When it comes to creating a list of target journals for your publication, consider two main factors: the scope and reputation of the journal. Remember that impact factor is just one measure of reputation – there are others such as the size of readership, the authors that publish within that journal, how specialized it is, and the reputation of the editorial board. There are other criteria to look at once you have identified some target journals – these can be found on the next tab.
It is vital to honestly assess the importance of your research and its impact – you don’t want to waste your time submitting to journals that won’t publish your work because of mismatch.
So, how do you begin? Start with what you have already read! It is likely that you have a cache of articles from your research and literature review that are similar to the one that you are writing – look at the journals in which they were published! Additionally, use your network of colleagues to see if they have experience with the journals in question. If needed, conduct supplementary literature searches (ASK A LIBRARIAN for assistance) to identify other journals.
There are resources on the final tab in this box to further assist in identifying journals.
