you know any of the journal editors?Do you know any of the journal editors?

How does the journal require articles to be How does the journal require articles to be submitted?submitted?

Questions for the Assistant EditorQuestions for the Assistant Editor

How many submissions a year does How many submissions a year does your journal receive?your journal receive?

What is your journal’s turnaround What is your journal’s turnaround time? time?

What is your journal’s backlog?What is your journal’s backlog?

Elements of a Query Letter Elements of a Query Letter to the Editorto the Editor

Address editor by nameAddress editor by nameAny human connectionsAny human connectionsWhy he should be interestedWhy he should be interestedDisplay a knowledge of the journalDisplay a knowledge of the journalYour title and abstractYour title and abstractArticle’s lengthArticle’s lengthNot been published beforeNot been published beforeGrants or awardsGrants or awardsPotential problem to tease reviewPotential problem to tease review

Emerald Insight Journals

Emma Hollindrake, External Relations Assistant “Don’t forget that you can always email an editor outlining your proposed paper (sending just the abstract is best) to see if they think your paper is suitable (if you have three possible journals, send the outline/abstract to all three editors!); they are usually more than willing to offer advice and will often suggest an alternative journal if they feel their journal is not the best one for your paper.”

Query Letter to EditorQuery Letter to Editor

One of the best things you can do to One of the best things you can do to improve chances of acceptanceimprove chances of acceptance

Four responsesFour responses

““Send it in” – time pressureSend it in” – time pressure

Mini review with little problemsMini review with little problems

Negative responseNegative response

No responseNo response

Keep a Record of Your Keep a Record of Your PublicationsPublications

Some effective researchers use a Some effective researchers use a “research log” to: “research log” to: 1) Know when to send a reminder to the 1) Know when to send a reminder to the editor; editor; 2) Prevent resubmission of a rejected 2) Prevent resubmission of a rejected paper to the same journal; and paper to the same journal; and 3) Avoid multiple submissions of several 3) Avoid multiple submissions of several papers to the same journal within a short papers to the same journal within a short period of time. period of time.

Submission Guidelines: Worth the Submission Guidelines: Worth the TroubleTrouble

Following the Instructions to Authors Following the Instructions to Authors reduces the chances of the reduces the chances of the manuscript being rejected by the manuscript being rejected by the journal editors, even before the journal editors, even before the process for peer review.process for peer review.

Editors don’t like to see a paper that Editors don’t like to see a paper that has been correctly prepared for a has been correctly prepared for a competing journal.competing journal.

4%

9%

7%

8%

13%

2%

16%

7%7%

English Errors 27%

Faulty methodology

Inadequate references

Poor quality supporting figures

Outside the scope of journal

Not enough contribution to field

Authors did not follow manuscript instructions

Poor writing style and use of English

Title not representative of study

Subject of little novel interest or not generally applicable

Poorly written discussion

Reasons for Major Revision or Rejection of Taiwanese Journal Papers

How to Understand the Journal’s How to Understand the Journal’s Instructions to AuthorsInstructions to Authors

The Instructions to Authors contain the The Instructions to Authors contain the journal's expectations about:journal's expectations about:

Type of articles accepted Type of articles accepted

Required format for each type of articleRequired format for each type of article

Type of illustrations Type of illustrations (photographs/tables/figures)(photographs/tables/figures)

LanguageLanguage

Publishing charges (if any) Publishing charges (if any)

Any other instructions about the journal Any other instructions about the journal

Topic of SubmissionTopic of Submission

First article of new editorFirst article of new editor

Last article of the yearLast article of the year

Aims and scopeAims and scope

Types of Articles Acceptable to Types of Articles Acceptable to the Journalthe Journal

Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor

Short communications Short communications

Full-length research papersFull-length research papers

Review articlesReview articles

Pre-submission Letter to the Pre-submission Letter to the EditorEditor

Required or not?Required or not?

English LevelEnglish Level

British or American English?British or American English?

British vs. US SpellingBritish vs. US SpellingGenerally, American journals require US spelling and British journals require British spelling, but many accept either form as long as the spelling used is consistent

haematoma vs. hematomaanalysed vs. analyzedlabelling vs. labeling

behaviour vs. behavior

Formatting Style for Formatting Style for the Main Textthe Main Text

Most journals set a limit on the: Most journals set a limit on the:

Number of wordsNumber of wordsNumber of pagesNumber of pages Font sizeFont size (10-, 11-, or 12-point size) (10-, 11-, or 12-point size) Line spacingLine spacing (usually double-spaced). (usually double-spaced). Right marginRight margin or or unjustifiedunjustified. . Single column Single column or or double column formatdouble column formatPage numbersPage numbers

Some journals, such as Some journals, such as NatureNature,, provide provide

templates to be used for formatting the templates to be used for formatting the manuscript. manuscript.

Format for the Title PageFormat for the Title Page Journals differ in their requirements for the title Journals differ in their requirements for the title

page. page. Most journals specify that the title page should be Most journals specify that the title page should be

typed on a separate sheet of paper and should typed on a separate sheet of paper and should include the: include the: Title of the article Title of the article Author’s name Author’s name Academic degrees Academic degrees Address of university or institute Address of university or institute Word count Word count Name of the person for correspondenceName of the person for correspondence

Format for the Format for the AbstractAbstract

The journal specifies:The journal specifies:

Number of wordsNumber of words permitted permitted (usually from 250–350 words);(usually from 250–350 words);

ContentContent expected in the abstract; expected in the abstract;

Whether the IMRAD Whether the IMRAD formatformat needs to needs to be followed; andbe followed; and

Whether it needs to be typed on a Whether it needs to be typed on a separate sheet of paper.separate sheet of paper.

Number of Number of KeywordsKeywords Required Required

Keywords are required to help find Keywords are required to help find articles using search engines on the articles using search engines on the Internet. Internet.

Most journals specify the number of Most journals specify the number of keywords they require, ranging from keywords they require, ranging from 55 to to 1010 in number. They are usually in number. They are usually included after the abstract.included after the abstract.

Format for the ReferencesFormat for the References

The The stylestyle to be followed when to be followed when writing the references with examples writing the references with examples for: for:

Cited papers Cited papers

Cited books Cited books

Cited book chapters Cited book chapters

Format for Format for TablesTables The Instructions specify: The Instructions specify:

Number of tables permittedNumber of tables permitted Method to be followed for numberingMethod to be followed for numberingWord count limit for the titles of tablesWord count limit for the titles of tablesWhether a Whether a hard copyhard copy of the tables is required of the tables is required

Most journals request that Most journals request that tables be numberedtables be numbered

in the order in which they appearin the order in which they appear in the in the paper and that the position of the table in the paper and that the position of the table in the text be clearly mentioned. text be clearly mentioned.

Format for Figures and Format for Figures and PhotographsPhotographs

Number of figures and photographsNumber of figures and photographsBlack and whiteBlack and white photographs or photographs or colorcolor Size of the figuresSize of the figures Captions Captions and and numberingnumberingFile formatsFile formats accepted acceptedPublication chargesPublication chargesHard copyHard copy of figures and photographs is required of figures and photographs is required Whether Whether figuresfigures and and photographsphotographs should be should be embeddedembedded in the text file or submitted as in the text file or submitted as individual files, or embedded at the end of the individual files, or embedded at the end of the text file text file Whether the photographs should be printed on Whether the photographs should be printed on glossyglossy or or matt papermatt paper

Instructions About Instructions About Equations, Equations, Units, and StatisticsUnits, and Statistics

Most journals provide instructions on Most journals provide instructions on math and equations in the text math and equations in the text

Rules for writing units (usually SI Rules for writing units (usually SI units are recommended) units are recommended)

Guidelines on presenting statisticsGuidelines on presenting statistics

Style GuideStyle Guide for Symbols for Symbols

Most journals specify styles to be Most journals specify styles to be used for: used for:

AbbreviationsAbbreviations

SymbolsSymbols

DrugsDrugs

Brand names of drugsBrand names of drugs

Microbial namesMicrobial names

Method of SubmissionMethod of Submission Acceptable to the Journal Acceptable to the Journal

Submission of the manuscript can be Submission of the manuscript can be on on paperpaper, on a , on a compact disccompact disc, or , or completed completed electronicallyelectronically. .

Manuscript File FormatsManuscript File Formats Commonly requested in MS Word or WordPerfect Commonly requested in MS Word or WordPerfect Some journals accept submissions in Some journals accept submissions in LaTexLaTex, , PDFPDF, , EPSEPS, , TextText, , PostscriptPostscript, or , or RTFRTF format format If a PDF document is accepted for publication, a If a PDF document is accepted for publication, a Word or WordPerfect document will be required Word or WordPerfect document will be required Some journals specify Some journals specify file sizesfile sizes (individual files (individual files should usually not exceed 1 KB) and should usually not exceed 1 KB) and file namingfile namingThese should be followed carefully to avoid These should be followed carefully to avoid delays in the review process or rejectiondelays in the review process or rejection

Type of Type of Review Process FollowedReview Process Followed

The journal usually mentions the The journal usually mentions the process followed for review of the process followed for review of the submitted manuscript. submitted manuscript.

If a double-blinded review is to be If a double-blinded review is to be carried out, authors are requested to carried out, authors are requested to ensure that their identities are not ensure that their identities are not revealed.revealed.

Publication ChargesPublication Charges

Some journals may charge for all of Some journals may charge for all of the pages, but others may publish a the pages, but others may publish a fixed number of pages free and fixed number of pages free and charge only for publishing any pages charge only for publishing any pages over this number. over this number.

Color photographs are charged for, Color photographs are charged for, as well as illustrations/figures as well as illustrations/figures exceeding the permitted number. exceeding the permitted number.

Cover LetterCover Letter Requirements Requirements

Journals such as JAMA, which provide Journals such as JAMA, which provide very comprehensive Instructions to very comprehensive Instructions to Authors, even specify what is Authors, even specify what is required in the cover letter required in the cover letter accompanying the manuscript.accompanying the manuscript.

Cover LetterCover LetterDon’t send a letter saying little more than “please find my manuscript attached”. Your paper does not look important.The cover letter is your chance to talk to the editor of your target journal.Explain to the editor why your findings are important and why they should be published.

Cover LetterCover Letter General rules for cover letters:

Address an editor by nameProvide your title and publication typeProvide a brief background, rationale, and description of resultsExplain the significance of your findings and why they would be of interest to the journal’s target audienceCheck the journal’s instructions to ensure that all requirements have been metProvide corresponding author details

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