Standard of journal

Many different characteristics, processes and statuses can help define the standards of a journal, and each may have different importance in your choice of where to submit. Details about peer review processes, editorial boards, aims and scope, instructions for authors, ethical and editorial policies, open access models, editorial workflows, citation and alternative metrics, using persistent identifiers and database indexing are all features contributing to defining high quality standards.

Further, other journal characteristics may influence your decision, so it is important that editorial policies are transparent and extensive, explaining all aspects of the publishing process and addressing research integrity and ethical concerns. Future use of your paper (and supplementary material) will depend on the journal’s rights, licensing and digital preservation policies. If your research area is dynamic and highly competitive, a journal allowing preprint publication could be of interest to you.

Citation metrics such as the Journal Impact Factor and Scopus Scientific Journal Rankings (SJR) and a journal’s ranking in the database subject category can be used as a proxy of the journal’s popularity or quality and are often used in academic assessments and graduations. However, while these metrics are valid measurements of a journal’s recent average citation performance, they are not valid metrics for defining the value of individual articles or researchers, nor can they inform you of a suitable journal to submit your own paper.

Refer to the EASE Statement on Inappropriate Use of Impact Factors for more details on using citation metrics in evaluating journals and researchers.