Most desk rejections have nothing to do with the quality of the research. They happen because the paper was sent to the wrong journal. Start with fit, then look at ranking.
1. Read what the journal actually publishes
Open the last two years of issues and read the titles and abstracts. Ask whether your paper would look natural next to them. If the journal publishes large field studies and yours is a small simulation, a better-matched journal is likely to serve you more than a higher-ranked one.
2. Check indexing yourself
Do not rely on the logos on a journal's website. Confirm the journal in the Scopus source list and in the Web of Science Master Journal List. Your university may also require a specific index, so check that before you shortlist.
3. Understand what Q1 and Q2 mean
Quartiles are assigned within a subject category, and a journal can sit in different quartiles in different categories. Make sure the quartile you quote is for the category your university uses.
4. Look at the practicalities
- Time to first decision: many journals publish this on their pages.
- Open-access fees: find out whether there is an article processing charge, and who will pay it.
- Article type: does the journal accept your kind of paper, whether empirical, review or short communication?
5. Know the warning signs
Be cautious if a journal contacts you first, promises very fast acceptance, hides its editorial board, or quotes an impact factor you cannot verify on the official source.
6. Shortlist three, not one
Rank three journals by fit. Prepare for the first, and keep the others in mind when you write the cover letter and structure the paper so that a move later costs little.
A good journal choice saves months. If you would like a second opinion on your shortlist, write to us with your abstract and field.