Tricks to publish in a high-impact journal
Introduction
Publication in a high-impact journal offers an opportunity for the researcher to disseminate original research questions, results and insights to a wider, frequently worldwide audience.
Academic publishing in scientific, technical and medical (STM) journals entails disseminating information and the associated evidence-based interventions as a research paper in a relevant journal. Doing so often increases the visibility of one's research beyond one's immediate network of friends and colleagues. Publication in a high-impact journal, in particular, offers an opportunity for the researcher to disseminate original research questions, results and insights to a wider, frequently worldwide audience. More importantly, it can help the researcher advance their career by securing a new position, speaking opportunities at prestigious conferences or even by obtaining research funding. However, publishing in a high-impact journal is tough for many young researchers globally. A few of the tricks one can employ to publish in high-impact journals are further discussed below.
What is an 'impact factor'? Why is it so important?
Several journal-level metrics are used to evaluate an academic journal's impact and supposed quality, which reflect the prestige associated with it. The impact factor of a journal is one of the most frequently cited metrics. It shows the number of times articles from that journal have been cited over the previous few years.
What is unique about a 'high-impact factor' journal?
High-quality manuscripts focusing on original research questions and containing new results or comprehensive research yielding enduring results that can withstand careful examination and authentication are frequently published in high-impact journals. Often, papers published in such journals have the potential to stimulate additional study and discussion while making a significant scientific contribution to their field. Editors of such journals usually look for manuscripts that will both advance the reader's knowledge and effectively convey the findings and significance of the research. High-impact-factor journals tend to have a low acceptance rate, in line with their reputation.
How are journals classified by impact factor?
Generally, journals are divided into four quartiles based on their impact factors (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4). The most prestigious journals within a discipline are those in the first quartile (Q1), and the top 5% of journals usually have impact factors close to or exceeding 6 (depending on the actual discipline). Most disciplines concur that an impact factor for a high-impact journal should be at least 10, with a score of 3 considered good, while an impact factor of one or less is usually considered average.
Tricks to publish in 'high-impact' journals
Authors should realise that they only get one chance to inspire and pique the attention of the editor-in-chief.
Authors should realise that they only get one chance to inspire and pique the attention of the editors-in-chief of the most prestigious journals, who are frequently busy and often receive numerous submissions every day. Given their huge work burden and availability of ample alternative submissions, editors can make a go–no-go decision just by reading the title, cover letter and abstract of a submitted manuscript. Likewise, authors should draft a compelling and high-quality paper, paying special attention to these aspects.
The cover letter is so important that a poorly composed letter can be a good reason for a so-called 'desk rejection' of a manuscript. Although a strong cover letter does not ensure publication, a poorly written letter may make the editor wonder about the quality and thoroughness of the actual research. Authors must devote enough time to write a compelling justification for editors to take their manuscript under consideration. Likewise, mentioning the editor, keeping the letter's length to the prevailing standard in the field and discussing the novel aspects of the paper without going into unnecessary details, providing a flawless writing sample while maintaining integrity with the greatest care, are all highly recommended.
Authors are also expected to choose a catchy title that covers the contents of their research. Submitting a precise title that easily conveys the research theme and highlights the essentials is key to success. In addition, authors must be wise to consider an original research question, leaving room for more research and further debate, if they want to publish their paper in a high-impact journal. Having a good research team, applying rigorous study design and building a story that makes sense, reflected in an exceptionally clear, brief, coherent and logical story, is critical to win the minds of most editors. Research papers discussing challenging work whose results influence other researchers and/or papers that provide solutions to difficult problems are also worth to consider for the next stage in the editorial process.
The abstract is one of the most critical components of any paper, particularly if targeting a high-impact journal. It should be concise, precise, accurate, interesting and easy to comprehend. Beginning with a basic overview of the subject matter, authors should discuss the evidence gap or study question(s). An abstract targeted at STM journals should address one research question at a time. The result should have sufficiently adequate information while remaining succinct. Authors should ensure a balance between too much and too little information. Authors should conclude their abstract by summarising key findings and answering the question(s) addressed, followed by an elaboration of the broader implications or impact of their results.
What else should be done?
In addition to writing high-quality titles, cover letters and abstracts, authors are expected to write a good and well-formatted manuscript that conveys a clear scientific message. High-impact STM journals seek high-quality manuscripts that not only contribute to the reader's knowledge but also clearly communicate the results and impact of the research. Before submitting their draft manuscript to a target journal, authors may find it helpful to solicit feedback from both specialists and non-specialists. A promising manuscript logically communicates the authors' ideas so that the reader ideally comes to the same conclusions as the author. A logical argument structure, experimental flow and use of summary statements should all be ensured. Furthermore, the results section of the manuscript should be connected to the discussion. Paragraph headings should be used to describe specific results, as should figure legend titles.
What are the most common reasons for rejection by high-impact journals?
Although manuscripts may be rejected at any point during the article processing timeline, the most frequent rejection stages are early (desk) rejections, without sending the manuscript for peer review. Editors of high-impact journals reject manuscripts for a variety of reasons, but the following are typical examples: papers lacking originality (novelty), papers characterised by poor study design, papers with poor statistical analysis (e.g., descriptive only) or papers discussing uninteresting research question(s). Additionally, editors frequently reject articles without further consideration if the content does not fit the journal's scope or if they believe the target audience will not find it interesting.
Conclusion
Publishing a paper in a high-impact journal requires extreme patience.
In spite of huge and extremely rewarding benefits, publishing a paper in a high-impact journal is often tiresome and requires extreme patience. It also demands strong writing skills. Above all, understanding the details of the decision-making process is critical to navigate the challenges and ensuring success.
Taddese Zerfu is a Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He is a winner of the Tore Godal Medal Award and multiple fellowships as well as several research grants. He regularly publishes in high-impact journals.