Overview
Good journal targeting balances three things: fit (does the journal publish this kind of paper, for these readers?), recognition (is it indexed and rated in the places your institution, funder or promotion committee counts?) and practicality (article type, length, open-access costs, turnaround and policies). A list sorted by impact factor answers only part of the second question.
We read your manuscript, check recent issues of candidate journals for similar work, and verify indexing and ratings directly in Scopus source lists, Clarivate's Master Journal List or Journal Citation Reports, SCImago, the ABDC Journal Quality List and the Chartered ABS Academic Journal Guide, as relevant to you. These lists change: Scopus discontinues titles monthly, JCR releases new metrics every June, and list ratings are revised in periodic reviews. We record which edition or date each check refers to.
You receive a ranked shortlist with a first-choice, realistic and fallback tier, plus the trade-offs behind each. The decision stays with you and your co-authors, and so does the submission.
Who it’s for and the problems it solves
This is for you if you are…
- Doctoral students and early-career researchers choosing a journal for a first paper
- Faculty whose institution requires Scopus, Web of Science, ABDC or AJG journals for promotion or incentives
- Business and management researchers navigating ABDC and AJG ratings alongside citation metrics
- Authors needing an open-access route that fits a funder mandate or a transformative agreement
- Researchers re-targeting after rejection who want a fresh, well-matched list
Common problems we help with
- You were desk-rejected as 'out of scope' and are not sure how to judge scope next time
- Your university requires Q1 or Q2 journals but you are unsure whether it means SJR or JCR quartiles
- A journal claims to be 'Scopus indexed' and you cannot tell if that is still true
- You need an ABDC A-rated or AJG 3 journal and do not know which ones publish your method or topic
- The best-fitting journal is gold open access and you do not know whether your institution covers the APC
- Two co-authors disagree on whether to aim high or submit somewhere faster
What’s included — and what isn’t
Included
- Manuscript read to define topic, method, contribution type and likely readership
- Longlist building from aims-and-scope statements, recent articles, reference lists and journal finder tools
- Indexing verification in Scopus (source list and discontinued-titles list) and Web of Science Core Collection (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, ESCI) via the Master Journal List
- Metrics as relevant: Journal Impact Factor and JCR category quartile, CiteScore, SJR and SJR quartiles, SNIP
- List ratings where your institution uses them: ABDC Journal Quality List (A*, A, B, C) and Chartered ABS Academic Journal Guide (1 to 4*)
- Open-access model: subscription, hybrid, gold or diamond open access, APC amount as published, waivers and transformative-agreement eligibility via your library
- Practical factors: article types, word limits, review model, published turnaround data where available, preprint and data policies
- Integrity screening of each candidate, including hijacked-journal and discontinued-title checks
- A ranked shortlist in three tiers with a short rationale for each journal
Not included
- Predicting acceptance probability or promising publication in a particular tier
- Contacting editors on your behalf or making pre-submission enquiries in your name
- Recommending journals because of any relationship with a publisher — we have none to declare, and recommendations are based only on fit
- Buying or arranging pre-sold publication slots or 'assured acceptance' packages, which are a hallmark of fraudulent services
What you receive
- Journal shortlist report
- Usually four to eight journals in three tiers (ambitious, realistic, fallback) with scope evidence, indexing, ratings, open-access model and word limits.
- Comparison table
- A spreadsheet of candidate journals with the source and date of each indexing or metric check, so your co-authors can verify it.
- Fit evidence
- For each shortlisted journal, two or three recent comparable articles that show the journal publishes work like yours.
- Submission notes
- Key requirements for your first-choice journal: article type, length, reference style, data and preprint policies, and any mandatory declarations.
How it works
Brief
You send the manuscript (or a detailed abstract), your must-haves (for example 'Scopus Q1 by SJR' or 'ABDC A or above') and any journals already considered.
Longlist and screening
We build a longlist from scope and literature, then remove journals that fail indexing, integrity or practical requirements.
Verification
We confirm indexing and ratings in the official databases or current list editions and record the check dates.
Shortlist and discussion
You receive the report and table. A short call helps you and co-authors weigh the trade-offs.
Next steps
If you wish, we move on to formatting, the cover letter or submission preparation for the chosen journal.
Indexes, lists and metrics we check
- Scopus
- Elsevier's abstract and citation database. Titles are selected and re-evaluated by the Content Selection and Advisory Board; discontinued titles are published in a regularly updated list, and content indexed before discontinuation normally stays in the database.
- Web of Science Core Collection
- Clarivate's indexes (SCIE, SSCI, AHCI and ESCI), checked through the Master Journal List. Since the 2026 JCR release, Clarivate states that all Core Collection journals receive a Journal Impact Factor.
- Journal Citation Reports
- Journal Impact Factor, category rankings and quartiles, released annually. Journals may be suppressed or labeled as forthcoming, so we check the current release rather than a journal's own claims.
- SCImago Journal Rank (SJR)
- A Scopus-based prestige metric with quartiles by subject category. A journal can be Q1 in one category and Q2 in another, so we note the category used.
- ABDC Journal Quality List
- Australian Business Deans Council ratings (A*, A, B, C). The 2025 review, the first full review since 2019, was released in March 2026; we check ratings against the current edition.
- Chartered ABS Academic Journal Guide (AJG)
- Ratings from 1 to 4* for business and management journals. AJG 2024 grades apply until the next edition, which Chartered ABS has indicated for 2027.
- DOAJ and open-access models
- Directory of Open Access Journals listing for gold and diamond OA journals, APCs as published by the journal, and transformative (read-and-publish) agreements through your library.
- Journal finder tools
- Publisher and independent finders (for example JANE for biomedical abstracts) as a starting point only; every suggestion is verified manually.
Q1 according to whom?
Institutions often require 'Q1 journals' without saying which quartile. JCR quartiles are based on Journal Impact Factor within Web of Science categories; SJR quartiles are based on the SCImago Journal Rank within Scopus subject categories. The same journal can sit in different quartiles in each system, and in different quartiles across its own categories. We report both where relevant and name the category, so you can match your institution's rule exactly.
Business schools often add ABDC or AJG ratings, which are based on expert panel review as well as metrics. A journal can be highly rated on one list and absent from another, particularly in interdisciplinary areas.
Fit beats rank for desk decisions
Editors desk-reject papers that do not speak to their readers, regardless of quality. We look for evidence of fit in what the journal has actually published in the last two to three years: comparable topics, methods, contexts and article lengths. If your reference list already cites a journal several times, that is often a strong signal; if you cite none of its articles, the editor may wonder why you chose it.
- Scope statement and special sections
- Recent comparable articles, not just older landmark papers
- Accepted article types and word limits
- Whether the journal publishes your method (for example qualitative, replication or PLS-SEM studies)
Open access, APCs and agreements
Journals may be subscription-based, hybrid (subscription with an optional paid open-access route), gold open access (funded by article processing charges) or diamond open access (free to both authors and readers). Many institutions have transformative agreements that cover APCs in some hybrid or gold journals. We note each journal's model and published APC, and point you to your library to confirm what your institution covers, since eligibility rules differ by agreement and change often.
Keeping the information current
Indexing claims on journal websites can be out of date or false. Scopus discontinues titles throughout the year, clone websites impersonate legitimate indexed journals, and list ratings change after reviews. Every shortlist records where and when each fact was checked, and we recommend re-checking the first-choice journal on the day you submit. For deeper integrity concerns, our predatory journal screening service investigates a specific journal in detail.
What the work can look like
Illustrative example — fictional data
Sample shortlist entry
A fictional management researcher has a PLS-SEM study on remote-work autonomy and innovative behavior in 340 employees, and her school requires ABDC A or AJG 3 journals. The entries below use invented journal names and figures to illustrate the format.
Tier 1 (ambitious): 'Journal of Organizational Innovation Studies'
Scope: explicit interest in work design and innovation. Published four PLS-SEM survey papers in the last two years. ABDC A (2025 list), AJG 3 (AJG 2024). SJR Q1 in Management of Technology and Innovation. Hybrid; APC covered by the author's library agreement per the library's list, to be confirmed. Limit 9,000 words.
Tier 2 (realistic): 'Human Resource Development Review Quarterly'
Scope fit is strong on autonomy and employee behavior. ABDC A; not listed in AJG. JCR Q2 (Management). Subscription journal with optional open access. Published review times suggest a first decision in roughly three months.
Integrity note
A third candidate was excluded: its website claims Scopus indexing, but the title appears on the Scopus discontinued-titles list, and a near-identical domain appears in the Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker.
Illustrative example: journal names, ratings and figures are invented. Real reports cite verifiable sources and check dates.
What you’ll need to provide
- The manuscript or a detailed abstract with methods and main findings
- Institutional or funder requirements (named lists, quartile definitions, open-access mandates)
- Any journals you have already submitted to or ruled out, and why
- Budget constraints or access to APC funding and transformative agreements, if known
- Timeline pressures, such as a job application or thesis-by-publication deadline
You don’t need everything ready to ask for a quote — tell us what you have and we’ll say what’s missing.
What affects price and turnaround
Price depends on
- Number of journals to verify and compare in depth
- Number of indexing or list requirements to satisfy at once
- Interdisciplinary topics that need searching across several fields
- Whether you want submission notes for one or several journals
- Follow-up calls with co-authors or a revised list after rejection
Turnaround depends on
- How specific your requirements are at the start
- Availability of the full manuscript rather than an abstract
- Whether a discussion call with co-authors is needed before finalizing
Every project is quoted individually. How we price our work.
Questions people ask before starting
Will the journals you suggest accept my paper?
No. Editors and reviewers decide. We reduce avoidable risks — scope mismatch, wrong article type, non-indexed or deceptive journals — and help you set a realistic submission order.
Do you receive commissions from journals or publishers?
No. Recommendations are based only on fit, recognition and practical factors. We will never steer you towards a journal for any other reason.
My institution uses its own journal list. Can you work with that?
Yes. Send the list or the rule (for example 'Scopus Q1–Q2 by SJR in the latest year'), and we will filter and verify candidates against it.
Do I need the full manuscript?
A full manuscript gives the best result because fit depends on method, framing and contribution. A detailed abstract with methods and main findings can work for an early-stage shortlist.
What if my paper is interdisciplinary?
Interdisciplinary papers often fit more than one community. We look for journals that explicitly welcome the combination, and explain how the choice affects how you frame the introduction and cover letter.
Do you consider open-access costs?
Yes. We note the journal's model and published APC and flag possible coverage through transformative agreements or waivers, but your library or funder confirms eligibility.