Everyone would like to get published in a high impact journal. The good news is that it is not as complex as sound. However, first, we must understand what “high impact factor journals” mean.
Yes, it is not as most imagine. For example, Nature, Lancet, Science, and New England Journal of Medicine are examples of high impact journals. Of course, getting published in such journals can be quite complex. However, it is worth understanding that these are rather leading journals in the world or champions of champions.
Thus, when we talk about high impact journals, we do not essentially mean getting published in the top 100 journals in the world. Most of us would be satisfied to get our research published in any good, ethical, well-indexed, recognized, and reputable journal. However, such a journal does have to be at the top of the scientific journal ranking.
Before we move any further, let us look at what a good journal impact factor means.
Understanding impact factor science
In simple words, it is a measure of how much impact any journal is making on the scientific world. It is a calculation based on how frequently articles from any journal were cited. It means that if any journal is more frequently cited, it will have a higher impact factor. That sounds reasonable.
However, there is one significant problem with the impact factor often seen in many journals. There are many small organizations that are providing such metrics, and most are miscalculated or are even fake. There is a simple reason for that: most organizations providing impact factors do not have the resources or technical ability to measure the impact factor. As a result, they have no reliable way of knowing how frequently articles from any journal are being cited.
This has created much confusion among researchers and authors. They simply do not understand that most impact factor rankings shown in different B-grade journals are not authentic, reliable, or even fake.
That is why most reputed indexes would not even recognize journals with boldly shown impact factors provided by some unknown organizations. Hence, when it comes to impact factors, the most vital thing is the provider, not the numbers. After all, anyone can think of any kind of number.
Hence, there are just two ways to know if the journal is a high impact factor. Firstly, just consider the ethics followed by its editorial team. Secondly, see if some reliable organization like Calvairate or Scopus provides the impact factor mentioned in the journal.
Therefore, the Directory of Open Access Journal (DOAJ) states:
“DOAJ does not approve of the use of Impact Factors or ranking metrics. However, journals are allowed to display the Journal Impact Factor calculated by Clarivate and metrics from Scopus. Journals must not display any reference (images, links, logos) to Impact Factors or ranking metrics from any other service.”
Hence, if the journal is new or not indexed in Scopus or Web of Science, then a good journal is one that does not display any impact factor ratings. This is why journals of the European Institute of Knowledge and Innovation that are not still in those reputed indexes do not display impact factor information. This is an ethical approach to publishing, which essentially means avoiding providing misleading information to the authors.
Hence, a high impact factor journal is one which either shows an impact factor rating from Clarivate or Scopus or does not show any impact factor rating at all.
Stay away from journals boldly and proudly showing impact factor provided by some little-known organizations. However, if they claim that impact factor information is from Clarivate or Scopus, always cross-check!
Now that we know that one should be careful in reading impact factor rankings, we can move forward discussing how to get published in high impact journal or high journal ranking.
Your study must have some impact on the field – it does not essentially need to be groundbreaking.
I was recently reading one of the popular articles on how to get published in a high impact journal, and the article mentioned that for this, you must solve some big and relevant problem. Well, that might be true, but not completely. We are discussing about getting published in a high impact journal and not about how to get a Nobel prize.
To get published in high impact factor journals, your research must clearly add some value to the existing research or science. However, it does not have to be groundbreaking. Thus, keep it simple, and spend some time choosing the right research topic.
99% of articles published in even some of the leading journals in the world are not doing anything big. They are not proposing anything like the theory of relativity or germ theory. Instead, most such articles have some simple research topics but are still relevant.
Just take the example of Cochrane Library (a very high impact journal). It publishes systemic reviews. It means that person just goes through all the existing research in a systemic way and comes up with some conclusion. So a person is just making conclusions based on the research that already exists. But, of course, a systematic review’s methodology is quite complex, and it may take much time to finalize things. But nevertheless, it is not about groundbreaking experimental research.
Or take the example of the Lancet. It is among the top most reputable journals in the world, and not just a high impact journal. It is a super high impact journal by all norms. Nonetheless, consider one of the opinion articles or perspectives published in May 2023 is titled “Eloise Todd: mobilizing civil society for pandemic prevention”
As anyone can guess, the above topic is surely not rocket science, not some extensive experiment, nor a discovery that will change medical science. It is just an article that raises awareness on the subject. Most academics with proper education in medicine or public health and with good writing abilities can authorize such an article.
This is just to say that it is possible to get published in super high impact journals or leading journals of the field with some honest effort supported by sufficient knowledge. However, most of us plan to get our studies published in just a high impact journal, which is not essentially a global leader.
It means that to get published in high impact journal, and your article must add some value to the science, have at least some minimal impacts, be well-researched, and be well-written.
Follow best research practices
Once you have come up with the research topic, ensure that the study is based on a robust methodology. Methodological flaws in any research are high impact journals rejecting the leading cause of articles. After all, publishing a flawed study would also affect scientific journal ranking. So, remember that science journals would pay particular attention to research methodology.
First and foremost, the methodology you choose must be supported by many studies. It must have been extensively validated.
If you make sufficient efforts, it is not difficult to find toolboxes, software, and research methods, that have been extensively tested.
Next, ensure that you properly implement that methodology in practice. Also, make sure that you follow the best legal practices or ethical practices in your study. In some cases, a study might be rejected as it merely failed to follow ethical guidelines for that kind of study.
Writing quality matters – readers must buy your idea
People working in good impact factor journals are also humans, and so are the readers. So, never forget about the human side of the research. Do not neglect emotional intelligence. Good mathematical calculations and statistical analysis may fail to find a publisher if you are not able to establish the importance of your research by using storytelling and being creative.
It is true that many researchers do not consider storytelling a vital part of research writing. However, doing research and presenting it are two different things.
One may be able to get their study published in a high impact factor ranking journal if the study is well presented- if you are properly able to highlight its importance and contribution to that particular field. That is why coming up with a good topic that gains attention remains vital in all kinds of studies.
Further, this highlights the importance of spending some time on the introduction. In the introduction part, you not only introduce the theoretical background of the study but also justify the reasons for carrying out the study. But, most importantly, in the introduction, you are also trying to sell your cause.
And, yes, remember that even your abstract must also tell your story. A few lines written creatively may make or break things. So, keep in mind that the abstract is not just about bluntly summarizing your findings.
Image is worth a thousand words
Humans have evolved to perceive visual information more comfortably and effectively. No one likes to read articles in science journals filled with hundreds of calculations and too much text (except in some cases, like proving some mathematical hypothesis). However, sprinkle your study with some tables, charts, images, and illustrations, and suddenly it pops out.
Few images can make your study stand out. On the other hand, it may make it more readily understood. Thus, a few images may help ensure that your study and journal impact factor match each other and that your study gets accepted and published in a high impact journal.
Use clear and simple language
Your topic may be complex, but it must be presented concisely and in plain English. Few things have changed significantly since the mid-20th century. Writing in plain English is now regarded as something important. Till the 20th century, researchers used to present their studies in a language that researchers of their caliber could only interpret. However, this is no longer true, and using complex jargon is now highly discouraged.
In 2010, the Obama govt. even introduced Plain English Act so that all govt. documents are created in plain English. There are many similar recommendations in various other nations like the UK.
It means that you try to present your finding in the most straightforward possible language, keep it precise, try using active voice, and use short paragraphs and sentences. Of course, following all these recommendations might not be possible in a research article. After all, you also want to sound proficient and not childish. But nevertheless, keep it concise and simple but without compromising on the quality of your writing.
Clear and simple language is a part of impact factor science.
Follow journal guidelines methodically
That is pretty simple to understand, yet it remains neglected. Quite often, authors have done much of the writing before they could get a nod from some high authority or high impact journal. Another issue commonly faced by authors is that they might have written a research article for one journal, and later plans may change for various reasons.
Thus, in practice, there are many reasons why final manuscripts may not be according to the journal’s requirements. However, remember that authoritative science journals would not accept manuscripts if they do not meet their requirements.
Ensuring that the article follows the journal’s guidelines is not very difficult, but it could be a task that requires some effort. In addition, it may mean spending time making changes to the manuscript.
That is why it is also a good idea to use citation tools like Endnote, Mendeley, or Zotero. When using such tools, making changes to references or bibliography would be brisk. It will reduce the pain one has to undergo in making such small yet relevant changes.
It might cost a lot
It is just amazing to see that though there are so many articles about how to get published in high impact journals, and yet none talk about the cost factor. The truth is that for most people, some of the high impact journals might be simply unaffordable. Publishing in those journals costs a lot. They might not charge publishing fees, but they often charge other fees totaling thousands of US dollars.
That is why we said that when we talk about high impact journals, we do not essentially mean leading journals in the world.
There are many high quality journals that do not charge much or are even free, like journals from the European Institute of Knowledge and Innovation.
Write a convincing cover letter
Once ready to get published in a high impact journal, also be ready to make an impact through your cover letter. Again, it is something that would be read before your study. Sometimes it can make a big difference and may be a deciding factor in your manuscript acceptance.
