In short: Start with your requirements (index, deadline, budget, open access rules), then build a long list from your own reference list, colleagues and publisher journal finders. Keep only journals whose aims, scope and recent articles match your study. Confirm indexing and legitimacy with official sources, compare fees, review model and timelines, and rank three journals you will try one at a time.
By On Time Publication Editorial Team · Last updated 8 October 2026
Taylor & Francis says the top reason editors give for rejecting articles is that authors submitted to the wrong journal (Choosing a journal). The same guidance suggests choosing the journal before you start writing, so you can build on research the journal has already published and meet its article formats and word limits.
This guide explains how to choose a journal yourself. For the whole process, from your rules to the proofs, see how to publish a research paper. If you would rather have a verified shortlist prepared for you, see our journal submission support service.
Before you look at any journal, note the rules you must meet. If you skip this step, an accepted paper may not count for your purpose.
Aim for 8 to 15 candidate journals. Good places to look:
| Tool | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Elsevier Journal Finder | Suggests Elsevier journals that match your abstract or keywords, ranked by relevance (Elsevier support). |
| Springer Nature Journal Finder | Suggests Springer Nature journals and shows metrics such as impact factor and median time from submission to first decision (Springer Nature support). |
| Wiley Journal Finder | Lets you search and filter Wiley journals, with abstract matching. |
| Taylor & Francis Journal Suggester | Paste an abstract or keywords to see suggested Taylor & Francis journals with citation and speed metrics. |
For each journal on your long list:
Never rely on a journal's own "indexed in" badge. Search the journal's ISSN in two free tools, Scopus Sources and Clarivate's Master Journal List, and make sure the website is the real journal, not a hijacked copy. Our guide how to check if a journal is really indexed walks through each check.
Then run the Think. Check. Submit. checklist. It asks, for example, whether the publisher is easy to identify and contact, whether the type of peer review is clear, whether fees are explained, and whether the journal avoids promising acceptance or a very short review time. For open access journals, a listing in the DOAJ is a useful extra signal.
Be careful with third parties, too. Taylor & Francis warns that some submitting agents falsely claim its journals only accept submissions through agents, and that some authors have received fake submission IDs or acceptance letters (fraudulent submissions). You can always submit directly through the journal's own website.
| Factor | Where to find it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fees and open access | Journal's "publication charges" or "open access" page | APCs vary widely. Check whether an institutional agreement or a waiver applies. |
| Peer review model | Author guidelines or "about the journal" | Single-anonymous, double-anonymous or open review can affect how you prepare files. |
| Time to first decision | Journal homepage metrics or publisher finder tools | Published figures are averages or medians, not promises. Leave a margin before any deadline. |
| Prior publication policy | Guide for authors | Matters if your work is in a preprint, a conference abstract or a thesis. |
Put your remaining journals in order: an ambitious first choice, a realistic second and a dependable third. Submit to one at a time. The ICMJE says authors should not submit the same manuscript, in the same or different languages, simultaneously to more than one journal (ICMJE overlapping publications). If the first journal declines, use any reviewer comments to improve the paper before you reformat it. Our guide on how to respond to reviewer comments can help if you are asked to revise.
If you are short of time, our journal submission support is the next step. Your paper is matched to an editor in your field. Our team of qualified researchers and subject-specialist editors with publishing experience prepares a shortlist with each journal's Scopus and Web of Science evidence, checked on the day. You choose the journal. You can submit yourself, or we can submit for you with the explicit authorisation of the corresponding author. We can also provide manuscript editing before submission. Acceptance is always decided by the journal's editors and peer reviewers.
Independence: On Time Publication is not affiliated with Elsevier/Scopus, Clarivate/Web of Science, COPE, the ICMJE or any journal or publisher named on this page. We link to their public guidance so you can check it yourself.
List your requirements first (index, deadline, budget, article type). Build a long list from your references, colleagues and publisher journal finders, keep journals whose scope and recent articles match your study, verify indexing and legitimacy, compare fees and timelines, and rank three journals to try one at a time.
They are a useful starting point. Each publisher tool suggests only that publisher's own journals, so use more than one and check every suggestion yourself, including scope, indexing and fees.
Impact factor is one factor, not the main one. Scope fit, article type, your institution's rules and the journal's legitimacy usually matter more. A paper that does not fit the scope is often returned without review.
No. The ICMJE says authors should not submit the same manuscript, in the same or different languages, simultaneously to more than one journal. Submit to one journal and wait for its decision.
Check its ISSN in Scopus Sources and the Master Journal List, make sure the website belongs to the real publisher, and work through the Think. Check. Submit. checklist. Promises of acceptance or very fast review are warning signs.
Ideally, yes. Taylor and Francis suggests choosing the journal before you start writing, so you can build on research it has already published and meet its article formats and word limits.
No. You can always submit directly through the journal's own website. Taylor and Francis warns that some agents falsely claim its journals only accept submissions through agents. If anyone submits for you, it should be with your explicit authorisation, and you should be able to see the submission in the journal's system.
We link to official sources so you can check the rules yourself. Always follow your target journal's and institution's current instructions.
Send us your title, abstract and any institutional rules, and we will tell you in a free assessment how we can help with your journal shortlist.
Pricing: custom quote based on word count, field and deadline. See how pricing works or contact us.
WhatsApp: +44 7916 693071
Email: info@ontimepublication.com
Tell us about your research and publication requirements. Our team will review your request and contact you to discuss the next steps.