Getting Published: Finding the Right Journal

All journals and publishers provide instructions for authors (also known as author guidelines, submission guidelines, resources for authors, formatting guide for authors, etc.).

These instructions provide information on basic requirements for submission, manuscript formatting, and policies. 

Read author instructions carefully. Avoid delays, frustration, and rejection by checking and double-checking:

• journal purpose
• journal scope
• accepted article types
• word count
• formatting structure
• permissions
• citation style
• copyright transfer information

Author instructions for over 6,000 journals in one place provided by the Mulford Health Sciences Library

The EQUATOR Network maintains a comprehensive searchable database of over 500 reporting guidelines and links to other resources relevant to research reporting.

Check to see if the journal(s) you are interested require you to follow these.

• Fake peer review undermines the scientific conversation. ^a
• Publishing in a low-quality journal can make your research harder to find and less likely to be used by others. ^a
• You could be scammed and lose your work. ^a
• They can "diminish the credibility of your research" which may "limit your career" ^b

a  From: Elmore SA, Weston EH. Predatory Journals: What They Are and How to Avoid Them. Toxicol Pathol. 2020 Jun;48(4):607-610. doi: 10.1177/0192623320920209

b  Suiter AM, Sarli CC. Selecting a Journal for Publication: Criteria to Consider. Mo Med. 2019 Nov-Dec;116(6):461-465.