There are several potential reasons why a research paper may be rejected by a journal:
Scope or Fit: The topic of the paper may not align closely enough with the scope of the journal. Journals typically have specific areas of focus, and if your paper doesn't fit within those parameters, it may be rejected.
Originality: The research may not be sufficiently original or may not present novel findings. Journals generally prioritize publishing research that advances the field in a meaningful way.
Methodological Issues: Reviewers may identify flaws or limitations in the research methodology, such as inadequate sample sizes, biased data collection methods, or inappropriate statistical analyses.
Writing Quality: Poor writing, organization, or presentation can also lead to rejection. It's important for papers to be clear, coherent, and well-written to effectively communicate the research findings.
Significance: The research may not be deemed significant enough to warrant publication in the journal. Journals typically seek to publish research that has a significant impact on the field or addresses important research questions.
Lack of Contribution: The paper may not make a sufficient contribution to the existing body of knowledge in the field. Journals typically look for papers that offer new insights, theories, or methodologies.
Reviewer Feedback: Reviewers may provide feedback on the paper, identifying weaknesses or areas for improvement. If these concerns are not adequately addressed in a revised version of the paper, it may be rejected.
Formatting or Submission Issues: Failure to adhere to the journal's formatting guidelines or submission requirements can also result in rejection.
Competitive Process: Journals receive far more submissions than they can publish, leading to a highly competitive peer review process. Even high-quality papers may be rejected simply due to space constraints or because they are deemed less impactful than other submissions.
It's important to carefully review the reasons for rejection provided by the journal and consider any feedback from reviewers in order to improve the paper for resubmission to another journal. Additionally, seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors before submitting the paper can help identify and address potential issues beforehand.
The above response is generated form ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/)
Wishing you all the best in your academic endeavors and future publications.
You deserve better. Only submit to reputable journals where you have to pay. Try to fulfil all the requirements and do everything the reviewers request :)
Especially, don't think that YOU have been targeted by a journal editor. Rather, take it with a pinch of salt. Those editors have an editorial line; an ideological backing, if you like. Unless you identify and can measure up with their required standards, you will not manage to publish with them. The positive attitude to take is to work harder and harder to manage to be at a level with the intellectual community you want to belong in.
This is a very usual course of action for publishing a paper. There could be many reasons for rejecting a paper, i.e., the journal's scope, the novelty of the topic, intended analysis, message to the audience, and clarity in writing few to names. There is no need to take it to heart; it is a process and very usual.
Many research papers get rejected because they don’t fit the journal’s topics of interest (Scope), meaning they aren’t about the subjects the journal typically covers. Additionally, if the research doesn’t offer new knowledge or insights, it’s less likely to be accepted. Papers where the arguments and conclusions aren’t well-supported by the data also face rejection. Furthermore, the high competition from many other submitted papers makes it harder for any single paper to get accepted.