Yes, Mahmoud. The time taken in international journals is too long. One of my joint papers was written three years ago. We are looking only for high impact factor journals. It has been accepted only now after many rejections and revisions. One has to have a lot of patience.

I would also like to have your views on the following related questions on "Journal selection":

What are the criteria that you consider?

How you go about choosing a journal in your field to submit a paper you have written?

Would it be a good idea emailing the journal's editor to find out the extent of fit between your paper and the journal's scope?

Why it takes long time to publish a paper in certain journals?

Does it make a difference if you submit to a journal that is published more frequently?

Is there a journal advising tool that helps you identify a journal to send a paper to?

Dear Mahmoud

It is judgemental. One has a perception of the stature of a particular paper. In case, I think that it is liklely to interest an international audience, then I go for an international journal. Otherwise, I will go for a national refereed journal. My main criteria is that the article should be read by the intended audience. If I decide for an international journal, then my co-author also has a say, as nealy all my such papers have co-authors.

Dear Debi, Thank you for prompt response. Publishing in an international journal is preferable as we get more audience, attention and feedback. Of course we have duty toward our national publications, too. Unfortunately, the processing time for publishing in a national refereed journal takes longer here!

I choose first the journal where my main reference appears.

Yes, Mahmoud. The time taken in international journals is too long. One of my joint papers was written three years ago. We are looking only for high impact factor journals. It has been accepted only now after many rejections and revisions. One has to have a lot of patience.

Path selection:

1. Top ten journals in my discipline.

2. Rest of them.

3. Interdisciplinary journals with IF.

Dear Debi. My experience is opposite. As I said before "processing time for publishing in a national refereed journal takes longer here!" Just to resolve any misunderstanding.

Dear @Emilia. Your criteria in journal selection is very short, good and interesting. Thank you.

Gud Mrng 

Based the content of the publishing article the journal selection depends and the indexing of the journal also plays a vital role in the selection of the journal to publish an article.........

and the time taken to publish the article in the journal also plays a vital role

Publication in a peer-reviewed journal is the obvious goal of most research so as to reach others in the field, advance knowledge and encourage communication between groups working on similar aspects. Although peer review are a lengthy and often exhausting process, the ultimate publication effectively validates one's work and can help to advance her/her career, attract bright students and experienced staff, and garner funding for future studies. Finding the right journal in which to publish article can be a difficult process. Criteria normally taken to account while selecting a journal are, aims and scope of the journal, subject area(s) covered, types of articles published, reputation of the journal (impact factor, size of readership/open access, peer review, quality of accepted articles and authors, indexing level, audience and publication time. Identifying previously published papers in specific subject area is excellent evidence that one's research topic is of interest to the audience of a particular journal, which will increase chances of review. Even rigorous, high-impact works are seen rejected when the topic of the research does not match the scope of the journal, resulting into wastage of time, money, and motivation. The cost of publication can also be viewed as a restriction, as some journals charge very high article processing fees. The weight of the impact factor as a metric for journal quality is controversial due to the many factors. It is, therefore important to objectively evaluate the work and determine whether it is truly suitable for a top-tier journal; otherwise, there will be risk valuable time and effort resubmitting manuscript multiple times for multiple journals.

The journal selection criteria in publishing papers that I have written is that the journal must be high Impact Factor and its publication process does not take too long.

Dear @Syamala, Your concerns (content,  indexing  and processing time) are well understood. They are good points to consider. Thank you for commenting.

Dear @YOGESH, Criteria you mentioned and logic behind you discussion are fully welcomed and should be practiced. 

Dear @Mahfuz, Usually for having high IF as well as short processing time are opposing criterion. But if it is possible to have both that would be a wise decision.

The only criteria is that the journal is specialized in my research area and field.

My Strategy :

1. Research area strongly related to my field.

2. SCI Journal.

3. High Impact factor. 

I select the journals based on:

Journals which are most likely to publish my work-Relevance

Time taken in editorial decision after peer review- good journals are usually also good at accepting or rejecting an article.

Impact Factor- prefer top journals initially but if their response is negative then approach the next in line both national and international

Charge any money or not- those asking for money are out

Dear @Singh and @venkata thank you for emphasizing on removing those journals asking for money from your list of candidate journals. Other points and your selection criterion are very good too.

Dear @Nishant, Thank you telling us your strategy. Often ISI journals have good IF. 

I was aiming high and seeking for high impact factor journal, but I learnt the hard way, I waited 8 months for IEEE  journal to get the first reply "interested idea, but you may publish elsewhere.... rejected"

then I aimed lower to get rejected after 6 months of wasted time, I could finally manage to publish it after 2.5 years.

it is like fishing, you know you did very well in writing and experiments, literature review etc. but you never know who will eat your bait, the bigger fish of course the better.

so the biggest problem for an author is to find the "best and most suitable" journal that fits his/her very paper, not that fit the scope or area of research, I want to know who believe in my writing, who like it, who then can publish it and this has nothing to do with the scope of the journal.

how to find such a journal? we need a wizard with a glass!

one solution is to submit one paper to different journals (parallel submission), in this case you increase the probability to get a bigger fish in no time. but the problem is that journal editors hate such a behavior, because it consumes their system resources. editor and reviewers time.

well, they also consumes our resources and time by rejecting our papers with no obvious reason after waiting very long time for such a decision.!!!! aren't they?

so what is the solution? each one wants to take advantage of the other.

I propose a new system fair to both editors and authors as follows:

1- this system can be applied by a publisher with many journals such as: Elsiver, Emerald, Springer, ACM, IEEE, etc...

2- the author publish his/her paper to the publisher, not to the journal, 

3- the publisher provides all its journals editors by the new paper, (online)

4- if it is selected by the editor, it is more likely to get published at least after some modifications.

5- If selected it is removed from the publisher system and entire the journal system for further process,

6- If rejected for any reason it returns to the publisher system again, informing the author about the decision, and if he/she want to leave his paper in the system for longer time to get another fish or to withdraw his paper to find another publisher.

this system is good for both editors and authors,

Editors: can select their papers to fit their scope from a larger pool and variety of research papers.

Authors: they do not have to search for the one who likes their bait the most, they just put their bait in the system and wait to be contacted, this will ensure publication time with less than 6 months.

Remember that Authors are the real assets in this business, we can create a publication company in 1 day, but we need at least 22 years to create a good author.

well said Debi S. Saini

but we need to change the system.... because it is against us and it is taking advantage of us, the authors write, the reviewers review, and the publisher get paid, this is so unfair system, and guess what, we struggle, and suffer to have a paper published

this is a slavery , and we are the new slaves , we should not remain slaves of anyone, we should do something............  

does any one get paid for his paper????

I always look for the following:

• Relevant to the subject
• Quality of the journal like IF
• Time period for rewiew or publication
• Fee
• Other paper work required during processing

I completely agree with Dear Nageshwara...

Interesting point by Ahmad -

' one solution is to submit one paper to different journals (parallel submission), though it consumes publisher's system resources, editor and reviewers time but well, they also consumes our resources and time by rejecting our papers with no obvious reason after waiting very long time for such a decision.!!!! aren't they?'

I will like to see what others say to that.

One of my selection criteria is how often you get a feedback, either positive or negative.

Relevance of the journal to my manuscript is cruicial,

If I cant make a four star journal, I try the three star journal

Dear @Ahmad. Thank you sharing your experiences.  I too could publish few of my papers on the 2nd or 3rd try. It is routine and the outcome may be fruitful,  as one time it could publish in a journal with better IF that the one I selected initially. Further more,, as time has passed I got more and more efficient and cleverer on how to deal with it.  Often journals are saturated on their topics and focus on new topics. So, a good strategy would be avoid submitting a paper to the journal that has no chance from the outset. 

About parallel submission: The answer is No. We are not allowed to have the same manuscript under consideration at more than one place simultaneously. It is prohibited by most reputed publishers. In the copyright form we have to declare and sign something like this: " this work is not and will not be presented for publication to any other publications;"  So, if the editor find out the paper was sent also to other publication(s), we will not be able to submit another paper to that journal in the future.

Here's the reverse -- does it matter anymore?  When was the last time you read a journal cover to cover?  Who browses at the library anymore? 

Separately, what is impact factor?  Does it matter more how many citations the publication got on average, or how many citations your paper got in particular?

In my opinion, Google and Google Scholar will transform publishing -- since Google is now the world's librarian, all indexed papers are in the same "publication".  Further, since it is now trivial to know how many citations a specific publication got, the "prestige" of publication venue will matter less.

In my professional field, there are few journals, so the selection is simple, high IF if the paper has the potential to be accepted, middle IF if the paper is with common scientific stuff. Generally i would like publish new results and woks, if my results do not evolve for lack of experimental tools or for professional disorder cause i do not submit papers. Generally i do not submit papers just for  publish or perish policy. This policy do not works for me for promotion issue. i prefer joining conferences for meeting with scientists and colleagues and discuss directly my research with peers

Dear @Stephen. Thank you for your answer. I think Impact Factor (IF) is a sign of publication reputation and not scholars. Nowadays, Google  Scholar (with G-Score) and ResearchGate (with RG-Score), Scopus, ... all are imitating IF score given by ISI WOS. If  we prefer Google Scholar, still we must get acceptance of our paper and publish it somewhere before it is included in Google Scholar database. So virtually we must pass reviewers first, otherwise you can distinguish between scholarly written paper and  .nonsense one. Don't you think, the later may cause serious damages if someone not expert in the field follow it blindly. Some kind of checking and controlling the context of scientific findings is needed.

My strategies:

1) Aim and scope of journal (Relevance to article)

2) Readership (Audience)

3) Frequency of publication (Issues per annum)

3) Article processing charge

There is a free Journal advising tool at MyNetResearch that can help you identify a suitable journal to send a paper to. MyNetResearch's may be a good site for Journal selection as starter. You can select the journal which best fits your publication requirements. It searches from among 15,000 journals using selection criteria such as discipline, subject, ranking, review type/process, publication frequency and language.

You can find it at: http://journals.mynetresearch.com/Default.aspx

Instruction on how to register (for Free) or how to login and use the Tab "My ToolBox" is explained in my earlier question:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Which_Search_Engine_you_recommend_for_students?_tpcectx=profile_questions

Dear @Kamal Thank you for your answer and link. I checked the thread you mentioned to see for overlaps as well as views. Even that question was asked last year (2013), but only 4 responded. The 31 answers to the current discussion here is more informative  and useful particularly hearing various,effective and interesting strategies practiced by RG members from different background and scientific disciplines (Medicine, Engineering, Art & Science, Agriculture, ...)

Many in here pointed out that "publication process time"  is a criteria when they want to select a journal for submitting an article to. But, why  it takes so long (from 6 months to 2 years!) for reviewing process or for publishing a paper in most journals? Surely, publishing a new result after few years, won't be new anymore!

How we get a rough estimation about time elapses from submitting to (fully)published paper? Should we check frequencies (number of papers published per issue, number of issues dispatched per volume, total number of papers published by the journal per year, ...) or you consider other factors (number of designated reviewers to each manuscript, editorial system, publishers good records in being prompt, journal policy, ...) too. I'd like to hear your views on this aspect of question.

Thank you dear Prithvi for good points you emphasized and introducing Elsevier Journal Finder . I am not expert but a quick possible answer to your "why" question one reason could be due to laziness of some of the reviewers to finish the review process. Due to no response by them, often editors have to find substitute and that may cause delay.

In the above answers I noticed that there are some concerns with respect to selecting FREE journals (i.e., journals that do not charges for publishing your article).  This is a very good criteria and wise decision. In general we should not treat paid publications (there are some exception like IEEE publications, etc.) as real scientific publications.  

Everyday i receive email with subject like  “We publish paper within 3 days” whereas a reputed journal takes 2 years (2x365=730 days!) How and why they do that !?

Looking inside this kinds of  emails we find expressions like ... publishing online ... high quality research oriented ... review articles, short communications and original research papers ... in all related areas! Going further down in the email we see it state ... "Manuscript Charges = 30 DOLLARS"! ...

My conclusion: Warning! These emails advertising fake journals, and you should delete them right away or put them in your black list, treat them as predatory, ....

Dear @Kamal I dont think that would help. Here we get a small amount for reviewing our domestic journals but the process of reviewing and duration for publishing new work is even worse than international ones! One thing I may suggest; editors should constantly update their reviewer's list by adding new ones an removing lazy ones!

Dear @Mahmoud, I am in time shortage as I have already written to You, but let me give some contribution that I have found some time ago, regarding the issue of Journal Strategy Selection! Here is a good reading, might help!

http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/kzollman/research/Papers/Zollman%20-%20OptimalPublishing.pdf

Dear Thank you for your contribution. Briefly one of the conclusions made by authors is that publishing relatively few publications and exercising very little editorial choice represents the best strategy amongst those surveyed.  The paper you introduced worth reading and I suggest others do the same.. 

Dear Mahmoud, i will suggest that we should choose the journal according to its relevence and impact factor. There are certainly issue regarding teh review process and success rate in publication espically from thord world and non english speaking countries. Partnering with lead scientist in west is certainly a good idea at least to proof read and do a pre review. I personally will not be comfortable to invite someone to write a paper for me or guide me to write a paper on teh work that I have done, but yes review will be a good idea.

Thank you dear @Saif. Certainly, the main selection strategy should be based on its relevance and impact factor.

The following article has a lot of hints and simple strategies for publishing in peer-reviewed journals successfully. It is worth reading.

S. Bowler. Preparing articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals

https://www.deakin.edu.au/health/research/documents/Preparing_articles_publication%2023.08.05.pdf

I select journals based on quality of research, its novelty and significance / importance, and if it is of high quality then submit it in high IF, if it is of medium level then submit in low to a little moderate IF journal, and rest in National / some budding International journals with good indexing and bright future perspectives. Revisions always help in improving and quality of papers and also its presentation. 

Yes Ruchi, Nowadays I am also preferring few open access journals with good indexing and following fast track peer-reviewing and having good editorial board as well bright perspectives in future / mostly indexed in Thomson Reuters, like investing some papers in new journals which may receive IF in coming 2-3 years - apart from regular journals with IF. I hope with good papers even new and budding journals with good future lines would definitely receive IF and we need to support new journals aiming high vision (becoz every journal started one day and we need to nourish budding but good indexing / peer-reviewing journals).

Dear @Kuldeep I thank your for the explanation. I almost agree with you with the exception of OA journals. I dont feel comfortable with OA journals as they are for speed and money (mostly) rather than quality, IMHO. 

Hi Prof. Mahmoud Omid; I consider the suitability of journal for publication of my research work according subject and high impact factor as per peice of research. In general Indian research journals take longer time in publication and also having less impact factors. Where as International journals also take longer time and lot of revisions and corrections which have to be taken in right spirit and one should not lose patience. After all good publication always appreciated by professional colleagues. Thanks

The process of selecting the appropriate journal has become increasingly complex due to the proliferation of journals, areas of specialization and emergence of interdisciplinary topics. Authors have to optimize between many criteria or constraints before reaching a decision about where to publish. Chances of acceptance of a paper for publication can be significantly enhanced by simply choosing the target journal more carefully, after a close consideration of the journal’s scope, peer review process, and open-access policy. For selection of appropriate journal, one should identify 3-4 journals pertaining to subject area of the paper fitting within the scope of research, publication timelines, publication policy, distribution and impact, Peer-review factors and publication cost (if any)

 The attached paper ..."devises an agent-based model of scientific practice and uses it to compare various strategies for selecting publications by journals. Surprisingly,it appears that the best selection method for journals is to publish relatively few papers and to select those papers it publishes at random from the available “above threshold” papers it receives. This strategy is most effective at maintaining an appropriate type of diversity that is needed to solve a particular type of scientific problem."

Dear Ljubomir Thank you for the answer. Actually, I had already read that article. What you highlighted is one side of the story. If you read Sections 4 and 5 you will notice that it mentioned If we were to choose the number of journals, number of publications, and publication selection strategy that made the group most likely to settle on the best methodology, we would settle on a single journal publishing only two publications per round using the Random publication strategy. They also found that when relatively few papers are published, it is important to be consciously evenhanded and it is also beneficial to publish failures as well as successes. However, as the publication rate increases, such biases are no longer helpful. Finally, the result of that study is relevant to the social sciences and not engineering. Further more the focus is on the method by which journals select publications, whereas here we are interested in the opposite case, i.e., "how we select the proper journal".  Thanks

Dear Dr. Mahmoud,

I agree with Dr. Eraldo: first, aims and scope;

After the journal publication without fee;

Then time for review and give the answer;

After indexing (JCR, SCOPUS ...) and CAPES (here in Brazil).

Best Regards,

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa

I fully agree with you. In addition to the criteria you mentioned I would like to add one more. I will choose the journal in which papers related to the problem of my paper has been published before.

Very good point dear @Anup. To publish in specialized journals, not in general scientific journals with many disciplines! 

Thank you dear Eraldo, Vanessa, Anup and Ljubomir. You have all contributed good details about journal selection. Dear Ljubomir what you mentioned is little out dated. Nowadays the trend or tendency is toward topical or specialized journals and therefore, we see more specialized journals than ever before. So by checking the Scope will do the trick. Even our national journals (domestic ones) are getting more and more  specialized and dont proceed in old fashion!.

Dear all, The attached file is a good paper to read! The ten commandment!

Rule 1: ...

Rule 6: The ingredients of good science are obvious—novelty of research topic, comprehensive coverage of the relevant literature, good data, good analysis including strong statistical support, and a thought-provoking discussion. The ingredients of good science reporting are obvious—good organization, the appropriate use of tables and figures, the right length, writing to the intended audience—do not ignore the obvious.

...

Rule 10: Quality is everything.

Details of these rules are in attached file: Bourne, P.E. (2005). Ten simple rules for getting published. PLoS Comput Biol 1(5): e57. DOI:10.1371/journal.pcbi.0010057

http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pcbi.0010057

Dear Mahmoud, Simply the best journal according to the researchers’ evaluation and the subject of the paper. The rest does not depend from the researchers, but from the politics of the journal and from the evaluation of the Experts and Editors.

Thank you dear António you are very absolutely right. However, sometimes (due to student requiring it before defense, quality of the work, etc.) we should lower down the standard and settle for other options too. 

Dear All,

Scopus announced that they are adding Impact per Publication (IPP) to its growing portfolio of journal metrics. They announced a new journal metric in Scopus: called Impact per Publication (IPP). IPP measures the ratio of citations per article published. It provides you with an additional metric for comparing and evaluating journals to help you confidently know where to publish. Access the IPP metric from the "Compare journals" tool and elsewhere in Scopus.

http://www.journalmetrics.com/ipp.php?utm_campaign=SCdec2014release&utm_source=email&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=93

http://ijaridea.com/Directory-Of-Research - worth referring !

My congratulations to dear @Christo, Editor-in-Chief & Publisher! It is very informative web presentation. I can notice a lot of different topics in one single Journal.

Following points are important while selecting a journal for publishing a paper :-

Match between the subject of your article and the journal's aim and scope

• Readership and target audience
• Visibility of Journals
• CV value of publication
• Publication fees, if any
• Turnaround time

Prepare the manuscript strictly in accordance with Instructions to Authors to discover the limitations imposed by the journal in the form of article format, word count, citation styles, photograph specifications, publication costs, etc. See the related discussion at the following thread –

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_to_find_a_suitable_journal_to_publish_your_work

Dear RG colleagues

I always depend on the following international website in selection process:

www.scimagojr.com

Regards