Prepare your journal submission

When looking for the right journal for your research, there are several factors you should take into consideration.

Look at the aims and scope of the journals you are considering. A high number of manuscripts are rejected because the topic is not relevant to the journal.

You might also want to check the journal’s reputation, impact scores and metrics, as well as evaluate the readership to see if and how your work might fit in.

Get the full guide on how to choose the right journal for your research.

Once you have chosen a journal, it’s time to get your article into publication shape and format your manuscript. Here are general guidelines for preparing your manuscript.

Write a clear and concise title.

Your article’s title is important for attracting readers and making your work discoverable. Write a clear, concise title and be sure to include any relevant keywords to help grab attention and boost discoverability.

Write a clear and descriptive article abstract.

The purpose of your article’s abstract is to give an overview of your research and its findings. It will also help readers decide whether your research is relevant to them and if they should continue reading. Your abstract should include an overview of your article and why it’s important.

Select keywords that will help readers to find your research.

Keywords make your work easily searchable and discoverable in search engine results and databases, as well as on our website. Choose words and phrases that effectively guide readers to your article.

Include references, citations, and images.

Requirements for references, citations, and figures can differ between journals and publishers, so be sure to take the time to read through the author guidelines carefully.

Formatting images and figures.

Make sure each image or illustration you submit has a unique caption. You can submit illustrations to our journals free of charge. Some open access journals may charge a fee. If you want to use copyrighted content, you can request permission directly through our partner Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). Fees are usually charged for the reproduction or translation of copyrighted material, which must be paid in advance.

Ensure that your article is well written and grammatically correct.

If you require additional support, there are lots of editing services that specialize in research articles. You can also ask a colleague or a friend to read your manuscript and make suggestions for improvements.

Check the journal's data sharing policy.

A growing number of journals have a data-sharing policy requiring authors to make their research data available to the research community. The requirements can vary, from the completion of a Data Availability Statement to adding your data to an open repository, so check the journal's requirements before you submit.

When publishing a manuscript, you are expected to follow the publishing ethics of the relevant journal. We also provide a code of conduct for publication procedures and ethics based on the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).