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Choosing a Journal

Strategies and tools for investigating and evaluating your options

General Knowledge

Just as you need to decide on the type of journal article you want to write before you begin your manuscript, you will also need an idea of where you want to publish. As you draft your article, you will need to comply with specific author instructions that can differ from journal to journal. In addition, you will want to keep your target journal in mind to make sure the style, structure, and audience are all a good fit.

Once you submit your paper, if the journal editor thinks it has potential, they will send it to two or three experts to judge the validity, significance, and originality of your work. After peer review, you will receive advice from the editor and reviewers, so that you can make careful revisions. Once the article is finally accepted, copy editing is completed, and a proof is created. You'll also sign a publishing agreement.

There are lots of steps in the process to getting a research article published, and each happens according to a specific timeline. One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to familiarize yourself with the overall publishing process. Also, as biomedical researchers, there area-specific norms and aspects to this process that are unique from other disciplines, such as emphases on rigorous scientific research and ethical reporting.