Streamlining the path to publication, part one: Evaluating journal compatibility

High-quality medical research is only the beginning. Whether it addresses an evidence gap or supports better patient outcomes, the next challenge is making sure it reaches the right audience.

The path to publication

To make a meaningful contribution to the healthcare industry, it is essential to disseminate your research findings to relevant stakeholders by submitting a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal. Inaccessible research leads to various consequences, including publication bias, unnecessary duplication of research, and the loss of valuable learnings that could advance scientific knowledge and clinical practice. These effects impact you, as an industry professional, and restrict the standard of care available to patients. (1)

While manuscript rejection does not equate to failure (in fact, rejection often presents an opportunity to strengthen publications for future submissions), initial acceptance reduces the need for reformatting and the time required for additional editorial and peer-review processes. (1,2)  To support the successful publication of your research, our specialist medical writers at Synthesis have developed a four-part blog post series, ‘Streamlining the path to publication’, outlining a structured approach to manuscript development and submission.

Identifying the right journal

The first step in publishing your research is to select a suitable target journal. Identifying a target journal early can guide the structure and style of your manuscript throughout the writing process. To achieve this, it is critical to evaluate the following:

• The journal’s aims and scope: does the journal closely align with the theme and objectives of your research?

• The type of articles the journal publishes: does your research conform to one of the available article types? While most healthcare journals publish original research, only certain journals are suitable for more specific article types, such as policy papers, industry commentaries, or insight pieces.

• Its audience: will your research be of interest to the journal's readership? Reviewing recently published articles in the same disease area can help guide your decision.

If your answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, it is likely the journal is not a suitable match for your research, and you should explore alternative options. If you are unsure, many journals accept pre-submission enquiries. The editor-in-chief or another editorial team member can advise on whether your manuscript is likely to be of interest.

To manage expectations, it is often valuable to consider a journal's impact factor (the average number of times articles from the past two years are cited in a journal during a given year), the median time from submission to acceptance and/or publication, acceptance rate, and other relevant metrics. (3) Additionally, some journals offer open-access options whereby the full text of a publication is freely available to all readers. Although opting for open access may enhance the visibility of your research, it is typically associated with an article processing charge. Evaluating these factors can help you narrow your journal options based on urgency, budget constraints, and previous submission attempts.

Suppose your manuscript has been rejected multiple times. To increase the likelihood of publication, it may be advisable to target a lower-impact journal with a higher acceptance rate.

Our advice to you 

At Synthesis, we understand that assessing journal suitability and comparing associated metrics can be complex. Based on our experience, we propose three pieces of advice to guide journal selection:

1. Develop a table to facilitate cross-referencing of journal options. Depending on your priorities, a comparison table may include details such as the journal’s scope and aims, impact factor, acceptance rate, the most suitable article type and corresponding author guidelines (e.g., word count, the number of illustrations and tables, reference style), and article processing charges.

2. Summarise the pros and cons of potential journals to help streamline the ranking process.

3. Ensure that your top-choice journal and backup option(s) have similar requirements and would require minimal edits to accelerate resubmission elsewhere if the initial submission is unsuccessful.

Synthesis offers specialised medical writing and strategic input across the manuscript development life cycle through submission. Explore our step-by-step manuscript development process here and contact us at info@synthesishealth.co.uk to discover how we can partner with you to enhance the value of your content for patients and the wider industry.