Your paper is finished and your supervisor says “send it to a good journal”: how do you decide which one? The question has two layers. The first is administrative: many universities only count publications in journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science, and some add a quartile requirement. The second is editorial: a journal that is indexed and highly ranked will still reject a manuscript in days if the topic, method or length does not match what it publishes.
This article is part of our guide How to Write a Master’s Thesis by the Mastermind PhD team and relates to our Journal Article support service. Sources last checked: November 2026.
To choose a journal, work through both layers in order, as this guide does: how to verify indexing on the official sources, how to read Scimago and Journal Citation Reports quartiles without confusing them, how to judge fit, and how to compare three candidates in a single table before you format the manuscript.
What is journal selection? Journal selection is the process of matching a finished or nearly finished manuscript to a legitimate peer-reviewed journal that publishes work of its type, for an audience that will use it, within the indexing and ranking requirements set by your university or funder. You choose a journal before the final formatting, because the chosen journal’s guide for authors decides the word limit, structure and reference style.
Why is indexing the first filter when you choose a journal?
Indexing is binary and verifiable, so it removes most of the list before any judgement is needed. If your faculty regulations say “a journal indexed in Scopus”, a journal that is not in Scopus is out, however good it looks. Checking indexing first when you choose a journal also protects you from the most expensive mistake in academic publishing: paying a fee to a journal whose claims of indexing are false or out of date.
The two databases that regulations usually name are Scopus (Elsevier) and the Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate). Both publish free tools for checking a journal’s status, and both apply documented selection criteria.
How do you check a journal in Scopus?
Scopus Sources (scopus.com/sources) is a free preview page that does not require a subscription. In October 2026 it listed just over 50,000 sources, with filters for subject area, source type and CiteScore quartile, and a download of the full source list. Search by journal title or, better, by ISSN, then open the record and read three things:
- Coverage years. A journal whose coverage runs to the present is indexed now. A record whose coverage ends in an earlier year means indexing was discontinued, and an article you publish there today will not be added.
- Publisher and homepage. The publisher name in the Scopus record should match the website you are looking at. A mismatch is the classic sign of a hijacked journal.
- CiteScore and subject categories. CiteScore is the Scopus citation metric, calculated on a four-year window. The quartile shown is relative to a specific subject category.
Elsevier also publishes a monthly Source title list as an Excel file, which includes a sheet of discontinued sources. Download it, search by ISSN and keep a dated copy; if an examination committee later asks whether the journal was indexed when you published, that file is your evidence.
Behind these tools sits a published policy. To be considered at all, a journal must have peer-reviewed content with a public description of its review process, regular publication with a registered ISSN, a publication history, content relevant to an international audience, and a publication ethics and malpractice statement. The Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB), a group of independent subject experts, then evaluates titles on journal policy, content, standing, regularity and online availability.
Indexed titles are re-evaluated continuously; a title flagged for publication concerns has its content flow suspended during review, and the CSAB may discontinue forward coverage. That is why “it has articles in Scopus” is not the same as “it is indexed in Scopus”.
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How do you check a journal in Web of Science?
The Web of Science Master Journal List (mjl.clarivate.com) is Clarivate’s free search tool for journals indexed across the Web of Science platform. Its own description is useful: the Core Collection “includes only journals that demonstrate high levels of editorial rigor and best practice”, curated by an in-house editorial team, and the list also covers specialty collections such as Biological Abstracts and Zoological Record.
Search by title or ISSN and check which collection the journal belongs to, because regulations sometimes name a specific index (for example the Science Citation Index Expanded or the Emerging Sources Citation Index) rather than “Web of Science” in general. The site also offers Manuscript Matcher, which suggests journals from your title and abstract using citation connections; treat it as a way to widen the shortlist when you choose a journal, not as a verdict.
Scimago quartiles or JCR quartiles: what is the difference?
Students often write “Q1 journal” without saying which Q1. Two systems exist, built on different databases and different indicators, and they do not always agree.
| Feature | Scimago Journal and Country Rank (SJR quartiles) | Journal Citation Reports (JIF quartiles) |
|---|---|---|
| Producer | SCImago research group, using Scopus data | Clarivate, using Web of Science data |
| Indicator | SJR: weighted citations received in the year to documents of the previous three years | Journal Impact Factor, based on citations to the previous two years |
| How quartiles are formed | Journals in each subject category are ranked by SJR and split into four equal groups; Q1 is the top group | Journals in each JCR category are ranked by JIF and split into quartiles |
| Categories | 27 subject areas and more than 300 subject categories (Scopus classification) | JCR categories, different from Scopus categories |
| Access | Free on scimagojr.com, with downloadable rankings | Subscription product, usually through a university library |
| Update | Annual release, time series from 1999 onward | Annual release |
Three consequences follow. First, the same journal can sit in a different quartile in the two systems, because the indicator, the citation window and the category peers all differ. Second, a journal listed in several categories can be Q1 in one and Q3 in another, so always quote the quartile together with the category. Third, both systems lag the databases they are built on by months: a journal that was discontinued by Scopus during the year may still show a quartile for the previous year. Use the quartile for ranking, and Scopus Sources or the Master Journal List for proof of current indexing.
Which quartile do you actually need?
Read your regulations literally. Some faculties require Q1 or Q2 for doctoral publication, accept any quartile for a master’s requirement, or ask only for indexing without a quartile. Others name a specific index and do not mention quartiles at all. Match the requirement, then decide how much higher to aim as you choose a journal.
A higher quartile usually means lower acceptance rates and longer review cycles, which matters when your submission has to be accepted before a defence date. A well-matched Q2 journal that publishes work like yours is a better choice than a Q1 journal in which your study would be an outlier.
How do you judge fit beyond the metrics?
Metrics tell you a journal’s standing, not whether it wants your paper, so they cannot choose a journal for you. Spend twenty minutes on each candidate:
- Aims and scope. Look for your method (quantitative, qualitative, mixed), your level of generality (a single-country study, a regional comparison, a theoretical contribution) and the article types accepted.
- The last four issues. Count articles that resemble yours in topic, method and setting. If there is not one in two years, the journal is unlikely to start with you.
- The guide for authors. Word limit, abstract format, reference style, data availability policy, ethics statements. A 9,000-word manuscript in a journal with a 6,000-word limit is a desk rejection.
- Peer review model and speed. The journal should describe its peer review process; many publish median times to first decision.
- Publishing model and fees. Subscription, hybrid or fully open access. For open access journals, the Think. Check. Submit. checklist asks whether the site explains what fees are charged, when, in what currency, and whether waivers are available. Article processing charges vary enormously between publishers and fields, so check the exact figure on the journal page for the year you expect to publish and ask about waiver eligibility before you submit, not after acceptance. If your university or funder pays, learn the conditions early.
- Legitimacy. For any journal you do not already know, run the checks in our article on predatory journals before you go further.
How do you compare three candidates in one table?
To choose a journal from a shortlist, score each one from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) on each criterion, multiply by the weight, and add up. The example is illustrative and uses invented journals.
| Criterion (weight) | Journal A: international, Q2, open access | Journal B: regional, Q4, subscription | Journal C: international, Q1, subscription |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required indexing confirmed (3) | 5 x 3 = 15 | 5 x 3 = 15 | 5 x 3 = 15 |
| Scope and audience fit (3) | 4 x 3 = 12 | 5 x 3 = 15 | 2 x 3 = 6 |
| Quartile versus requirement (2) | 4 x 2 = 8 | 2 x 2 = 4 | 5 x 2 = 10 |
| Fees and waivers (2) | 2 x 2 = 4 | 5 x 2 = 10 | 5 x 2 = 10 |
| Time to decision (2) | 4 x 2 = 8 | 3 x 2 = 6 | 2 x 2 = 4 |
| Ethics, memberships, transparency (2) | 5 x 2 = 10 | 4 x 2 = 8 | 5 x 2 = 10 |
| Practical fit: length, type, style (1) | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Total | 61 | 63 | 57 |
The highest-ranked journal scores lowest because a single-city study does not fit its international scope and its review cycle does not fit the defence calendar. Journals A and B are close; the regulation (does it demand Q2?) and the fee budget decide. The table does not choose a journal for you; it shows which criterion threatens each option, which is what a supervisor will ask about.
Which mistakes cost the most time when you choose a journal?
- Submitting to two journals at once: a breach of publication ethics that most cover letters require you to deny, and discovery can mean rejection from both.
- Choosing by the logo on the journal website rather than by the Scopus or Master Journal List record.
- Quoting a quartile without the category and the year.
- Formatting the manuscript before the journal is chosen, then reformatting it for each rejection.
- Having no second and third choice ready, so a rejection costs weeks of new searching.
A second opinion on the shortlist, on fit with a journal’s recent articles, or on language and formatting before submission should leave the choice of journal, the authorship and the content with you. The decision table is yours to fill, and the cover letter is yours to sign.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Scopus or Web of Science “better” for my CV?
Neither is better in the abstract. When you choose a journal, use the database your regulations name, and remember that many journals are in both. Where you have a choice, Web of Science Core Collection indexing is often read as the stricter signal in the natural sciences, while Scopus covers more journals in the social sciences and in regional publishing. Check both records and quote both if the journal has both.
What is the difference between CiteScore and the Journal Impact Factor?
CiteScore is the Scopus metric and counts citations over a four-year window; the Journal Impact Factor is the Web of Science metric in Journal Citation Reports and uses a two-year window. They are not interchangeable, and a journal’s rank on one does not predict its rank on the other. Compare journals within one system and one subject category.
Can a Q1 journal in Scimago be unindexed in Scopus?
Yes, for a period. Scimago publishes annual rankings built from Scopus data of the previous year, so a journal discontinued by Scopus during the current year can still display last year’s quartile. Always confirm current coverage on Scopus Sources or in the monthly source title list before submitting.
Do I have to pay to publish in an indexed journal?
Not necessarily. Many indexed journals are subscription-based and charge authors nothing; others are open access and charge an article processing charge after acceptance; hybrids offer both routes. Legitimate journals state fees, timing and waiver policies on their websites. A request for payment before peer review is a warning sign, not a normal practice.
How many journals should I shortlist?
When you choose a journal, shortlist three, ranked with a decision table: one to submit to and two alternatives already checked for fit and indexing. More than five usually means the scope has not been narrowed enough; fewer than three leaves you starting from zero after a rejection.
Sources
- Elsevier. Scopus content policy and selection. https://www.elsevier.com/products/scopus/content/content-policy-and-selection (accessed October 2026)
- Elsevier. Scopus content (Source title list, updated monthly, including the discontinued sources list). https://www.elsevier.com/products/scopus/content (accessed October 2026)
- Elsevier. Scopus Preview: Sources. https://www.scopus.com/sources (accessed October 2026)
- Clarivate. Web of Science Master Journal List. https://mjl.clarivate.com/home (accessed October 2026)
- SCImago. Help: How to use SCImago Journal and Country Rank (SJR indicator and quartiles). https://www.scimagojr.com/help.php (accessed October 2026)
- Think. Check. Submit. Journals checklist. https://thinkchecksubmit.org/journals/ (accessed October 2026)
- Directory of Open Access Journals. Guide to applying. https://doaj.org/apply/guide/ (accessed October 2026)
Sources last checked: November 2026. This article is general educational guidance and does not replace your university regulations or your supervisor’s instructions. How we prepare our content.