how to publish research papers in high impact journals

✨ Enrol by 15 May to get access to our Jumpstart Your Summer Writing events at no additional cost! 💰 ✨

How to Publish in a High-Impact Journal

Nature , Science , Cell , Advanced Materials … — publishing in high-impact journals is difficult but not impossible. Here what the impact factor means, what high impact research is and how to write high-impact research papers that get accepted in top-tier journals.

I don’t know what your goals are for this academic year, but one thing I’m pretty certain of: You wouldn’t have anything against publishing a paper or two in a high-impact journal. Am I right? 😉

Publishing in high-impact journals can open doors when you are climbing the academic career ladder: Prestigious grants, permanent positions, and opportunities for interesting collaboration often seem to follow publishing success. And of course, so does the recognition that the science you are doing is good.

That’s why early career scientists can’t overlook high impact scientific journals — even though the journal impact factor shouldn’t be the only parameter to look at when deciding on a journal for your high impact research. But what does “impact factor” mean?

Impact factor meaning

The journal impact factor measures the number of citations in the preceding two years relative to the number of published scientific articles during those years. That means that Nature , Science and other high-impact scientific journals mostly contain papers that get cited a lot and are – so goes the theory – more likely to make an actual impact in their research field and society as a whole.

I don’t need to tell you that publishing a scientific paper in a high-impact journal is hard. And with an increasing number of scientists publishing papers , it’s getting harder every year. The acceptance rate of a paper in Nature , for example, has dropped from about 11% between 1997 and 2001 to roughly 8% since 2010. Science reports that less than 7% of papers submitted to the journal are successful.

How to publish in high-impact journals — 8 tangible tips

I don’t possess magic powers that guarantee that your papers will get accepted in high-impact scientific journals. I have, however, seven tips for you that can maximise your chances:

• Your study needs to solve a big and relevant problem
• Your research needs to be robust
• You need to tell a story
• You need figures that your reader can grasp quickly
• Your writing needs to be clear and concise
• Your abstract needs to tell a story too
•  You need to follow the journal guidelines meticulously
• Your cover letter needs to convince

The first two points elaborate on what type of study high-impact scientific journals are looking to publish, and help you decide whether you have high-impact research on your hands or not. The following six points provide concrete instructions for how to write high-impact research papers.

High-impact research criteria

1. your study needs to solve a big and relevant problem.

The neatest figures, the punchiest narrative, and perfect English won’t help if your study isn’t of the kind that high-impact journals publish. These journals often contain research that the science sections in newspapers write or the science programs in radio channels or podcasts report about. Before you consider submitting your scientific paper, ask yourself whether you can picture a headline about your study in the New York Times or the Guardian (or the newspaper you are reading) – or in a magazine or online portal specialised in popularising scientific research.

More specifically, high-impact scientific journals look for studies that are (societally) relevant. High impact research solves a big problem and has serious implications — either for an application or something more fundamental.

You can perform a quick check by telling a relative, friend or neighbour who isn’t a scientist about your study. Do they immediately get what you are talking about and are they wowed? Possibly a candidate for high impact research then!

You prefer video to text? I recorded a whole class on how to publish in high-impact journals and you can get access for free right now.

If you want to get your hands on a template to write high-impact research papers in a systematic fashion, click the orange button below.

2. Your research needs to be robust

Even if you present an answer to a big problem, your research needs to be robust enough for Nature , Science or Cell to consider it. These high-impact scientific journals are generally looking for studies with findings that are corroborated using different relevant methods, or considering various conditions or model systems or whatever is applicable for your study. Meaning: the data sets of high impact research articles typically need to be quite comprehensive.

For example, if you see effect X, you should not only check with method A but also with method B. If you have invented a new method Y, you have to study whether it works on both model systems C and D, and for the relevant parameters E, F and G. This can mean that you will need to include results in one study that you would have split up into two or more articles for a more specialised scientific journal.

And last, but not least: Read the “Aim & Scope” section of your desired journal and cross-check the requirements outlined with what your study can deliver. This seems trivial but you can learn a lot!

How to write high-impact research papers

 3. you need to tell a story.

If you have followed me for a while, you might think I sound a little like a broken record. But the reason I keep banging on about storytelling is that it is so, so important. Some researchers think that they should use storytelling to “sell their research”. Selling often has a negative connotation and it seems to imply for many people that you are fooling the journal editor and reviewers by making your research sound better than it really is. First of all, that’s not what storytelling does, and secondly, selling isn’t always a bad thing (but let’s talk about this another time).

What you do when you tell a story in your paper is rather that you make it easy for your reader to understand what you are talking about. If you incorporate the element of a story such as the central message, problem, solution and implications in your article, your reader will understand your research more easily and probably find it more compelling. You’ve given them context and meaning, not just the facts. Want to know how to do it? Get my step-by-step scientific storytelling framework that we teach inside our online academic writing program, the Researchers’ Writing Academy. The best way to get started is by clicking this link to watch our free introductory training.

4. You NEED figures that your reader can grasp quickly

Your figures are the heart of your paper, they display your findings, the essence of your high impact research, and many readers (and journal editors!) are skipping right to the figures. The worst thing you can do here is to confuse your reader. Clutter, inconsistent colour coding, too much data, or the wrong plot type can turn your reader off and in some cases, distort the meaning of your data. If you want to learn more about creating amazing scientific figures, read about my step-by-step process to make figures for scientific papers here .

5. Your writing needs to be clear and concise

Often scientific authors confuse being a native speaker with knowing how to write . Let me tell you, these are two different pairs of shoes. Being a native speaker can help getting grammar and spelling right but effectively communicating your high impact research on paper requires the skill of writing . Therefore, don’t worry if you aren’t a native English speaker, you can still learn how to write well. (And don’t worry if English is your first language and you’re still struggling, we all start out there.)

Good academic writing is clear and concise. So, better put an end those long sentences and those paragraphs stretching over a whole page! We also want to avoid repetition (but don’t confuse this with using inconsistent terminology!). When editing your high impact research paper, I recommend analysing each sentence, each word even: Are they adding new information? You might be surprised by how many filler words you use that don’t add anything meaningful. I’ve listed some other tips to reduce word count in your scientific paper here .

6. Your abstract needs to tell a story too

Just listing a summary of your results in your abstract or summary paragraph isn’t enough if you want to publish in high-impact journals — especially if you are writing for a journal with a broad audience. Think about it: How much will your findings mean to a scientist from a different field or another discipline? Structuring your abstract in a way that it tells a story is something you can do for most high-impact scientific journals even if they have specific requirements for how the abstract should be structured. (By the way, inside the Researchers’ Writing Academy , you get your hands on my Abstract recipe that will get the abstract for your high-impact research paper written in minutes – if you have done your storytelling homework. 😉)

7.  You need to follow the journal guidelines meticulously

If your study is great and ground-breaking, your story is in place, your figures are outstanding and your writing is clear, you can further increase your chances to get published in a high-impact journal by following the journal guidelines in absolutely every detail. For high-impact scientific journals in particular, the list can be long: Word count, reference format, section order, requirements for titles, headings and subheadings, … But it’s worth it! You’ll show the journal editor that you believe in your high-impact research and have made the effort. You are also making their lives easier (always a good thing).

8. Your cover letter needs to convince

The final crucial element to publishing in high-impact journals is your cover letter. You may feel like you’ve already said what you have to say in your scientific paper, but never ever just copy and paste text from your paper into your cover letter. The cover letter is your chance to speak to the journal editor directly. If you would like to understand what editors like to read in a cover letter, I recommend checking out this previous blog post . ( And yes, you’ll of course get a cover letter template inside the Researchers’ Writing Academy as well .)

Publishing in high-impact journals – step by step

There you have it: How to publish in high-impact journals summarised in 8 tangible tips! By the way, these tips are also useful and relevant if you don’t want to shoot quite as high as Nature , Science , Cell or other high-impact scientific journals. More specialised journals aren’t going to be mad about a well-written and compelling paper!

If you have never published in a journal with a high impact factor, and find the whole process intimidating, I recommend to join our academic writing course, the Researchers’ Writing Academy . You’ll get your hands on the complete step-by-step process to write high-impact research articles. The best place to start is our free (no-strings-attached) intro training where I’ll share a birds-eye view of the system that has helped hundreds of researchers to publish in high-impact journals without lacking structure in the writing process. 👇👇

Share article

© Copyright 2018-2024 by Anna Clemens. All Rights Reserved. 

Photography by Alice Dix

How to Write and Publish a Research Paper for a Peer-Reviewed Journal

• Open access
• Published: 30 April 2020
• Volume 36 , pages 909–913, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Clara Busse   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0178-1000 1 &
• Ella August   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5151-1036 1 , 2  

270k Accesses

15 Citations

720 Altmetric

Explore all metrics

Communicating research findings is an essential step in the research process. Often, peer-reviewed journals are the forum for such communication, yet many researchers are never taught how to write a publishable scientific paper. In this article, we explain the basic structure of a scientific paper and describe the information that should be included in each section. We also identify common pitfalls for each section and recommend strategies to avoid them. Further, we give advice about target journal selection and authorship. In the online resource 1 , we provide an example of a high-quality scientific paper, with annotations identifying the elements we describe in this article.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature reviews as independent studies: guidelines for academic practice

How to design bibliometric research: an overview and a framework proposal

Open peer review: promoting transparency in open science

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

Writing a scientific paper is an important component of the research process, yet researchers often receive little formal training in scientific writing. This is especially true in low-resource settings. In this article, we explain why choosing a target journal is important, give advice about authorship, provide a basic structure for writing each section of a scientific paper, and describe common pitfalls and recommendations for each section. In the online resource 1 , we also include an annotated journal article that identifies the key elements and writing approaches that we detail here. Before you begin your research, make sure you have ethical clearance from all relevant ethical review boards.

Select a Target Journal Early in the Writing Process

We recommend that you select a “target journal” early in the writing process; a “target journal” is the journal to which you plan to submit your paper. Each journal has a set of core readers and you should tailor your writing to this readership. For example, if you plan to submit a manuscript about vaping during pregnancy to a pregnancy-focused journal, you will need to explain what vaping is because readers of this journal may not have a background in this topic. However, if you were to submit that same article to a tobacco journal, you would not need to provide as much background information about vaping.

Information about a journal’s core readership can be found on its website, usually in a section called “About this journal” or something similar. For example, the Journal of Cancer Education presents such information on the “Aims and Scope” page of its website, which can be found here: https://www.springer.com/journal/13187/aims-and-scope .

Peer reviewer guidelines from your target journal are an additional resource that can help you tailor your writing to the journal and provide additional advice about crafting an effective article [ 1 ]. These are not always available, but it is worth a quick web search to find out.

Identify Author Roles Early in the Process

Early in the writing process, identify authors, determine the order of authors, and discuss the responsibilities of each author. Standard author responsibilities have been identified by The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) [ 2 ]. To set clear expectations about each team member’s responsibilities and prevent errors in communication, we also suggest outlining more detailed roles, such as who will draft each section of the manuscript, write the abstract, submit the paper electronically, serve as corresponding author, and write the cover letter. It is best to formalize this agreement in writing after discussing it, circulating the document to the author team for approval. We suggest creating a title page on which all authors are listed in the agreed-upon order. It may be necessary to adjust authorship roles and order during the development of the paper. If a new author order is agreed upon, be sure to update the title page in the manuscript draft.

In the case where multiple papers will result from a single study, authors should discuss who will author each paper. Additionally, authors should agree on a deadline for each paper and the lead author should take responsibility for producing an initial draft by this deadline.

Structure of the Introduction Section

The introduction section should be approximately three to five paragraphs in length. Look at examples from your target journal to decide the appropriate length. This section should include the elements shown in Fig.  1 . Begin with a general context, narrowing to the specific focus of the paper. Include five main elements: why your research is important, what is already known about the topic, the “gap” or what is not yet known about the topic, why it is important to learn the new information that your research adds, and the specific research aim(s) that your paper addresses. Your research aim should address the gap you identified. Be sure to add enough background information to enable readers to understand your study. Table 1 provides common introduction section pitfalls and recommendations for addressing them.

The main elements of the introduction section of an original research article. Often, the elements overlap

Methods Section

The purpose of the methods section is twofold: to explain how the study was done in enough detail to enable its replication and to provide enough contextual detail to enable readers to understand and interpret the results. In general, the essential elements of a methods section are the following: a description of the setting and participants, the study design and timing, the recruitment and sampling, the data collection process, the dataset, the dependent and independent variables, the covariates, the analytic approach for each research objective, and the ethical approval. The hallmark of an exemplary methods section is the justification of why each method was used. Table 2 provides common methods section pitfalls and recommendations for addressing them.

Results Section

The focus of the results section should be associations, or lack thereof, rather than statistical tests. Two considerations should guide your writing here. First, the results should present answers to each part of the research aim. Second, return to the methods section to ensure that the analysis and variables for each result have been explained.

Begin the results section by describing the number of participants in the final sample and details such as the number who were approached to participate, the proportion who were eligible and who enrolled, and the number of participants who dropped out. The next part of the results should describe the participant characteristics. After that, you may organize your results by the aim or by putting the most exciting results first. Do not forget to report your non-significant associations. These are still findings.

Tables and figures capture the reader’s attention and efficiently communicate your main findings [ 3 ]. Each table and figure should have a clear message and should complement, rather than repeat, the text. Tables and figures should communicate all salient details necessary for a reader to understand the findings without consulting the text. Include information on comparisons and tests, as well as information about the sample and timing of the study in the title, legend, or in a footnote. Note that figures are often more visually interesting than tables, so if it is feasible to make a figure, make a figure. To avoid confusing the reader, either avoid abbreviations in tables and figures, or define them in a footnote. Note that there should not be citations in the results section and you should not interpret results here. Table 3 provides common results section pitfalls and recommendations for addressing them.

Discussion Section

Opposite the introduction section, the discussion should take the form of a right-side-up triangle beginning with interpretation of your results and moving to general implications (Fig.  2 ). This section typically begins with a restatement of the main findings, which can usually be accomplished with a few carefully-crafted sentences.

Major elements of the discussion section of an original research article. Often, the elements overlap

Next, interpret the meaning or explain the significance of your results, lifting the reader’s gaze from the study’s specific findings to more general applications. Then, compare these study findings with other research. Are these findings in agreement or disagreement with those from other studies? Does this study impart additional nuance to well-accepted theories? Situate your findings within the broader context of scientific literature, then explain the pathways or mechanisms that might give rise to, or explain, the results.

Journals vary in their approach to strengths and limitations sections: some are embedded paragraphs within the discussion section, while some mandate separate section headings. Keep in mind that every study has strengths and limitations. Candidly reporting yours helps readers to correctly interpret your research findings.

The next element of the discussion is a summary of the potential impacts and applications of the research. Should these results be used to optimally design an intervention? Does the work have implications for clinical protocols or public policy? These considerations will help the reader to further grasp the possible impacts of the presented work.

Finally, the discussion should conclude with specific suggestions for future work. Here, you have an opportunity to illuminate specific gaps in the literature that compel further study. Avoid the phrase “future research is necessary” because the recommendation is too general to be helpful to readers. Instead, provide substantive and specific recommendations for future studies. Table 4 provides common discussion section pitfalls and recommendations for addressing them.

Follow the Journal’s Author Guidelines

After you select a target journal, identify the journal’s author guidelines to guide the formatting of your manuscript and references. Author guidelines will often (but not always) include instructions for titles, cover letters, and other components of a manuscript submission. Read the guidelines carefully. If you do not follow the guidelines, your article will be sent back to you.

Finally, do not submit your paper to more than one journal at a time. Even if this is not explicitly stated in the author guidelines of your target journal, it is considered inappropriate and unprofessional.

Your title should invite readers to continue reading beyond the first page [ 4 , 5 ]. It should be informative and interesting. Consider describing the independent and dependent variables, the population and setting, the study design, the timing, and even the main result in your title. Because the focus of the paper can change as you write and revise, we recommend you wait until you have finished writing your paper before composing the title.

Be sure that the title is useful for potential readers searching for your topic. The keywords you select should complement those in your title to maximize the likelihood that a researcher will find your paper through a database search. Avoid using abbreviations in your title unless they are very well known, such as SNP, because it is more likely that someone will use a complete word rather than an abbreviation as a search term to help readers find your paper.

After you have written a complete draft, use the checklist (Fig. 3 ) below to guide your revisions and editing. Additional resources are available on writing the abstract and citing references [ 5 ]. When you feel that your work is ready, ask a trusted colleague or two to read the work and provide informal feedback. The box below provides a checklist that summarizes the key points offered in this article.

Checklist for manuscript quality

Data Availability

Michalek AM (2014) Down the rabbit hole…advice to reviewers. J Cancer Educ 29:4–5

Article   Google Scholar  

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Defining the role of authors and contributors: who is an author? http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authosrs-and-contributors.html . Accessed 15 January, 2020

Vetto JT (2014) Short and sweet: a short course on concise medical writing. J Cancer Educ 29(1):194–195

Brett M, Kording K (2017) Ten simple rules for structuring papers. PLoS ComputBiol. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005619

Lang TA (2017) Writing a better research article. J Public Health Emerg. https://doi.org/10.21037/jphe.2017.11.06

Download references

Acknowledgments

Ella August is grateful to the Sustainable Sciences Institute for mentoring her in training researchers on writing and publishing their research.

Code Availability

Not applicable.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, 135 Dauer Dr, 27599, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

Clara Busse & Ella August

Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2029, USA

Ella August

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ella August .

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interests.

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

(PDF 362 kb)

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Busse, C., August, E. How to Write and Publish a Research Paper for a Peer-Reviewed Journal. J Canc Educ 36 , 909–913 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01751-z

Download citation

Published : 30 April 2020

Issue Date : October 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01751-z

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Manuscripts
• Scientific writing
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

How To Publish in High-Impact Journals

How To Publish in High-Impact Journals High-impact journals are extremely desirable publication venues, and early-career researchers are often encouraged to submit their writing to the most prestigious journals despite low acceptance rates. Learning how to publish in high-impact journals is therefore imperative for academics and scientists, and although it may be impossible to guarantee publishing success, it is certainly possible to prepare an outstanding research paper that just might beat the odds and inspire the employment, promotion, funding, speaking and collaboration opportunities associated with high-impact publication. Conducting sound and relevant research and communicating it clearly and accurately to readers are the basic requirements for effective academic and scientific documents regardless of the intended publication venue, but more is needed when submitting research to a high-impact journal. Acceptance rates of less than 10% are not unheard of among the most prestigious scientific journals, so a manuscript submission must stand out as exceptional to receive serious consideration. Anything less is generally rejected without being peer reviewed or, in some cases, even completely read by an editor. The situation is undoubtedly challenging, but it is not hopeless. After all, many academics and scientists have their work presented in top-tier periodicals every month, and some of them are relatively unknown researchers who have discovered early in their careers how to publish in high-impact journals. PhD Thesis Editing Services Helpful Strategies for How To Publish in High-Impact Journals The first concern when planning to publish a research paper in a high-impact journal is to ensure that the manuscript you prepare for submission is exactly the kind of paper the editor of that journal wants to publish. Familiarity with the journal is therefore a necessity, so read recently published issues paying special attention to papers that are particularly similar to your own and take a close look at the journal’s aims and scope. Although the ideal research paper varies from journal to journal, most high-impact periodicals look for content that is robust, novel and currently important to society, as well as appropriate for their research focus and range. Instead of slicing off a single test or method and its findings, as might be done for a paper submitted to a highly specialised journal, combining different experiments, approaches and technologies to test an effect repeatedly and produce evidence that is especially convincing is advisable. A logical and persuasive argument firmly based on excellent data, carefully constructed through penetrating analysis and successfully sustained from introduction to conclusion is also required. Sharing your paper with trusted colleagues, mentors and friends to see if your discoveries come across as exciting, impressive and meaningful is an excellent idea. Learning how to publish in high-impact journals also involves less exciting work such as following the guidelines or instructions for authors with absolute precision and consistency. This is an aspect of manuscript preparation that is too often neglected, but a paper submitted to a high-impact journal that receives far more submissions than it can publish must be as perfect as possible, which is why some academics and scientists will choose a target journal first and then write the paper to suit it. A manuscript with the structure, headings, tables, figures, references and other elements presented exactly as the guidelines indicate will demonstrate the author’s attention to detail and accuracy as well as an overall professional approach in the research content of the paper as well. Adhering strictly to length limits, submission procedures and publishing deadlines is always necessary. An academic or scientific manuscript intended for a high-impact journal should be extremely well written. Your writing skills must be honed to communicate with complete clarity the methods, results, analyses and conclusions of your study. Remember that most high-impact journals cater to a well-informed but broad audience and make sure that you avoid excessively technical terminology, discipline-specific jargon and nonstandard abbreviations that could potentially confuse readers. Explain or define any specialised language that cannot be eliminated and work to tell an engaging story about your research that will provide context and promote maximum comprehension among your intended audience. An important part of this story will be explaining exactly how your findings advance knowledge or understanding in your field and present new directions and paradigms for future research. A confident tone using the active voice will produce a concise and authoritative style appropriate for most high-impact journals, and excellent tables and figures will allow readers to visualise your findings. All errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation as well as research data and background information must be eliminated, so do edit and proofread your work with care. PhD Thesis Editing Services Pay special attention to the title and abstract of your paper, as these are the first parts of the manuscript that the editor and peer reviewers of that high-impact journal will see. If there are guidelines for these elements – many scientific journals, for instance, dictate the structure and length of abstracts – be sure to observe them in every detail. The title should be engaging and encapsulate the main message or findings of the research, while the abstract should be a self-contained summary of the paper’s background, methodology, findings and conclusions. Avoiding potentially confusing language is even more imperative in the title and abstract than in the main paper, and references to sources, tables and figures should not be included. Remember that a poorly written title or abstract will frustrate and lose readers, including not only that editor you want to impress, but also future readers who find your paper through searching and indexing services. Including appropriate keywords in the title and abstract will ensure that your paper is discovered by interested readers once it is published. A useful strategy for how to publish in high-impact journals is to emphasise productive connections between your own research and papers recently published by your target journal. This must be done with care and clearly explained in a cover letter to the editor. Do not criticise or treat with disrespect any published paper or its author, as this will send a negative message about the journal’s publication choices. Instead, the goal is to show how your work develops, revises, adapts or otherwise builds upon the previously published research, opening a valuable dialogue and advancing knowledge and applications in the field. Collaborating with academics or scientists who have already achieved publication in high-impact journals, particularly the one you are targeting, can be incredibly helpful for improving your research and earning serious consideration from a journal editor. Being a secondary or minor contributor to a publication may not be as immediately satisfying as being the first, last or sole author, but the right co-authors can bring valuable research resources and publishing experience to a project and significantly increase your chances of both initial and subsequent publication in a prestigious journal. Collaborators must be chosen with care, however, as many well-known researchers have intellectual competitors or political enemies, so your association with them could potentially hinder publication rather than encouraging it. PhD Thesis Editing Services Finally, learning how to publish in high-impact journals means learning how to work effectively with journal proofreaders and the peer reviewers they choose to assess your manuscript. Critical comments can be difficult to digest and respond to with a positive attitude, so always take time to absorb and fully understand the feedback you receive and to consider the implications and benefits of any requested alterations. Even if you believe that your writing has been misunderstood and the revisions are unnecessary, it is best to offer corrections and explanations to clarify matters unless the changes will compromise your work. A professional approach that aims for objectivity and mutual respect will help you navigate rocky paths to successful publication and enable you to take away helpful advice to improve your manuscript for submission elsewhere if your first attempt is not successful. Why Our Editing and Proofreading Services? At Proof-Reading-Service.com we offer the highest quality journal article editing , phd thesis editing and proofreading services via our large and extremely dedicated team of academic and scientific professionals. All of our proofreaders are native speakers of English who have earned their own postgraduate degrees, and their areas of specialisation cover such a wide range of disciplines that we are able to help our international clientele with research editing to improve and perfect all kinds of academic manuscripts for successful publication. Many of the carefully trained members of our expert editing and proofreading team work predominantly on articles intended for publication in scholarly journals, applying painstaking journal editing standards to ensure that the references and formatting used in each paper are in conformity with the journal’s instructions for authors and to correct any grammar, spelling, punctuation or simple typing errors. In this way, we enable our clients to report their research in the clear and accurate ways required to impress acquisitions proofreaders and achieve publication.

Our scientific proofreading services for the authors of a wide variety of scientific journal papers are especially popular, but we also offer manuscript proofreading services and have the experience and expertise to proofread and edit manuscripts in all scholarly disciplines, as well as beyond them. We have team members who specialise in medical proofreading services , and some of our experts dedicate their time exclusively to PhD proofreading and master’s proofreading , offering research students the opportunity to improve their use of formatting and language through the most exacting PhD thesis editing and dissertation proofreading practices. Whether you are preparing a conference paper for presentation, polishing a progress report to share with colleagues, or facing the daunting task of editing and perfecting any kind of scholarly document for publication, a qualified member of our professional team can provide invaluable assistance and give you greater confidence in your written work.

If you are in the process of preparing an article for an academic or scientific journal, or planning one for the near future, you may well be interested in a new book, Guide to Journal Publication , which is available on our Tips and Advice on Publishing Research in Journals website.

Guide to Academic and Scientific Publication

How to get your writing published in scholarly journals.

It provides practical advice on planning, preparing and submitting articles for publication in scholarly journals.

PhD Success

How to write a doctoral thesis.

If you are in the process of preparing a PhD thesis for submission, or planning one for the near future, you may well be interested in the book, How to Write a Doctoral Thesis , which is available on our thesis proofreading website.

PhD Success: How to Write a Doctoral Thesis provides guidance for students familiar with English and the procedures of English universities, but it also acknowledges that many theses in the English language are now written by candidates whose first language is not English, so it carefully explains the scholarly styles, conventions and standards expected of a successful doctoral thesis in the English language.

Why Is Proofreading Important?

To improve the quality of papers.

Effective proofreading is absolutely vital to the production of high-quality scholarly and professional documents. When done carefully, correctly and thoroughly, proofreading can make the difference between writing that communicates successfully with its intended readers and writing that does not. No author creates a perfect text without reviewing, reflecting on and revising what he or she has written, and proofreading is an extremely important part of this process.

We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience

By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies.

A link to reset your password has been sent to your email.

Back to login

We need additional information from you. Please complete your profile first before placing your order.

Thank you. payment completed., you will receive an email from us to confirm your registration, please click the link in the email to activate your account., there was error during payment, orcid profile found in public registry, download history.

How to Target your research at High-Impact Journals

• Charlesworth Author Services
• 03 March, 2020
• Journal Selection

What is a ‘high impact’ journal?  

In academic publishing, ‘aiming high’ means selecting a target journal with the best possible impact factor . This impact, at least in a publishing sense, is a measure of readership : the number of other researchers your article will reach once published. Journals with wider circulations therefore have higher impact factors; those that have just been launched or are read by fewer researchers internationally will have lower impact factors. Watch out for this : you won’t want to publish your research in a journal unless it does have an impact factor . Checking a journal’s ranking is one way to identify and avoid predatory publishers .

Aim high, shoot for the stars, but choose appropriately

Researchers around the world all want the same things: To publish as many papers as possible, in the best journals possible, as quickly as possible.   Competition for higher impact factor journals is intense; big journals like Nature and Science have very high rejection rates, up to 90% or higher in many cases. Nine of out ten submitted manuscripts will be turned away by the editor before even reaching peer review. Journal selection is therefore a critical initial step of the research publishing process: many successful academics don’t start to write until they have selected a target journal as this step provides both the target audience and structure for their work.

Simple steps to targeting your research at high impact factor journals

• Make yourself aware of the journals in your field that successful academics use.
• Learn about the journals in your field with higher impact factors.
• Use simple, effective English and a clear structure to get your message across.
• Learn from Charlesworth how to sell the message of your papers so that editors of high impact journals will find your work interesting for their readers.

What are the key journals in your field?

As an informed researcher, you’ll be aware of the key international researchers in your field. You know which academics are leading in your area because you read and use their papers in your own work. Take a look at the reference lists of a handful of recent key articles in your field to check which journals are most important for other researchers. These are your targets : outlets to investigate and add to your list of possible journals to use when writing up your own work.

One of the best tips out there for effective paper writing is to see how other, effective academics in your field structure their papers as well as which journals they are choosing when making submissions . We recommend that you make a list of five-to-ten journals where you’d like to publish your work. Find examples of papers close to your own research area that have recently appeared in these outlets and check them to see how the key message in each case is sold: you do this by looking carefully at their choice of titles and how their abstracts are put together.

What is your research story?  

The key trick to master if you are going to "sell" your papers to high impact factor journals is making them interesting to wide pools of readers. Editors at leading publications are looking for papers that capture people’s interest in order to sell journals.

You can do this by thinking about the wider context of your research :

• How does your work relate to a current ‘hot topic’?
• What’s the truly original nature of your results?
• How and why is your work new and interesting?
• What’s new and challenging about the outcomes of your study?
• Are you providing a solution to a difficult problem?

Selling papers to high impact factor journals is all about the story you are selling, so try to write this down in one or two sentences before you begin to put the rest of your article together. This technique, by the way, will also help you to come up with an effective title for your next article. Use as few words as possible: research has shown that highly cited articles in leading journals tend to have shorter titles, less than seven words if possible.  Shorter is better in English writing if you want to be effective and get your message across. 'Brevity is the soul of wit', as Shakespeare said.

How to aim high in article evaluation

Aim high when submitting your articles to international journals, as we have discussed. With your message in place, aim for the best journal on your impact factor ranked list. Celebrate if you get sent out for review: the article evaluation process is gruelling for most academics and so few take the time to celebrate their achievements at each step of the process. Getting an article sent out for peer review in a leading international journal is a big achievement, bearing in mind that around nine of out ten will be rejected by a desk editor.

How to deal with article rejection

Another key skill to master when targeting articles to high impact factor journals is rejection. Rejection happens all the time to academic authors. Don’t lose heart . Take on board the positive comments that come back from editors and peer reviewers, and use them to enhance and augment your draft before re-working and re-submitting to the next journal on your list.

You will get your work published in leading international journals if:

• You’ve picked an important research question , and;
• You’ve used an appropriate method to address that question.

How can we help?

We can help at Charlesworth Author Services to ensure that your language is effective, tight and precise in order to get your message across to editors, peer reviewers and readers.   We offer a range of expert editing services at Charlesworth; our team of PhD-level specialists will edit your work, improve the language and make informed suggestions about the best places to publish, providing an informed list of up to five possible target journals to maximise your impact. You can also avail of our expert consultancy services to work one-on-one with an editor who can answer any questions you may have and enhance your English writing skills.

Charlesworth Author Services also provide a range of training courses and workshops (booked via institutions). Our education team can help you understand how to message your papers and target high impact international outlets to maximise your research and publishing career.  Our academic writing and publishing training courses, online materials and blog articles are packed with useful tips and tricks to help you navigate the choppy waters of journal selection, academic writing and publishing.

Share with your colleagues

Related articles.

How do you select the best journal for your research?

Charlesworth Author Services 17/06/2020 00:00:00

Understanding the SCI and the Impact Factor

Charlesworth Author Services 01/10/2020 00:00:00

Tips for Identifying (and hopefully avoiding) Predatory Journals

Charlesworth Author Services 02/12/2020 00:00:00

Related webinars

Bitesize Webinar: How to write and structure your academic article for publication - Module 2: Select an appropriate journal

Charlesworth Author Services 04/03/2021 00:00:00

Bitesize Webinar: How to write and structure your academic article for publication- Module 3: Understand the structure of an academic paper

Bitesize Webinar: How to write and structure your academic article for publication: Module 6: Choose great titles and write strong abstracts

Charlesworth Author Services 05/03/2021 00:00:00

Bitesize Webinar: How to write and structure your academic article for publication: Module 11: Know when your article is ready for submission

Getting the title of your research article right

Charlesworth Author Services 17/08/2020 00:00:00

Writing an Abstract: Purpose and Tips

Understanding journal rejection - and looking for the silver lining

Charlesworth Author Services 07/11/2019 00:00:00

How To Publish in High Impact Journals

Dr. Robert Eagling

Dr. Rebecca Cooney

About this video

Join Dr. Robert Eagling, Cell Press Editor-in-Chief of Chem, and Dr. Rebecca Cooney, North American Executive Editor of The Lancet, to learn about techniques and strategies for authoring in high-impact journals. Dr. Eagling will present information on authoring with Cell Press, which includes such titles as Cell, Neuron, Chem, Immunity, Joule, and Cancer Cell. In addition, Dr. Cooney will represent publishing in The Lancet premium medical journal portfolio.

The editors will present their experience working with researchers and authors throughout the research publishing cycle, how to develop papers for premium publications, and the opportunity to broadly disseminate findings.

About the presenters

Editor-in-Chief, Chem

Robert Eagling, PhD, is a graduate of Newcastle University in England and brings to  Chem  his over 15 years of experience in chemistry publishing. He came to Cell Press from the Royal Society for Chemistry, where he helped grow submissions and readership of  Chemical Society Reviews and Chemical Communications  and led the launch of  Chemical Science .

North American Executive Editor, The Lancet

Rebecca Cooney, Ph.D. serves as the North American Editor of The Lancet , based out of the New York City office. In addition to her role as a senior editor, she writes and records podcasts for The United States of Health Blog (usa.thelancet.com).  Dr. Cooney received her degree in Psychology from Stanford University in 2007, where her graduate work focused on the neural basis of cognitive and affective processes and the intergenerational transmission of depression. She continued this line of functional imaging research as a postdoctoral fellow in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute. She has published numerous academic papers and book chapters. Prior to joining The Lancet family in 2012, she worked as a research scientist supporting labs at Stanford, Columbia, and The University of Miami, and as the Assistant and Associate Editor of The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Understanding the chemical mediators of ecological interactions

Med platforms Matter: Emerging strategies for RNA therapeutics

Catalysis for Clean Energy

Publishing in Chem from Cell Press

Synergistic Catalysis

Gain Institutional Access to Cell Press journals

Open Access at Cell Press

Peer Review at Cell Press

Gain Institutional Access to The Lancet journals

Open Access at The Lancet

Start your journey with The Lancet family of journals

Why publish with The Lancet family of journals

What we publish

Which Lancet journal

Prepare your manuscript for submission

Explore Special Journals Collection from Elsevier

Follow Cell Press on Twitter

Explore Cell Mentor

Follow Chem on Twitter

Follow Rebecca Cooney on Twitter

Follow The Lancet on Twitter

Join Cell Press on Weibo

Join the Cell Press WeChat group

Follow Researcher Academy on Twitter

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

9 Steps To Publish A Research Paper

Researchers and scholars undertake academic studies to advance knowledge in their respective fields of study. To this end, they also focus on getting their work published in high-impact and widely read journals. This helps them to highlight and disseminate their work, be known in their respective fields, and grow professionally in their careers.

However, the process of publishing a research paper can be challenging and time-consuming. It requires careful planning, attention to detail, and the ability to receive feedback constructively. In this blog, we outline nine steps to publish research papers successfully in high-impact journals and help researchers contribute to their fields of study.

9 Steps to Publish Research Papers Successfully

Publishing a well-written research paper can be confusing. To achieve a successful publication within a reasonable timeframe, researchers must grasp the intricacies of the publication process outlined below:

• Finalize your research topic:  A contemporary research topic, reflecting current challenges and trends in your respective field of study, is an aspect that you can seriously consider while finalizing your topic. 
• Choose the right journal and article type:  It is crucial to identify early on the most appropriate journal for your research paper. This will save considerable time and effort and increase the likelihood of its acceptance. Discussing with peers and colleagues in the field who have authored and reviewed articles will undoubtedly be helpful. Review the aims, objectives, and scope of the journal and its area of specialization to assess if your research conforms to the necessary guidelines. Consider also the peer review process, the impact factor of the journal and the time taken to publish an article. Depending on the nature of your work, also decide on the type of article relevant to your work, which may be a completely original research paper, review paper or letter, rapid or short communication. 
• Write, format, and refine your paper for submission: Even before starting to write the paper , go through the author guidelines and formatting style followed by the journal. This will make the writing process easier. Structure the article according to the type of article you are writing. Going through the published articles in the target journal will also help you in the process. A standard structure for a research paper needs to have the title, abstract, keywords, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, acknowledgements, and references. 
• Prepare required documents like a cover letter and declaration of conflicts of interest:  When you submit your manuscript, a cover letter is a must. It should highlight the central theme of your paper and the significance of your study. Further, clearly state that you comply with all basic requirements and declare any or no potential conflict of interest that could arise. 
• Check that your work is complete and submission-ready.  Read your work several times to identify any gaps and ambiguities. Review your work for innovativeness, rigour, and contribution to topical issues in the field. Seek feedback from supervisors and peers. 
• Submit your manuscript to your chosen journal : Re-check the paper to ensure that there are no errors in grammar, wording, sentence construction, or formatting and that there is consistency in formatting. Professional proofreading is important in this regard. Check if there is a logical flow of arguments and that any images or graphs used are easy to understand and clear. Ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the paper for submission. 
• Tackle post-submission revisions (including peer review comments):  Nearly all papers submitted to journals undergo a peer review process, which ensures the quality of the papers published in the journal. The reviewers may provide comments and suggestions to strengthen your paper. Review the reviewer’s comments carefully and make sure to respond to each one. Aim to send your responses using the timeline given by the journal editors. 
• Revise and resubmit the manuscript (responding to peer review comments):  It is essential to approach the comments as constructive criticism. Remember to be polite and respectful in your response. Make sure to provide a detailed response on how you have addressed each comment by the reviewers. If you do not agree with any comment, always respond professionally with care; avoid getting into a personal attack. Give a detailed explanation of your arguments. Resubmit the revised manuscript highlighting all the modifications carried out based on the comments by the reviewers. Along with the manuscript, provide a letter stating the author’s responses and that they have addressed the comments by the editor and the reviewers. 
• Get accepted for journal publication:  Once the revisions are made to the satisfaction of the editor and reviewers, the paper is accepted for publication. If your paper is rejected, make the necessary revisions and send it to the journal of your second choice. 

Are you preparing to publish a research paper in a high-impact journal? Get your draft vetted by the most-trusted AI academic writing assistant. Start writing with Paperpal today !

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• 10-Point Manuscript Checklist to Ensure High-Quality Journal Submissions 
• Research Paper Writing: A 15-Point Academic Writing Checklist
• How to Write a Research Paper Introduction (with Examples)
• How to Write a Conclusion for Research Papers (with Examples)

Grammarly Review: Features, Pricing, and Free Alternatives  

What are the benefits of generative ai for academic writing, you may also like, academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., measuring academic success: definition & strategies for excellence, phd qualifying exam: tips for success , ai in education: it’s time to change the..., is it ethical to use ai-generated abstracts without..., what are journal guidelines on using generative ai..., quillbot review: features, pricing, and free alternatives, what is an academic paper types and elements , should you use ai tools like chatgpt for..., what are the different types of research papers.

• Privacy Policy

Home » How to Publish a Research Paper – Step by Step Guide

How to Publish a Research Paper – Step by Step Guide

Table of Contents

Publishing a research paper is an important step for researchers to disseminate their findings to a wider audience and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their field. Whether you are a graduate student, a postdoctoral fellow, or an established researcher, publishing a paper requires careful planning, rigorous research, and clear writing. In this process, you will need to identify a research question , conduct a thorough literature review , design a methodology, analyze data, and draw conclusions. Additionally, you will need to consider the appropriate journals or conferences to submit your work to and adhere to their guidelines for formatting and submission. In this article, we will discuss some ways to publish your Research Paper.

How to Publish a Research Paper

To Publish a Research Paper follow the guide below:

• Conduct original research : Conduct thorough research on a specific topic or problem. Collect data, analyze it, and draw conclusions based on your findings.
• Write the paper : Write a detailed paper describing your research. It should include an abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.
• Choose a suitable journal or conference : Look for a journal or conference that specializes in your research area. You can check their submission guidelines to ensure your paper meets their requirements.
• Prepare your submission: Follow the guidelines and prepare your submission, including the paper, abstract, cover letter, and any other required documents.
• Submit the paper: Submit your paper online through the journal or conference website. Make sure you meet the submission deadline.
• Peer-review process : Your paper will be reviewed by experts in the field who will provide feedback on the quality of your research, methodology, and conclusions.
• Revisions : Based on the feedback you receive, revise your paper and resubmit it.
• Acceptance : Once your paper is accepted, you will receive a notification from the journal or conference. You may need to make final revisions before the paper is published.
• Publication : Your paper will be published online or in print. You can also promote your work through social media or other channels to increase its visibility.

How to Choose Journal for Research Paper Publication

Here are some steps to follow to help you select an appropriate journal:

• Identify your research topic and audience : Your research topic and intended audience should guide your choice of journal. Identify the key journals in your field of research and read the scope and aim of the journal to determine if your paper is a good fit.
• Analyze the journal’s impact and reputation : Check the impact factor and ranking of the journal, as well as its acceptance rate and citation frequency. A high-impact journal can give your paper more visibility and credibility.
• Consider the journal’s publication policies : Look for the journal’s publication policies such as the word count limit, formatting requirements, open access options, and submission fees. Make sure that you can comply with the requirements and that the journal is in line with your publication goals.
• Look at recent publications : Review recent issues of the journal to evaluate whether your paper would fit in with the journal’s current content and style.
• Seek advice from colleagues and mentors: Ask for recommendations and suggestions from your colleagues and mentors in your field, especially those who have experience publishing in the same or similar journals.
• Be prepared to make changes : Be prepared to revise your paper according to the requirements and guidelines of the chosen journal. It is also important to be open to feedback from the editor and reviewers.

List of Journals for Research Paper Publications

There are thousands of academic journals covering various fields of research. Here are some of the most popular ones, categorized by field:

General/Multidisciplinary

• Nature: https://www.nature.com/
• Science: https://www.sciencemag.org/
• PLOS ONE: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS): https://www.pnas.org/
• The Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/
• JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association): https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama

Social Sciences/Humanities

• Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp
• Journal of Consumer Research: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/journals/jcr
• Journal of Educational Psychology: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/edu
• Journal of Applied Psychology: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/apl
• Journal of Communication: https://academic.oup.com/joc
• American Journal of Political Science: https://ajps.org/
• Journal of International Business Studies: https://www.jibs.net/
• Journal of Marketing Research: https://www.ama.org/journal-of-marketing-research/

Natural Sciences

• Journal of Biological Chemistry: https://www.jbc.org/
• Cell: https://www.cell.com/
• Science Advances: https://advances.sciencemag.org/
• Chemical Reviews: https://pubs.acs.org/journal/chreay
• Angewandte Chemie: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15213765
• Physical Review Letters: https://journals.aps.org/prl/
• Journal of Geophysical Research: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2156531X
• Journal of High Energy Physics: https://link.springer.com/journal/13130

Engineering/Technology

• IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=5962385
• IEEE Transactions on Power Systems: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=59
• IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=42
• IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=87
• Journal of Engineering Mechanics: https://ascelibrary.org/journal/jenmdt
• Journal of Materials Science: https://www.springer.com/journal/10853
• Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/jcej
• Journal of Mechanical Design: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/mechanicaldesign

Medical/Health Sciences

• New England Journal of Medicine: https://www.nejm.org/
• The BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal): https://www.bmj.com/
• Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA): https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama
• Annals of Internal Medicine: https://www.acpjournals.org/journal/aim
• American Journal of Epidemiology: https://academic.oup.com/aje
• Journal of Clinical Oncology: https://ascopubs.org/journal/jco
• Journal of Infectious Diseases: https://academic.oup.com/jid

List of Conferences for Research Paper Publications

There are many conferences that accept research papers for publication. The specific conferences you should consider will depend on your field of research. Here are some suggestions for conferences in a few different fields:

Computer Science and Information Technology:

• IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM): https://www.ieee-infocom.org/
• ACM SIGCOMM Conference on Data Communication: https://conferences.sigcomm.org/sigcomm/
• IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (SP): https://www.ieee-security.org/TC/SP/
• ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS): https://www.sigsac.org/ccs/
• ACM Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (CHI): https://chi2022.acm.org/

Engineering:

• IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA): https://www.ieee-icra.org/
• International Conference on Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (ICMAE): http://www.icmae.org/
• International Conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering (ICCEE): http://www.iccee.org/
• International Conference on Materials Science and Engineering (ICMSE): http://www.icmse.org/
• International Conference on Energy and Power Engineering (ICEPE): http://www.icepe.org/

Natural Sciences:

• American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/meetings/national-meeting.html
• American Physical Society March Meeting: https://www.aps.org/meetings/march/
• International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (ICEST): http://www.icest.org/
• International Conference on Natural Science and Environment (ICNSE): http://www.icnse.org/
• International Conference on Life Science and Biological Engineering (LSBE): http://www.lsbe.org/

Social Sciences:

• Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA): https://www.asanet.org/annual-meeting-2022
• International Conference on Social Science and Humanities (ICSSH): http://www.icssh.org/
• International Conference on Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (ICPBS): http://www.icpbs.org/
• International Conference on Education and Social Science (ICESS): http://www.icess.org/
• International Conference on Management and Information Science (ICMIS): http://www.icmis.org/

How to Publish a Research Paper in Journal

Publishing a research paper in a journal is a crucial step in disseminating scientific knowledge and contributing to the field. Here are the general steps to follow:

• Choose a research topic : Select a topic of your interest and identify a research question or problem that you want to investigate. Conduct a literature review to identify the gaps in the existing knowledge that your research will address.
• Conduct research : Develop a research plan and methodology to collect data and conduct experiments. Collect and analyze data to draw conclusions that address the research question.
• Write a paper: Organize your findings into a well-structured paper with clear and concise language. Your paper should include an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Use academic language and provide references for your sources.
• Choose a journal: Choose a journal that is relevant to your research topic and audience. Consider factors such as impact factor, acceptance rate, and the reputation of the journal.
• Follow journal guidelines : Review the submission guidelines and formatting requirements of the journal. Follow the guidelines carefully to ensure that your paper meets the journal’s requirements.
• Submit your paper : Submit your paper to the journal through the online submission system or by email. Include a cover letter that briefly explains the significance of your research and why it is suitable for the journal.
• Wait for reviews: Your paper will be reviewed by experts in the field. Be prepared to address their comments and make revisions to your paper.
• Revise and resubmit: Make revisions to your paper based on the reviewers’ comments and resubmit it to the journal. If your paper is accepted, congratulations! If not, consider revising and submitting it to another journal.
• Address reviewer comments : Reviewers may provide comments and suggestions for revisions to your paper. Address these comments carefully and thoughtfully to improve the quality of your paper.
• Submit the final version: Once your revisions are complete, submit the final version of your paper to the journal. Be sure to follow any additional formatting guidelines and requirements provided by the journal.
• Publication : If your paper is accepted, it will be published in the journal. Some journals provide online publication while others may publish a print version. Be sure to cite your published paper in future research and communicate your findings to the scientific community.

How to Publish a Research Paper for Students

Here are some steps you can follow to publish a research paper as an Under Graduate or a High School Student:

• Select a topic: Choose a topic that is relevant and interesting to you, and that you have a good understanding of.
• Conduct research : Gather information and data on your chosen topic through research, experiments, surveys, or other means.
• Write the paper : Start with an outline, then write the introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion sections of the paper. Be sure to follow any guidelines provided by your instructor or the journal you plan to submit to.
• Edit and revise: Review your paper for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Ask a peer or mentor to review your paper and provide feedback for improvement.
• Choose a journal : Look for journals that publish papers in your field of study and that are appropriate for your level of research. Some popular journals for students include PLOS ONE, Nature, and Science.
• Submit the paper: Follow the submission guidelines for the journal you choose, which typically include a cover letter, abstract, and formatting requirements. Be prepared to wait several weeks to months for a response.
• Address feedback : If your paper is accepted with revisions, address the feedback from the reviewers and resubmit your paper. If your paper is rejected, review the feedback and consider revising and resubmitting to a different journal.

How to Publish a Research Paper for Free

Publishing a research paper for free can be challenging, but it is possible. Here are some steps you can take to publish your research paper for free:

• Choose a suitable open-access journal: Look for open-access journals that are relevant to your research area. Open-access journals allow readers to access your paper without charge, so your work will be more widely available.
• Check the journal’s reputation : Before submitting your paper, ensure that the journal is reputable by checking its impact factor, publication history, and editorial board.
• Follow the submission guidelines : Every journal has specific guidelines for submitting papers. Make sure to follow these guidelines carefully to increase the chances of acceptance.
• Submit your paper : Once you have completed your research paper, submit it to the journal following their submission guidelines.
• Wait for the review process: Your paper will undergo a peer-review process, where experts in your field will evaluate your work. Be patient during this process, as it can take several weeks or even months.
• Revise your paper : If your paper is rejected, don’t be discouraged. Revise your paper based on the feedback you receive from the reviewers and submit it to another open-access journal.
• Promote your research: Once your paper is published, promote it on social media and other online platforms. This will increase the visibility of your work and help it reach a wider audience.

Journals and Conferences for Free Research Paper publications

Here are the websites of the open-access journals and conferences mentioned:

Open-Access Journals:

• PLOS ONE – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/
• BMC Research Notes – https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/
• Frontiers in… – https://www.frontiersin.org/
• Journal of Open Research Software – https://openresearchsoftware.metajnl.com/
• PeerJ – https://peerj.com/

Conferences:

• IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) – https://globecom2022.ieee-globecom.org/
• IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM) – https://infocom2022.ieee-infocom.org/
• IEEE International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM) – https://www.ieee-icdm.org/
• ACM SIGCOMM Conference on Data Communication (SIGCOMM) – https://conferences.sigcomm.org/sigcomm/
• ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS) – https://www.sigsac.org/ccs/CCS2022/

Importance of Research Paper Publication

Research paper publication is important for several reasons, both for individual researchers and for the scientific community as a whole. Here are some reasons why:

• Advancing scientific knowledge : Research papers provide a platform for researchers to present their findings and contribute to the body of knowledge in their field. These papers often contain novel ideas, experimental data, and analyses that can help to advance scientific understanding.
• Building a research career : Publishing research papers is an essential component of building a successful research career. Researchers are often evaluated based on the number and quality of their publications, and having a strong publication record can increase one’s chances of securing funding, tenure, or a promotion.
• Peer review and quality control: Publication in a peer-reviewed journal means that the research has been scrutinized by other experts in the field. This peer review process helps to ensure the quality and validity of the research findings.
• Recognition and visibility : Publishing a research paper can bring recognition and visibility to the researchers and their work. It can lead to invitations to speak at conferences, collaborations with other researchers, and media coverage.
• Impact on society : Research papers can have a significant impact on society by informing policy decisions, guiding clinical practice, and advancing technological innovation.

Advantages of Research Paper Publication

There are several advantages to publishing a research paper, including:

• Recognition: Publishing a research paper allows researchers to gain recognition for their work, both within their field and in the academic community as a whole. This can lead to new collaborations, invitations to conferences, and other opportunities to share their research with a wider audience.
• Career advancement : A strong publication record can be an important factor in career advancement, particularly in academia. Publishing research papers can help researchers secure funding, grants, and promotions.
• Dissemination of knowledge : Research papers are an important way to share new findings and ideas with the broader scientific community. By publishing their research, scientists can contribute to the collective body of knowledge in their field and help advance scientific understanding.
• Feedback and peer review : Publishing a research paper allows other experts in the field to provide feedback on the research, which can help improve the quality of the work and identify potential flaws or limitations. Peer review also helps ensure that research is accurate and reliable.
• Citation and impact : Published research papers can be cited by other researchers, which can help increase the impact and visibility of the research. High citation rates can also help establish a researcher’s reputation and credibility within their field.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

You may also like

How to Cite Research Paper – All Formats and...

Delimitations in Research – Types, Examples and...

Research Paper Format – Types, Examples and...

Research Design – Types, Methods and Examples

Research Paper Title – Writing Guide and Example

Research Paper Introduction – Writing Guide and...

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CAREER COLUMN
• 13 October 2020

Why does a high-impact publication matter so much for a career in research?

• Yvonne Couch 0

Yvonne Couch is a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Oxford, UK.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

I am fortunate to be starting a three-year, charity-funded fellowship in neuroimmunology at the University of Oxford, UK. My first postdoctoral position was in Denmark and was for only a year. From there, I moved to Oxford to an 18-month contract and took over from a colleague who had left prematurely.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02875-4

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged .

Related Articles

How I fled bombed Aleppo to continue my career in science

Career Feature 08 MAY 24

Illuminating ‘the ugly side of science’: fresh incentives for reporting negative results

Hunger on campus: why US PhD students are fighting over food

Career Feature 03 MAY 24

Mount Etna’s spectacular smoke rings and more — April’s best science images

News 03 MAY 24

Plagiarism in peer-review reports could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’

Nature Index 01 MAY 24

My PI yelled at me and I’m devastated. What do I do?

Career Feature 02 MAY 24

Postdoctoral Associate- Neuronal Resilience and Regeneration

Houston, Texas (US)

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)

Research Positions in China Spallation Neutron Source

We are seeking 23 researchers with a proven track record of conducting advanced research and demonstrating outstanding academic achievements.

Dongguan, Guangdong, China

Spallation Neutron Source Science Center

Postdoctoral Associate- Electrophysiology

Postdoctoral scholar - clinical pharmacy & translational science.

Memphis, Tennessee

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC)

Postdoctoral Scholar - Pathology

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

How to Publish Research Papers in Highly Indexed Journals?

Most students and researchers struggle to publish their research work in a suitable and highly indexed journal. Lack of knowledge in organizing the paper, selecting a journal, formatting as per guidelines, and revising as per reviewer’s instruction are the reasons for such struggle. Getting published in prestigious, high-impact academic journals is a highly competitive proposition. However, these challenges can be avoided by following the below instructions:

Writing a research paper

Choosing the appropriate topic is the primary step of writing a research paper. A good and relevant topic must be selected with a narrow and interesting focus area, and yet wide enough to find sufficient data. Prepare an outline, note down all the information or ideas that must have come to mind while going through the literature review. Prepare a draft, organize the information collected. A rough draft must be prepared where the ideas are written in an unfinished form. This helps organize ideas and determines the final format of the paper. The draft must be revised as many times as possible to create a final product. The final document thus created is the first draft of the research paper.

Selecting a journal

Verify the scope of the target journal; even a remarkable, novel research work is likely to face rejection if the research topic doesn’t align with the scope of the journal. The quality of any journal is assessed based on the number of abstracting and indexing services. It is recommended to adopt a balanced and realistic approach while choosing the best journal.

A research paper must be formatted so that it complies with the guidelines of a journal or style manual. Prepare your submission according to the specifications set out in the Author Guidelines of your chosen journal. Ensure that the word count falls within this range, not above or below it. The author’s information must be provided with a brief abstract and keywords. Further, the text must be arranged in headings Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussions, and conclusion. Cite the references in the text as per the guidelines and list them after the conclusion. All the other necessary information regarding ethics, conflict of interest, funding, the acknowledgment must be provided on the title page.

Before submitting the research paper the author must have all the mandatory information required for submission. Kindly read the checklist provided on the journal site and prepare the documents accordingly. Once the information is collected, proceed with the registration step and complete the submission carefully.

Cover letter and Abstract

The abstract should be prepared carefully and encompass the aim and scope of the study; the key problem to be addressed and theory; the method used; the data set; key findings; limitations; and implications for theory and practice. A cover letter speaks about the uniqueness of the research work that has been carried out, what makes the findings of the research study of deep significance to the future of the discipline, and why the research methodologies employed to carry out the research are extraordinary and profound.

All the above criteria must be considered if aiming to publish a research paper in a highly indexed journal. High-impact and highly indexed journals accept less than 10% of the research papers submitted to them, hence, proper attention, planning, and careful implementation are required to improve the likelihood of getting their work published.

Related Posts

The science behind that perfect steak hue: why fresh beef color matters.

Ever wondered why that supermarket steak looks so mouthwateringly red while the one at the back seems a bit, well, off? Turns out, the color of fresh beef is more than just aesthetics – it’s a scientific symphony playing out right before your eyes! Scientists are using high-tech tools like mass spectrometry and proteomics to […]

Nature’s Mini Marvels: World’s Smallest Robots Mimic Insects for Big Potential

Imagine robots smaller than a ladybug, nimble as a grasshopper, and swift as a water strider. This isn’t science fiction, but the cutting edge of robotics at Washington State University (WSU), where researchers have unveiled the world’s smallest, lightest, and fastest fully functional micro-robots. These miniature marvels, aptly named the “mini-bug” and the “water strider,” […]

Exploring Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

A study on stem cell therapy provides an in-depth analysis of the potential of different stem cell types in spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment. The researchers discuss the potential of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) in SCI treatment. They highlight the unique […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

ARDA Conference

ARDA helps students and research scholars in attending conferences and journal publication

Home » Journal publications » How to Publish Research Papers in High Impact Factor Journals?

How to Publish Research Papers in High Impact Factor Journals?

Steps to Publish Research Paper

• Identifying A Unique And Less-Explored Research Problem
• Perusing Through Review Articles
• Coming Up With A Far Superior Solution
• Picking The Best Journal Possible
• Follow Formatting Guidelines To The Tee
• Submitting For Reviewing

1. Identifying A Unique And Less-Explored Research Problem

A research problem can be defined as an area of ​​interest or a gap in existing knowledge. This indicates the need for further understanding and investigation. A problem statement is used in research as a statement that describes the predicament addressed by experimentation and exploration. The problem statement succinctly illustrates the obstacle that one’s research proposes to address . The ultimate goal of defining the problem statement is to transform a generalized problem into a focused and well-defined problem; in fact, a problem that can be resolved through focused research and careful decision making.

2. Perusing Through Review Articles

When one reads a research article, the goal should be to understand the scientific contributions of the authors. This is, however, easier said than done. This may require reviewing a paper several times, and expecting to spend several hours studying a single article. Reading a research article should be a critical process. One shouldn’t assume that the authors are always right, but instead, remain suspicious of their statements at all times. Critical reading involves asking appropriate questions. If the authors try to solve a problem, one should try to determine if they are solving the correct problem. Additionally, check if there are some simple solutions that the authors do not appear to have considered or paid any attention to at all.

One should also think about the limitations of the solution. Including limitations that the authors might not have noticed or admitted. That have been posted and also ascertain if the assumptions made by them are reasonable. Additionally, one should find out if the logic of the document is clear and justifiable, considering the assumptions being made or if there is a flaw in the authors’ reasoning itself. The accuracy, authenticity, and reliability of the data being collected by the authors of these review papers should also be given due consideration.

3. Coming Up With A Far Superior Solution

It is always beneficial to ensure that one’s research idea is as original as possible and that no one has applied it before. One should be happy that their research is innovative. However, one should again perform a literature search using different keyword combinations to make sure that there is no existing literature on the subject. Even after doing this, if they can’t find anything on the same research idea or topic, they can compare their research with research that has been done on closely related topics. Another approach would be to go a step further and compare it with other studies in the same field, if not on the specific topic. Maybe they can add a sentence that says that while many studies have focused on various aspects of the topic or area, none have addressed that particular research idea.

4. Picking The Best Journal Possible

There are a large number of journals to choose from today, including Web of Science , Google Scholar, Elsevier, Scopus Journals , etc. The impact factor of journals offers an accurate idea of the overall excellence of the work published in this journal. Generally, the higher the impact factor value of a journal, the more prestigious it is considered to be. This impact factor value provides library administrators with a means to decide which journals to keep in their collections and which ones to acquire for their libraries. It is also often utilized in the process of academic evaluation of researchers for seniority, grants, funding, etc. Nonetheless, this practice is unreliable because the impact factor value is only intended to signify the quality of a whole journal, not the quality of specific articles published in the journal. To find out what the impact factor of a specific indexed journal is, one should visit the respective website of the journals found in these databases. There they will find their impact factor values.

5. Follow Formatting Guidelines To The Tee

Researchers often wonder why their manuscripts are rejected by journals without even being reviewed. The reason for this rejection is that the rejection had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the journal itself. In most cases, it is simply an issue of non-compliance with the formatting guidelines and requirements set forth by the journal. Naturally, it can be upsetting for any researchers undergoing this to see that their groundbreaking idea was rejected for a simple formatting error without even having the chance to be examined. Additionally, these researchers aren’t even sure what went wrong as there often aren’t any details highlighting these mistakes in the rejection letter. Requests for reprocessing of the manuscript go unnoticed and are a complete waste of time as the publication knows why the paper was rejected initially. Therefore, it is always a good idea for research professionals to pay heed to every single rule and formatting guideline specified by the journal (on their website or journal itself) and to make sure that a rejected manuscript had completely followed all these rules without explaining.

6. Submitting For Reviewing

The peer evaluation process followed by all journals is primarily a quality control procedure. It is a process by which specialists assess scholarly work, to ensure a high quality of published science. Nevertheless, peer reviewers do not decide on accepting or rejecting submitted manuscripts. Their role is exclusive to offering unbiased recommendations on the quality of a submitted manuscript. In peer-reviewed journals , the decision-making power rests solely with journal editors or the journal’s editorial board. Indeed, it is the editor-in-chief of the journal, which is considered central in the decision-making process. Due to a large number of submissions, leading journals are often forced to reject even high-quality manuscripts for various reasons, such as a large number of submissions or a lack of correspondence with the editorial direction of the journal. Finally, journal editors make decisions about what to publish. They make decisions to either accept or reject articles based on their opinion of the article’s worth of publication and the comments of reviewers.

Journal Articles

The most frequent but easily evadable cause for journal rejection is the mismatch between the manuscript and the journal’s objectives and scope. Determining if the topic of one’s article matches that of the target journal should be the number one priority. Considering the type of research the journal focuses on should come next. One should confirm that their target newspaper accepts the type of article that they want to submit based on these factors. For instance, if one’s article is a case study, one should verify that the journal publishes case reports. Submitting to a journal that doesn’t accept the type of article they wrote gives them almost no chance that the manuscript will be accepted.

Publishing Time

The conventional publication route involving manuscript submission , peer review, manuscript review, and acceptance for publication spans many months and is entirely dependent on determinants including the field of study, the availability of peer reviewers, and the frequency of publication of a journal . Gone are the days when authors and journals both were willing to live with longer deadlines for journal decisions and manuscript publication. Today, scientific discovery, publication, and the career progression of researchers are as much quality as they are speed. In some scientific fields, the immediate publication can influence critical developments and the conventional publication process may not allow for rapid sharing of scientific results. Responding to the need to reduce publication times, several journals and editors have started offering fast publishing a fast-track path to publication that assures researchers of the journal’s decision within weeks or days of submitting their manuscripts.

Journal Papers Vastly More Valuable Than Conference Papers

In most fields, the most prestigious journals are peer-reviewed publications . Since most conferences these days don’t have a peer review system for debriefing. Many don’t consider them to be very important. A lot of researchers only publish their articles in peer-reviewed journals. They have a more intricate and reliable quality assurance measure through the peer-review process.

Peer Review And Superior Quality

The peer-review process is employed by most journals as part of their manuscript selection process. More often than not, students and early career researchers go through the publishing process without understanding what peer review is exactly. Peer review refers to the evaluation and evaluation of research by experts in a particular field of study. It is primarily viewed as an expert advice system that helps journal editors decide whether a manuscript is worth publishing. Overall, the peer review process is intended to perform an access control function. The ultimate goal of peer review is to ensure a high quality of published science. ARDA Journals are you someone who has carried out some groundbreaking research work and would like to let professionals from within your community get to know about your work in quick time without any publication, submission, and peer-review hassles whatsoever? Then, you should have your next research paper published in a relevant ARDA journal right away!

HOW TO PUBLISH RESEARCH IN SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, AND SCI JOURNALS

Journal Publications are the primary means for research professionals to be able to market their work and ultimately obtain the means for their papers to be paid attention to by the world. The most basic element of the paper publication process, whether it is in an SCI, SCOPUS, or Web of Science Journal is planning, writing, and quickly publishing a great research paper that contains world-class research outcomes and studies. A lot of researchers (both early career professionals as well as seasoned ones), however, lack the essential know-how about the typical publication processes followed by top SCI, Scopus, and Web of science journals.

How to Publish Research Paper?

• Preparing The Manuscript To Be A World-Class Published Article or Paper
• Starting From Scratch And Building
• Picking The Best And Most Appropriate Journal
• Preparing To Deal With The Reviewing Process
• Dealing With Reviews Professionally
• Maintaining Professionalism At All Cost
• Using Rejection As An Opportunity To Learn

1. Preparing The Manuscript To Be A World-Class Published Article or Paper

The best way for one to learn how to write world-class articles is to practice as much as one can. Before one proceeds to decide which journal and which database (SCI, SCOPUS, or Web of Science) to have their research work published in, they should make sure to get any queries that they may have about the research paper writing process completely sorted out and clarified.

2. Starting From Scratch And Building

Creating the first draft, approaching post-doctoral or graduates or even professors for their opinions and recommendations, is a great way to start getting a manuscript to meet the world-class standards of publication that will be followed by any journal indexed within the SCI, SCOPUS , Web of Science and other popular databases.

Knowing When To Stop

Getting the timing right, self-awareness and external supervision, 3. picking the best and most appropriate journal.

Steering one’s article to the most appropriate journal can save them a lot of effort and reveal their groundbreaking results to the world sooner. A lot of self-proclaimed world-class journals give more value to novelty and unexpected discoveries, while other journals are more interested in in-depth and profound analyzes of critical phenomena and processes.

Patience In Assessing & Ascertaining The Right Journal

Nailing the submission process, ease-of-reading is critical, grammar is vital, 4. preparing to deal with the reviewing process.

Journals are usually run either by professional editorial teams or academics who take on the role of editor for a set time. Researchers send their articles to peer reviewers who are scientists who rate submitted manuscripts for accuracy, logic, and scientific relevance. Some journals have an initial screening step where manuscripts that are highly unlikely to go through the review process are rejected beforehand. Editors typically make these initial screening decisions with advice from members of the peer-review committee.

Familiarizing Oneself With The Reviewing Process Of Their Target Journal

Cover letters work wonders, 5. dealing with reviews professionally.

It is on very rare occasions that reviewers will recommend that one’s article be accepted without necessitating a review. New experiments, those that are usually done in a matter of weeks are often part of their review requests. Reviewers often offer authors detailed advice on how to further edit their articles. It is important to remember that the editor and reviewers are interested in the article when they do this. All they want is to see it improved and published in its best form. Researchers can increase the chances of their article being accepted if they assume that reviewers offer their suggestions in the form of constructive criticisms.

Taking Any & All Comments As Constructive Criticism

Resubmitting the revised & corrected manuscript, leaving no room for dejection, 6. maintaining professionalism at all cost.

Rejection can be overwhelming and it’s often a good idea to let give it some time before beginning to think about what the next course of action should be. It is not a good idea to send an angry email to the editor explaining why the review process was unfair and biased. If, after careful consideration, one believes there has been a misunderstanding or error, some journals will receive a request for reconsideration, usually in the form of a letter or clear message explaining the researcher’s point of view. Some editors might even be willing to have a phone conversation.

7. Using Rejection As An Opportunity To Learn

In most cases, the most effective and quickest course is to quickly re-evaluate one’s journal choice, correct any weaknesses that may have been pointed out in the review process, reformat the paper for their second choice journal, and to send it. All rejected manuscripts are ultimately published elsewhere. Even a submission that ends in a rejection is an opportunity to hone one’s writing and editing skills that will stand one in good stead for years to come. You can reach for the latest research publishing steps in the latest journal publication from high indexed journals from the ARDA conference portal.

HOW ARDA HELPS RESEARCH PAPERS TO PUBLISH IN ONLINE JOURNALS

With the internet has become what it is today, a new phenomenon has arisen in the world of scientific publishing – online journals. Researchers are increasingly seeking out online published journals for their research work. They feel that having their research work published online offers them and their work more visibility than traditional journal publications do. This is, to a large extent, true.

Why? Simply because of the popularity of search engines such as Google, Bing, etc. These search engines (in particular Google) have become a part of most people’s (at least those with access to the internet) daily lives – using them for everything from entertainment and education to news, communication, work, and even shopping. Bearing in mind that the internet has made its way into almost every aspect of human life, it only makes sense that the internet should be used for the propagation of scientific information, innovation, and discovery (via online journals).

One organization that has been a part of this online journal publication revolution since its very inception has been ARDA. With its continuing contributions to the scientific community as well as academic progress and growth, ARDA has single-handedly brought the world of online scientific publication where it is today. By adapting and (at times) transmuting the very same processes involved in the regular offline journal publication industry, ARDA has made online publication a truly viable, profitable, and lucrative proposition for academics, researchers, scholars, and scientists from all over the globe.

What Makes ARDA’s Publishing Processes Exceptional?

No room for plagiarism.

With its stringent quality check mechanisms in place, ARDA can keep a tight leash on plagiarism within its realm. By maintaining a chokehold over plagiarism in all forms (be it unintentional or intentional), ARDA can match (if not exceed) the quality of offline journal publications across diverse disciplines and fields. ARDA’s dedicated editorial team has adopted conventional plagiarism checking processes that have been (and are still) in use in offline journal publications to the world of online publication through the incorporation of powerful software tools and technologies that far outdo human capacity for identifying plagiarized content from millions of previously published scientific works.

No Room For Mediocre Research

Mediocre research is perhaps the biggest deterrent to scientific progress and innovation. After decades of complacency on the part of the offline journal publishing industry, ARDA, along with other organizations of its elk (i.e., the elk of online scientific publishers), has taken it upon itself of improving the standards of research that are being carried out, through the early identification and rewarding of high-level research work. As part of these policies, ARDA has and continues to help researchers display tremendous potential for making potentially groundbreaking findings through their current research work, with grants and other means to have their research articles written , papers, and studies easily published and proliferated amongst the masses worldwide.

No Room For Complacency

A problem that everybody in the scientific community globally agrees exists within the journal publishing industry. The industry is suffering from a certain complacency when it comes to the immediate publication of top-level research. The overbearingly stringent reviewing, editorial, and publication processes that these publications have in place have proven to be too much to handle, in turn leading to failures on the part of these publishers in publishing high-level works of research as quickly as possible so that members of the global scientific community may learn about them and benefit from them in due time.

Working to overcome these challenges in the online publication segment, ARDA has managed to earn a reputation for itself for being the quickest publisher of world-class scientific research work without having to make any compromises with quality whatsoever.

Do you wish to have your  research paper published online with ARDA’s help? Reach out to us immediately! We’d be more than glad to assist you in your journey to becoming a world-renowned researcher by getting your research published online and having it propagated to the masses in a quick time.

2 Replies to “How to Publish Research Papers in High Impact Factor Journals?”

I want to publish a paper, kindly suggest

Thanks for your inquiry. Our concerned coordinator will contact you shortly. Do check your spam folder if it doesn’t arrive in your inbox.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)

WhatsApp us

How to Publish a Research Paper In High School: 18 Journals and Conferences to Consider

By Alex Yang

Graduate student at Southern Methodist University

9 minute read

So you've been working super hard writing a research paper , and you’ve finally finished. Congrats! It’s a very impressive accolade already, but there’s a way to take it a level further. As we’ve talked about before in our Polygence blog, “ Showcasing your work and sharing it with the world is the intellectual version of ‘pics or it didn’t happen.’ ” Of course, there are lot of different ways to showcase your work , from creating a Youtube video to making a podcast. But one of the most popular ways to showcase your research is to publish your research. Publishing your research can take the great work you’ve already done and add credibility to it, and will make a stronger impression than unpublished research. Further, the process of having your work reviewed by advanced degree researchers can be a valuable experience in itself. You can receive feedback from experts and learn how to improve upon the work you’ve already done.

Before we dive into the various journals and conferences to publish your work, let’s distinguish between the various publishing options that you have as a high schooler, as there are some nuances. Quick disclaimer: this article focuses on journals and conferences as ways to showcase your work. There are also competitions where you can submit your work, and we have written guides on competing in premier competitions like Regeneron STS and competing in Regeneron ISEF . 

Publishing Options for High School Students

Peer-reviewed journals.

This is rather self-explanatory, but these journals go through the peer review process, where author(s) submit their work to the journal, and the journal's editors send the work to a group of independent experts (typically grad students or other scientists with advanced degrees) in the same field or discipline. These experts are peer reviewers, who evaluate the work based on a set of predetermined criteria, including the quality of the research, the validity of the methodology, the accuracy of the data, and the originality of the findings. The peer reviewers may suggest revisions or leave comments, but ultimately the editors will decide which suggestions to give to the student. 

Once you’ve received suggestions, you have the opportunity to make revisions before submitting your final product back to the journal. The editor then decides whether or not your work is published.

Non-Peer-Reviewed Journals

These are just journals that do not undergo a review process. In general, peer-reviewed journals may be seen as more credible and prestigious. However, non-peer-reviewed journals may make it easier and faster to publish your work, which can be helpful if you are pressed for time and applying to colleges soon .

Pre Print Archives

Preprint archives or servers are online repositories where student researchers can upload and share their research papers without undergoing any review process. Preprints allow students to share their findings quickly and get feedback from the scientific community, which can help improve the research while you’re waiting to hear back from journals, which typically have longer timelines and can take up to several months to publish research. Sharing your work in a preprint archive does not prohibit you from, or interfere with submitting the same work to a journal afterwards.

Research Conferences

Prefer to present your research in a presentation or verbal format? Conferences can be a great way to “publish” your research, showcase your public speaking skills, speak directly to your audience, and network with other researchers in your field. 

Student-led Journals vs Graduate Student / Professor-led Journals 

Some student-led journals may have peer-review, but the actual people peer-reviewing your work may be high school students. Other journals will have graduate students, PhD students, or even faculty reviewing your work. As you can imagine, there are tradeoffs to either option. With an advanced degree student reviewing your work, you can likely expect better and more accurate feedback. Plus, it’s cool to have an expert look over your work! However, this may also mean that the journal is more selective, whereas student-led journals may be easier to publish in. Nonetheless, getting feedback from anyone who’s knowledgeable can be a great way to polish your research and writing.

Strategy for Submitting to Multiple Journals

Ultimately, your paper can only be published in one peer-reviewed journal. Submitting the same paper to multiple peer-reviewed journals at the same time is not allowed, and doing so may impact its publication at any peer-reviewed journal. If your work is not accepted at one journal, however, then you are free to submit that work to your next choice and so on. Therefore, it is best to submit to journals with a strategy in mind. Consider: what journal do I ideally want to be published in? What are some back-ups if I don’t get published in my ideal journal? Preprints, like arXiv and the Research Archive of Rising Scholars, are possible places to submit your work in advance of seeking peer-reviewed publication. These are places to “stake your claim” in a research area and get feedback from the community prior to submitting your paper to its final home in a peer-reviewed journal. You can submit your work to a preprint prior to submitting at a peer-reviewed journal. However, bioRxiv, a reputable preprint server, recommends on their website that a preprint only be posted on one server, so that’s something to keep in mind as well.

Citation and Paper Formats

All of the journals listed below have specific ways that they’d like you to cite your sources, varying from styles like MLA to APA, and it’s important that you double-check the journal’s requirements for citations, titling your paper, writing your abstract, etc. Most journal websites have very detailed guides for how they want you to format your paper, so follow those closely to avoid having to wait to hear back and then resubmit your paper. If you’re looking for more guidance on citations and bibliographies check out our blog post!

18 Journals and Conferences to Publish Your Research as a High Schooler

Now that we’ve distinguished the differences between certain journals and conferences, let’s jump into some of our favorite ones. We’ve divided up our selections based on prestige and reliability, and we’ve made these selections using our experience with helping Polygence students showcase their research .

Most Prestigious Journals

Concord review.

Cost: $70 to Submit and $200 Publication Cost (if accepted)

Deadline: Fixed Deadlines in Feb 1 (Summer Issue), May 1 (Fall), August 1 (Winter), and November 1 (Spring)

Subject area: History / Social Sciences

Type of research: All types of academic articles

The Concord Review is a quarterly journal that publishes exceptional essays written by high school students on historical topics. The journal has been around since 1987 and has a great reputation, with many student winners going to great universities. Further, if your paper is published, your essays will be sent to subscribers and teachers all around the world, which is an incredible achievement.

Papers submitted tend to be around 8,000 words, so there is definitely a lot of writing involved, and the Concord Review themselves say that they are very selective, publishing only about 5% of the essays they receive.

We’ve posted our complete guide on publishing in the Concord Review here.

Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)

Deadline: Rolling

Subject area: STEM 

Type of research: Original hypothesis-driven scientific research

JEI is an open-access publication that features scientific research papers written by middle and high school students in the fields of biological and physical sciences. The journal includes a comprehensive peer-review process, where graduate students and other professional scientists with advanced degrees will review the manuscripts and provide suggestions to improve both the project and manuscript itself. You can expect to receive feedback in 6-8 weeks.

This should be the go-to option for students that are doing hypothesis-driven, original research or research that involves original analyses of existing data (meta-analysis, analyzing publicly available datasets, etc.). This is not an appropriate fit for students writing literature reviews. Finally, a mentor or parent must submit on behalf of the student.

We’ve had many Polygence students successfully submit to JEI. Check out Hana’s research on invasive species and their effects in drought times.

STEM Fellowship Journal (SFJ)

Cost: $400 publication fee

Subject area: All Scientific Disciplines

Type of research: Conference Proceedings, Review Articles, Viewpoint Articles, Original Research

SFJ is a peer-reviewed journal published by Canadian Science Publishing that serves as a platform for scholarly research conducted by high school and university students in the STEM fields. Peer review is conducted by undergraduate, graduate student, and professional reviewers.

Depending on the kind of research article you choose to submit, SFJ provides very specific guidelines on what to include and word limits.

Other Great Journal Options

National high school journal of science (nhsjs).

Cost: $250 for publication 

Deadline: Rolling 

Subject area: All science disciplines 

Type of research: Original research, literature review

NHSJS is a journal peer reviewed by high schoolers from around the world, with an advisory board of adult academics. Topics are STEM related, and submission types can vary from original research papers to shorter articles.

Curieux Academic Journal

Cost: $185-215

Subject area: Engineering, Humanities, and Natural Science, Mathematics, and Social Science

Type of research: Including but not limited to research papers, review articles, and humanity/social science pieces.

Curieux Academic Journal is a non-profit run by students and was founded in 2017 to publish outstanding research by high school and middle school students. Curieux publishes one issue per month (twelve per year), so there are many opportunities to get your research published. 

The Young Scientists Journal 

Deadline: December

Subject area: Sciences

Type of research: Original research, literature review, blog post

The Young Scientists Journal , while a popular option for students previously, has paused submissions to process a backlog. The journal is an international peer-reviewed journal run by students, and creates print issues twice a year. 

The journal has also been around for a decade and has a clear track record of producing alumni who go on to work in STEM.

Here’s an example of research submitted by Polygence student Ryan to the journal.

Journal of Research High School (JRHS)

Subject area: Any academic subject including the sciences and humanities

Type of research: Original research and significant literature reviews.

JRHS is an online research journal edited by volunteer professional scientists, researchers, teachers, and professors. JRHS accepts original research and significant literature reviews in Engineering, Humanities, Natural Science, Math, and Social Sciences.

From our experience working with our students to help publish their research, this journal is currently operating with a 15-20 week turnaround time for review. This is a bit on the longer side, so be mindful of this turnaround time if you’re looking to get your work published soon.

Youth Medical Journal

Deadline: March (currently closed)

Subject area: Medical or scientific topics

Type of research: Original research, review article, blog post, magazine article

The Youth Medical Journal is an international, student-run team of 40 students looking to share medical research.

We’ve found that this journal is a good entry point for students new to research papers, but when submissions are busy, in the past they have paused submissions. 

Journal of High School Science (JHSS)

Subject area: All topics

Type of research: Original research, literature review, technical notes, opinion pieces

This peer-reviewed STEAM journal publishes quarterly, with advanced degree doctors who sit on the journal’s editorial board. In addition to typical STEM subjects, the journal also accepts manuscripts related to music and theater, which is explicitly stated on their website.

Due to the current large volume of submissions, the review process takes a minimum of 4 weeks from the time of submission.

Whitman Journal of Psychology

Subject area: Psychology

Type of research: Original research, podcasts

The WWJOP is a publication run entirely by students, where research and literature reviews in the field of psychology are recognized. The journal is run out of a high school with a teacher supervisor and student staff.

The WWJOP uniquely also accepts podcast submissions, so if that’s your preferred format for showcasing your work, then this could be the journal for you!

Cost: $180 submission fee

Subject area: Humanities

Type of research: Essay submission

The Schola is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal that showcases essays on various humanities and social sciences topics authored by high school students worldwide. They feature a diverse range of subjects such as philosophy, history, art history, English, economics, public policy, and sociology.

Editors at Schola are academics who teach and do research in the humanities and social sciences

Critical Debates in Humanities, Science and Global Justice

Cost: $10 author fee

Subject area: Ethics and frontiers of science, Biology and ecosystems, Technology and Innovation, Medical research and disease, Peace and civil society, Global citizenship, identity and democracy, Structural violence and society, Psychology, Education, AI, Sociology, Computer Science, Neuroscience, Cultural politics, Politics and Justice, Computer science and math as related to policy, Public policy, Human rights, Language, Identity and Culture, Art and activism

Critical Debates is an international academic journal for critical discourse in humanities, science and contemporary global issues for emerging young scholars

International Youth Neuroscience Association Journal

Subject area: Neuroscience

Type of research: Research papers

Although this student peer-reviewed journal is not currently accepting submissions, we’ve had students recently publish here. 

Here’s an example of Nevenka’s research that was published in the November 2022 issue of the journal.

Preprint Archives to Share Your Work In

Subject area: STEM, Quantitative Finance, Economics

arXiv is an open access archive supported by Cornell University, where more than 2 million scholarly articles in a wide variety of topics have been compiled. arXiv articles are not peer-reviewed, so you will not receive any feedback on your work from experts. However, your article does go through a moderation process where your work is classified into a topic area and checked for scholarly value. This process is rather quick however and according to arXiv you can expect your article to be available on the website in about 6 hours. 

Although there’s no peer review process, that means the submission standards are not as rigorous and you can get your article posted very quickly, so submitting to arXiv or other preprint archives can be something you do before trying to get published in a journal.

One slight inconvenience of submitting to arXiv is that you must be endorsed by a current arXiv author, which can typically be a mentor or teacher or professor that you have. Here’s an example of a Polygence student submitting their work to arXiv, with Albert’s research on Hamiltonian Cycles.

Subject area: Biology

Type of research: Original research

bioRxiv is a preprint server for biology research, where again the research is not peer-reviewed but undergoes a check to make sure that the material is relevant and appropriate.

bioRxiv has a bit of a longer posting time, taking around 48 hours, but that’s still very quick. bioRxiv also allows for you to submit revised versions of your research if you decide to make changes.

Research Archive of Rising Scholars (RARS)

Subject area: STEM and Humanities

Type of research: Original research, review articles, poems, short stories, scripts

Research Archive of Rising Scholars is Polygence’s own preprint server! We were inspired by arXiv so we created a repository for articles and other creative submissions in STEM and the Humanities.

We launched RARS in 2022 and we’re excited to offer a space for budding scholars as they look to publish their work in journals. Compared to other preprint archives, RARS also accepts a wider range of submission types, including poems, short stories, and scripts.

Conferences to Participate In

Symposium of rising scholars.

Deadline: Twice a year - February and July

Polygence’s very own Symposium of Rising Scholars is a bi-annual academic conference where students present and share their research with their peers and experts. The Symposium also includes a College Admissions Panel and Keynote Speech. In our 8th edition of the Symposium this past March, we had 60 students presenting live, approximately 70 students presenting asynchronously, and over 100 audience members. The keynote speaker was Chang-rae Lee, award-winning novelist and professor at Stanford University.

We’re looking to have our 9th Symposium in Fall of 2023, and you can express your interest now. If you’re interested to see what our Polygence scholars have presented in the past for the Symposium, you can check out their scholar pages here.

Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)

Deadline: Typically in November, so for 2024’s competition look to submit in Fall 2023

Subject area: STEM topics

JSHS is a Department of Defense sponsored program and competition that consists of first submitting a written report of your research. If your submission is selected, you’ll be able to participate in the regional symposium, where you can present in oral format or poster format. A select group from the regional symposium will then qualify for the national symposium.

One of the great things about JSHS compared to the journals mentioned above is that you’re allowed to work in teams and you don’t have to be a solo author. This can make the experience more fun for you and your teammates, and allow you to combine your strengths for your submission.

Related Content:

Top 8 Business Journals to Publish Your Research

Why Teens Should Attend the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC)

How to Brainstorm Your Way to Perfect Research Topic Ideas

Top 20 Most Competitive Summer Programs for High School Students

Research Opportunities for High School Students

Want to start a project of your own?

Click below to get matched with one of our expert mentors who can help take your project off the ground!

Upcoming Summer 2024 Application Deadline is May 12, 2024.  

Click here to apply.

Featured Posts

Pace University's Pre-College Program: Our Honest Review

Building a College Portfolio? Here are 8 Things You Should Know

Should You Apply to Catapult Incubator as a High Schooler?

8 Criminal Justice Internships for High School Students

10 Reasons to Apply to Scripps' Research Internship for High School Students

10 Free Business Programs for High School Students

Spike Lab - Is It a Worthwhile Incubator Program for High School Students?

10 Business Programs for High School Students in NYC

11 Summer Film Programs for High School Students

10 Photography Internships for High School Students

• 11 min read

15 Journals to Publish Your Research in High School

Pursuing research at the high school level is one of the best ways for you to demonstrate co-curricular academic competence. Getting this study published is an added bonus because it will give your research a certain amount of credibility and backing.

High school students might find guidance on how to conduct their research, but very few are familiar with academic journals that publish high school research. This guide will give you recommendations on where to consider publishing your research. Regardless of your subject of interest, we have options for you here! However, before we get to the recommendations, let’s look at some points to keep in mind while deciding journals and why it is a good decision to publish.

Do I need to publish my research in high school?

Getting your research published is not a necessity. In fact, many of our students do not choose to get their work published and still manage to get into the top college programs across the world.

However, over the course of guiding students to top journals in the last few years, we have to come to see immense value in publication . We now recommend most of our students to aim for publication.

There are three reasons for this. Firstly, we believe that a researcher/scientist’s job is not just to study an area for individual curiosity, but also to communicate the findings to the rest of the world to enhance the understanding of a particular topic. Expanding the frontiers of human knowledge is one of the goals that researchers should strive towards. Secondly, the process of getting research published itself is a whole experience. It is the closest feeling you will get to being a scientist at the high school level. Having your work critically reviewed by Ph.D. researchers in your field is a great learning experience as it will point out the academic loopholes in your work. It has the potential to make you a better student. Incorporating that feedback and communicating with the editorial team is another aspect of this valuable experience.

Finally, getting your work published gives your work credibility to the external world. Whether it is a college application or a summer program, we believe the research that is published will make a stronger impression than unpublished research.

What to look for in a high school research journal?

Deciding what journal works best for you can be confusing if you are new to academic publishing. In this section, we will give you a brief overview of three factors you can take into consideration when deciding what journal works best for you.

First, for many students, prestige is the most important factor when deciding where to submit their research . For STEM students, this preference might lead them to the Columbia Junior Science Journal whereas, for humanities students, the preference might lead to The Concorde Review as the first choice. However, an important thing to keep in mind regarding this preference is that your choice for the most prestigious journal should be followed by the highest quality research . Similar to how unless you have a good profile, applying to Harvard might just end up wasting money and time!

Secondly, the nature of research is another important parameter to be aware of. One of the first things that we ask our Publication Program students is about the nature of research and whether they are conducting original research or a literature review. Based on what the answer is, our recommendation can vary since some journals do not accept literature reviews.

Finally, the time taken to get published is another important metric that students should keep in mind. If you are somebody applying to college in November and are looking for potential journals for your research in August, we would not recommend journals like the Journal of Emerging Investigators which takes almost 7-8 months to publish research.

Now that we have seen the importance of getting published and what to keep in mind, let us look at some of our recommendations:

Journal of Emerging Investigators : The journal of emerging investigators is usually our top recommendation for students who are doing original research in STEM fields. JEI is particularly well known for its extensive review process that can take as long as 7-8 months. The most important thing to keep in mind is that JEI only accepts original hypothesis-driven research. Another important point is that while the JEI website is dominated by research in the STEM fields, they also accept research from other disciplines. For instance, if you conduct original research on financial markets or political preferences based on demographics, you can still submit with the help of these guidelines. Here is our extensive guide to publishing in JEI. Cost: $35 submission fee, need-based fee waiver is available Deadline: Rolling Subject area: STEM mainly but non-STEM is accepted if original research Type of research: Original hypothesis-based research Estimated acceptance rate: 70-75%

National High School Journal of Science : The NHSJS is run and peer-reviewed by high school students around the world, with a scientific advisory board of adult academics. The journal usually takes 1-2 months to decide whether to accept a submission and an additional editing process that lasts up to 1 month. NHSJS accepts practically all science and social science disciplines on a rolling basis. We usually recommend NHSJS as a backup journal given its relatively higher acceptance rate. Based on our experience of guiding students to NHSJS, we estimate that it has an acceptance rate of approximately 70%. Cost: $250 for publication Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All science and social science disciplines Type of research: Original research, literature review Estimated acceptance rate: 60-70%

International Journal of High School Research : IJHSR publishes high school student research work in behavioral and social sciences, technology, engineering, and math, both original research and literature review articles. Six issues are published each year. IJHSR has a rolling submissions window and has open access to the public. It is run by the nonprofit Terra Science and Education. A unique aspect of the IJHSR is that it requires you to contact and acquire 3 professors or post-doctoral scholars who agree to review your paper. This is a fairly time-consuming process, so if you’re aiming to publish in IJHSR, we would recommend that you get started on this early in your research process! Cost: $200 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All science and social science subjects Type of research: Original Research, Literature Review Estimated acceptance rate: 20-30%

STEM Fellowship Journal : An open-access, peer-reviewed journal for scholarly research by high school and university students in the STEM fields, run by Canadian Science Publishing. The journal accepts original investigations, review articles, and "viewpoints", usually around 5 pages long. While SFJ is a great option, in our experience, we have noticed that the journal can often lag in terms of communication with the students who submit there. Also, while the journal previously reviewed articles on a 2-month timeline, this has extended to 4-5 months over 2022-2023. Please keep this in mind, especially if you are on a tight deadline! Cost: $400 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All Scientific Disciplines Type of research: Hypothesis Driven Research, Review, Abstract, Original Research Estimated Acceptance Rate: 5-10%

Journal of Student Research : This is a multidisciplinary, and faculty-reviewed journal based in Houston, Texas that publishes research by high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. The journal publishes articles in an array of disciplines and in general, papers on all topics, ranging from applied to theoretical research in any discipline, are eligible for submission. The Journal of Student Research (JSR) is particularly popular among high school students due to the variety of research it accepts. Interested high school students can submit research projects, research articles/posters, review articles, and also AP Capstone Research to Journal of Student Research. We usually recommend students aim for a more selective journal as a target and in case that does not work out, the Journal of Student Research can be a good safety option. In our experience of guiding more than a hundred students through JSR, we believe that the Journal of Student Research (JSR) is best suited as a backup option due to its relatively high acceptance rate. However, please be wary of it’s long publishing timeline (around 6-7 months). Here is our guide to the Journal of Student Research. Cost: $50 to Submit and $200 Publication Cost (if accepted) Deadline: Fixed Deadlines in February, May, August, and November Subject area: All Academic Disciplines Type of research: All types of academic articles Estimated Acceptance Rate: 70-80%

Journal of High School Science : JHSS is a peer-reviewed STEM Journal that publishes research and ideas of high school students. JHSS is also best suited as a backup given its relatively high publication acceptance rate compared to options like STEM Fellowship Journal and Journal of Emerging Investigators. However, in our experience, for students looking for a more secure backup, we would recommend the NHSJS over the JHSS since the JHSS is slightly more selective compared to NHSJS. Cost: Free Deadline: Rolling Subject area: All science and social science subjects Type of research: Original Research, Literature Review Estimated acceptance rate: 20%

Stanford Intersect : Intersect is an international Science, Technology, and Society research journal run by undergraduate students at Stanford University and supported by the Program in STS at Stanford. It publishes research and scholarship on the social factors that shape research and invention. While the website states otherwise, Stanford Intersect does accept research from high school students on topics at the intersection of science, technology, and society. In our experience of guiding students to get published here, we rate this journal as extremely selective and only recommend this option to the best students that we have. We have also noticed that students using AI-based methods in research tends to do particularly well here. Cost: Free Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Science, Technology, and Society Type of research: Research Articles, Papers/Essays, Thesis Chapters, Book Reviews, Editorials, Interviews, Multimedia Estimated Acceptance Rate: < 5% (for high schoolers)

Young Scientist Journal : Young Scientist is another publication that recognizes the achievements of high school scientists. It is published by the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach, a group that works in the field of scientific and technological literacy through the establishment of unique partnerships between Vanderbilt University scientists, K-12 educators and students, and the local and global science community. At Lumiere, YSJ is another one of our selective recommendations for students who are producing the highest quality of research. Cost: Free Deadline: December Subject area: Sciences Type of research: Original research, literature review Estimated Acceptance Rate: 10-15%

The Concord Review : The Concord Review is a quarterly journal publishing history essays by high school students. It is the most prestigious journal for high school students in the social sciences. Its prestige comes from its high level of selectivity (currently less than 5%), focus on quality, and long track record of winners going on to top universities. The quality of the published papers is also very high, with the average length of papers in the past year at 9000 words. A qualitative assessment of the quality of the papers also indicates significant time invested and a high level of writing. We have covered this in a lot more detail in a separate post here . Cost: $50 to Submit and $200 Publication Cost (if accepted) Deadline: Fixed Deadlines in February, May, August, and November Subject area: All Academic Disciplines Type of research: All types of academic articles Estimated Acceptance Rate: < 5 %

Schola : Schola is a quarterly journal of humanities and social sciences essays written by high school students worldwide. They publish essays on wide-ranging topics in humanities and social sciences. The Schola accepts essays written on topics in philosophy, history, art history, English, economics, public policy, and sociology. Essay topics and questions must be academic, answerable, and specific to be sufficiently examined in an essay of 4,000-5,000 words. Published essays and their authors are announced in the first week of each issue month: March, June, September, and December. A subscription provides access to all journals in the Archives. Schola is one of our top recommendations for students interested in the social sciences/humanities due to its rigorous review process and selectivity. The quality of work published is also very high. Cost: $120 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Humanities Type of research: Literature (review/critique, poem, prose), research papers, art (illustration, photography), editorials. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 20%

Hope Humanities Journal : HOPE is an online humanities platform for everyone interested in the humanities. It provides an international and non-profit academic platform, with the mission of advocating for the humanities and recognizing young writers’ achievements. They accept literature (poem, prose), research papers, art (illustration, photography), and editorials. Papers are accepted on a "rolling admission" basis and issues are published on a two-month-per-issue* basis. Submitted works are eligible for at least the next two issues. HOPE is another one of our go-to options for Humanities students after the Schola. Cost: $100 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Humanities Type of research: Literature (review/critique, poem, prose), research papers, art (illustration, photography), editorials. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 30%

Open Journal of Business and Managemen t (OJBM) : OJBM is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancement in the study of business and management. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists and academicians all over the world to promote, share, and discuss various new issues and developments in different areas of business and management. We recommend OJBM as a good option for students interested in the field of business studies and management. It is one of the few journals that accept research in business and management from high school students. An important thing to keep in mind is that there is a distinction between business and economics that we are making here i.e. many concepts of economics might not be included within the realm of business. Hence, if you are doing research on financial markets, IJHSR or JEI (mentioned above) might be better options. Cost: $299 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Economics and Business Type of research: Most types of academic articles - reviews, original research, short reports Estimated Acceptance Rate: 15-20% (for high schoolers)

Curieux : The Curieux Academic Journal is a youth-led nonprofit founded in 2017 to publish research by high school and middle school students. They currently operate in California but have editors from across the nation. Submitting your paper to Curieux is a great way to get experience in the craft of academic writing. They are open to submissions from any academic subject including the sciences and humanities. They encourage all forms of academic writing including but not limited to research papers, review articles, and humanity/social science pieces. Each year, they publish twelve issues: once per month. At Lumiere, we usually recommend Curieux as a backup publication for students pursuing research in the social sciences and humanities since they have a relatively higher acceptance rate. Cost: $150 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Engineering, Humanities, and Natural Science, Mathematics, and Social Science Type of research: Including but not limited to research papers, review articles, and humanity/social science pieces. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 60-70%

Journal of Research High School : The Journal of Research High School (JRHS) is an open-access online research journal that aims at publishing academic work prepared exclusively by high school researchers. JRHS publishes across science to social science. They publish biannually but release publications each month! For the publication at JRHS, in general, there are four processes of publication such as original formatting and plagiarism check, peer review, revision, and editorial decision. Each process has a different timeline but in general, the overall turnover timeline is approximately 3 - 6 months. Cost: $100 Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Any academic subject including the sciences and humanities Type of research: Original research and significant literature reviews. Estimated Acceptance Rate: 30%

Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology : The WWJOP is an entirely student-led publication in which high-school student-conducted research and literature reviews in the field of psychology are recognized. The Journal reaches hundreds of schools and psychology students around the world and is published bi-annually and electronically. We have found WWJOP to be a fantastic option for Psychology students given that it offers a specialized publication in Psychology at the high school level. It is one of the few journals at this level to offer a subject specialization. Cost: Free Deadline: Rolling Subject area: Psychology Type of research: Original Research, Analysis Pieces, Letters Estimated acceptance rate: 20-30%

Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you want to build your own independent research paper and get it published, then consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program . Last year over 2100 students applied for about 500 spots in the program. You can find the application form here.

You can see our admission results here for our students.

Manas is a publication strategy associate at Lumiere Education. He studied public policy and interactive media at NYU and has experience in education consulting.

Cover Image: Stanford Intersect Website

We'd like to tell your readers about The Palo Alto Scholar , Journal of Art + Culture + Innovation + Design. We publish research essays, critical essays and more in the humanities. We are unique in offering fee waivers to make article publication as accessible as possible to all.