Publication Priorities

Your research is complete, your manuscript is ready, and now it’s time to choose where to publish—but where do you begin? The first step is to clarify your priorities. Below are key factors to consider as you navigate your options. Which ones matter most to you?

Timelines

• Is there a timeline you're aiming to meet for publication?
• Is a review process of 10+ months okay?

Prestige

• Are you expected to publish in a high-impact journal? 
• Is a lower-impact journal okay if it's indexed in MEDLINE, etc.?

Open Access (OA)

• Do funders, institutions, or personal values require you to make your work OA?
• Do you have a budget for article processing charges (APCs) or will you rely on Green OA?

Your Manuscript

One of the most common reasons a manuscript is rejected is a mismatch between the manuscript and the aims and scope of the journal. Before you start looking for prospective journals, look at your manuscript and decide on the following:

Who is your target audience?

Consider who you want to reach—whether peers, policy makers, practitioners, or a niche group in your field. Example audiences include:

• Administrators, policy makers
• Educators
• Allied health professionals
• Oncologists, hospitalists, family physicians

Identify your research methodology

Clearly define your study design to help identify journals specializing in your research approach. Common methodologies include:

• Randomized control trial
• Systematic review, meta-analysis, scoping review
• Case-control study, cohort study
• Qualitative research
• Case report, case series

What field does your paper primarily align with?

Identify the primary field(s) your paper aligns with to refine journal selection. Examples include:

• Rural medicine
• Medical education
• Emergency medicine
• Mental health