Resource of the Week #155: Some Aids to Choosing a Journal

Hello again. Deciding where to submit a paper can be a difficult. Factors to consider can include the journal’s subject matter, audience, prestige, accessibility, and more.

But before considering such factors, one must have some journals in mind. A good way to start is to see where articles that you might cite were published. Another good way is to ask senior researchers.

In addition, some free online tools can help in identifying journals to consider. Earlier this month, an AuthorAID member told me about a new such tool. He wrote:

"The tool is called JournalGuide, and it is available at www.journalguide.com. Users can enter keywords or the title/abstract from a manuscript draft, and the site will suggest appropriate target journals based on similarity of the search terms to articles previously published in those journals. Clicking on the 'matching articles' link will display titles and abstracts for those similar articles."

Some other such tools also exist. They include Jane (Journal/Author Name Estimator), Journal Selector, and some publishers’ tools for seeking suitable journals that they publish.

Do you have other journal selection tools to mention? Or would you like to describe your experience using journal selection tools? If so, please post a comment.

Until the next post—

Barbara