Guide for Indian Authors

Everything you need — from finding the right journal to getting published in Scopus-indexed journals.

Step-by-Step: From Research to Publication

Identify Your Research Scope

Define the subject area, sub-area, and study type (original research, review, case report, letter). This determines suitable journals.

Search & Shortlist Journals

Use NextJournal filters: select subject area, choose quartile (Q1–Q4), filter by No-APC or Diamond OA, sort by Indian author acceptance. Shortlist 3–5 journals.

Check Author Guidelines

Visit the journal's official website. Read Aims & Scope carefully. Check word limits, reference format, and required sections.

Verify Scopus Indexing

Always verify on scopus.com/sources or scimagojr.com. Beware of predatory journals claiming Scopus indexing.

Prepare Your Manuscript

Structure with a strong abstract, clear methodology, relevant results, and a discussion that contextualises findings for a global audience.

Submit & Respond to Reviewers

Submit via the journal's online system. When reviewer comments arrive, respond point-by-point, revise thoroughly, and resubmit within the deadline.

Tips to Improve Acceptance Chances

💡 Choose the Right Quartile for Your Stage

PhD students and early-career researchers should start with Q3–Q2 journals. Q1 journals are highly competitive. Build your publication record progressively.

💡 Write a Strong Cover Letter

Always include a cover letter explaining why your study is relevant to the journal's scope, what new contribution it makes, and confirming it is not under consideration elsewhere.

💡 Avoid Common Rejection Reasons

Out-of-scope submissions, poor English language, lack of novelty, insufficient sample size, and plagiarism are leading causes of desk rejection. Use iThenticate before submitting. Keep similarity below 10%.

💡 Use Indian Data for Global Relevance

Journals value Indian datasets and population studies. Frame your Indian-context findings with global implications — explain why your results matter beyond India.

Author Checklists

📋 Before Submission

Manuscript formatted per journal guidelines
Abstract within word limit (usually 150–300 words)
Keywords selected (usually 4–8)
All figures/tables high resolution and captioned
References formatted in required style
Plagiarism check done (<10% similarity)
Ethics statement / IRB approval included
All authors have approved the final manuscript
Conflict of interest & funding disclosure prepared
Cover letter written

📋 Choosing Between Journals

Journal is Scopus-indexed (verified on scopus.com/sources)
Scope matches your topic closely
Quartile appropriate for your career stage
APC within budget (or No-APC / Diamond OA)
Review time acceptable for your timeline
Journal NOT on Beall's list of predatory journals
ISSN matches on Scopus and journal website
Journal publishes Indian author research regularly
UGC CARE listed (if needed for university norms)

📋 After Acceptance

Review proofs — check figures, tables, author names
Confirm ORCID iD is linked to the publication
Share DOI and citation details with your institution
Upload accepted manuscript to institutional repository
Update CV / Google Scholar / ResearchGate
Share preprint on arXiv / SSRN if applicable
Promote on academic social media

Understanding Journal Metrics

📊 CiteScore (Scopus)

Measures average citations per document published in last 4 years. Higher = more impactful. Calculated by Scopus / Elsevier.

📊 SJR — SCImago Journal Rank

Weights citations by prestige of citing journal. Used to assign Q1–Q4 quartile rankings. Available free at scimagojr.com.

📊 Impact Factor (Clarivate)

Calculated by Web of Science over a 2-year window. Only journals indexed in SCIE/SSCI/AHCI have an IF. Different from CiteScore.

📊 H-Index

Largest number h such that h articles have each been cited at least h times. Indicates sustained long-term influence.

📊 Quartile Rankings (Q1–Q4)

Journals ranked within subject category by SJR score. Top 25% = Q1. A journal may be Q1 in one area and Q3 in another.

📊 SNIP

Source Normalised Impact corrects for citation practice differences across fields. Useful for comparing journals across disciplines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit to multiple journals simultaneously? ▼

No. Simultaneous submission is a serious ethical violation. Wait for a decision from one journal before submitting to another. You may submit to preprint servers (arXiv, SSRN, bioRxiv) while under review — many journals allow this.

How do I check if a journal is predatory? ▼

Check the journal's ISSN on scopus.com/sources and scimagojr.com. Predatory journals often promise rapid publication (<1 week), send unsolicited emails, have no proper peer review, and charge high APCs. Cross-check on Think Check Submit (thinkchecksubmit.org).

What is the difference between UGC CARE and Scopus indexing? ▼

UGC CARE is India's UGC-approved journal list. Scopus is Elsevier's global citation database. A journal can be on UGC CARE without being in Scopus, and vice versa. For PhD and faculty promotions in India, UGC CARE listing is specifically required by most universities. Scopus is the international gold standard.

How long does peer review typically take? ▼

Average is 8–16 weeks from submission to first decision for most Scopus journals. Q1 journals can take 4–6 months. Diamond OA and newer journals sometimes have faster review (4–8 weeks). NextJournal shows estimated review times for each journal.

Do I need to pay APC for subscription journals? ▼

No. Subscription journals do not charge authors to publish. APC is only required if you choose the Open Access option in a hybrid journal, or if you submit to a Gold OA journal. Diamond OA journals are free for both authors and readers.

What is ORCID and why do I need it? ▼

ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is a unique persistent identifier for researchers. It ensures publications are correctly attributed to you. Most Scopus and WoS journals now require ORCID during submission. Register free at orcid.org.