OK, your research process has come onto the stage of completion, and your concern for a journal is growing. The process of selecting a journal for your manuscript should actually start before you plunge into polishing up your paper because manuscript styles may differ from journal to journal, although the general format is same throughout science. Selecting a journal before you complete the finishing of your paper is paramount so that you can follow the organisational style as per the selected journal. 

Make a list of journals

Having read scientific literature, you will already have an idea of a number of journals that will accept work similar to yours. Choose three to four journals out of them, and ask your colleagues for suggestions to finalise the appropriate one for your script. Add a journal in your list if you are recommended the one that is missing in your list. 

Consider open access journal

Publishing in open access journals is emphasised because anyone can access them. Articles in open access journals are more cited and read by scientists, scholars and people than those published in restricted journals. Another advantage of referring open access journals is you do not have to face months delay in publishing, unlike print journals. 

Look out for rank

To decide on a good journal, look out for ranks of all journals mentioned in your list. The first step for doing this is asking your colleagues to give ranks to listed journals. You can also compare acceptance rates on the websites of journals, and above all check the impact factor of a journal. The higher the impact factor, the more reputed the journal is. The impact factor estimates how often an article in a journal has been cited. 

Pick the best journal

Aim for a journal that follows a stringent selection procedure. You might be tempted to choose the least demanding journal, but keep in mind that you are going to present scientific results that the world is unfamiliar with. Your communication should be coherent enough to fulfil their purposes. A strict selection procedure may cause a delay in publishing, but your paper will turn up as a masterpiece. If a thoughtful reviewer fails to assimilate your reasoning, how your audience will comprehend your research findings? Submitting at best and strict journals ensures that your work is of excellent level as they won’t accept weak manuscripts. 

Style rules

Once you have selected a journal, read all submission guidelines, requirements for manuscripts and instructions for contributors. 

Summing up

Choosing the best journal for publishing a research paper is requisite so that a broad audience can cite your manuscript. Following above-mentioned steps can make the intricate process of selecting journals easier.