It's more professional to write out the draft with all necessary points included, then modify according to the journal's specification. With this, there would be limited stress in readjusting the paper to suit the journal's standard.

Dear Mohamed,

As Kay rightly suggested, you write your paper, then look for a suitable journal. Sometimes, we write with a journal in mind because we know that our research fits the scope of that journal.

There is Elsevier® Journal Finder, which consists in inserting your title and abstract and select the appropriate field ­of ­research for the best results. The finder suggests a list of appropriate journals to choose from. Elsevier® Journal Finder is powered by the Elsevier Fingerprint Engine™ (http://info.scival.com/fingerprint).

Hope this will help.

First complete your work, then search the suitable journal for your publication. Lot of searching tools are available to search suitable Journal for your domain.

Dear Kay

This is an important point: "Usually, both are not clearly separated because in everyday practice you will have certain journals in mind while you are writing, i.e. you may do some minor adjustments in your manuscript depending on the journal chosen".

Dear Zouheir

This is an important point: "Sometimes, we write to a journal in mind because we know that our research fits the scope of that journal".

Dear Kay, Zouheir and Santhosh,

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and we can conclude from the answers that:

- The manuscript is written first and then the journal is chosen.

- Sometimes, we write to a journal in mind because we know that our research fits the scope of that journal.

- A lot of searching tools are available to search the suitable Journal for your domain.

- With invited papers or book chapters, things may differ.

I always advise my students to prepare a draft paper following the IMRAD structure( Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion). Once you have completed the draft, you may select a journal of your choice. Then, as given in the "guidelines to authors", you modify your paper. As IMRAD is universally accepted, you need not change much. Major changes are in reference style-- Name year system (Harvard) or alpha numeric system.

Dear Thomas, thanks for these information.

You need to write a paper that is full of originality and don’t worry about the journal. Original research work is the target for all journals.

Frankly, it is interesting questing we always bear in our mind, and the discussion in this issue is fruitful such as the information which was given by Zouheir Maalej who indicate that the Elsevier® Journal Finder is a way to help this issue. Know your target journal to publish before you writing your paper is saving your time. I think to look for the suitable journal for publishing your work not easy tasks.You also can find your suitable journal after writing a manuscript from the reference you cite.

Dear Dibakar, thanks...Dear Abdelrahim, I agree with you..

Dear Mohammed, you have added an important point, it can be added to our conclusion: "You also can find your suitable journal after writing a manuscript from the reference you cite".

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and we can conclude from the answers that:

- The manuscript is written first and then the journal is chosen.

- Sometimes, we write to a journal in mind because we know that our research fits the scope of that journal.

- A lot of searching tools are available to search the suitable Journal for your domain.

- The suitable journal can be found after writing a manuscript from the reference you cite".

- With invited papers or book chapters, things may differ.

I think do not hurry to make conclusion now, you are still in first step , new and more brilliant ideas may will come letter.

Hi,

Your paper is a produce of a research done in a specific subject area. One cannot write "for a journal".After completing your paper you are looking for a journal that its aim and scope fits the subject you were researching.

In consensus with the previous views, I would also recommend to prepare a general draft first with a scope to add/remove some minor content on the fly. This is to meet the requirements of several journals which put some specific constraints on manuscript (length, etc.). Focused (special) issues are also announced on the fly. Your draft can be tuned as per their needs.

I liked this point from Avishag (Your paper is a produce of a research done in a specific subject area. One cannot write "for a journal") it can be the first point of the summary of the answres.

Thanks Kane and we can add this point to the summary; "Preparation of a general draft first with a scope to add/remove some minor content on the fly to meet the requirements of several journals".

The last updated summary:

1- Your paper is a produce of a research done in a specific subject area. One cannot write "for a journal".

2- The manuscript is written first and then the journal is chosen.

3- Preparation of a general draft first with a scope to add/remove some minor content on the fly to meet the requirements of several journals.

4- Sometimes, we write to a journal in mind because we know that our research fits the scope of that journal.

5- A lot of searching tools are available to search the suitable Journal for your domain.

6- The suitable journal can be found after writing a manuscript from the reference you cite".

7- With invited papers or book chapters, things may differ.

You write for the academic community in the first place. Journals are just a means for disseminating research findings. They invest in original academic works which represents the oxygen source for their survival. Do write a high quality paper based on original research work and forget about journals.

Dear Mohamed,

first of all as a general remark: a lot of colleagues are right; writing a paper is not for the journal but for publishing your work and following communication with the colleagues. I fully agree with that.

But writing a paper is a huge task. So you should bare in mind the journal which you will use to publish your results. That is because you have to follow the instructions/requirements of the journal.

Rewriting and editing a paper according to the jounals instructions after you have written a text is a time consuming (and admittedly boring) job.

You can better save your 'energy' for doing your scientific work

and not wasting your time in editing.

Editing a paper according the journal reviewer's remarks is time consuming enough.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! You helped me a lot!

It's more professional to write out the draft with all necessary points included, then modify according to the journal's specification. With this, there would be limited stress in readjusting the paper to suit the journal's standard.

I share same view Dorcas. I think it preferable to write the paper first then readjust to the journal's specification.

Dear Boris and Dorcas, Thank you.

Most times, you do have to have your paper ready before reaching out to academic journals. Sometimes, a journal or university press may invite scholars to work on a research project. In the later case, you have to work according to certain guidelines.

Dear Adedipe , Thank you.