Factors to consider when choosing a journal:
- Scope: What subjects are covered; what type of articles are published? Who is the audience?
- Acceptance Rate: The percentage of the manuscripts accepted for publication by a particular scholarly journal.
- Frequency of publication: How often are issues published?
- Access/Discoverability: Is it indexed in large databases? Which databases? (Note: Google Scholar does not "index" articles; use caution when journals state they are indexed here).
- Copyright Policy/Publisher’s Policies/Permissions: Will your article be behind a paywall, or is there an open access option? Are there any article processing charges?
- Peer-Review Policy: Investigate what their policies are, such as single-blind, double-blind, or open review.
- Impact Factor: Evaluate the impact factor of potential journals. This metric provides an indication of the journal's influence in the academic community. Keep in mind that impact factor isn't the only factor to consider, and it may vary across disciplines.
