About JournalGuide

JournalGuide is a free tool that helps researchers to evaluate scholarly journals. In addition to searching by journal name, category or publisher, authors can use the title and abstract of a paper to discover journals that have already published articles on similar topics. By matching journals to a paper’s content, researchers can see which journals would be most likely to have interest in their story.

Our goal at JournalGuide is to help researchers publish faster by helping them to choose the right journal. We want to arm researchers with the best information to make data-driven decisions about which journal to choose. In addition to building the most comprehensive database of journal information publically available, JournalGuide provides powerful tools to effectively search, sort, filter, and compare journals.

Who is JournalGuide?

JournalGuide is a free author resource developed and maintained by Research Square. As an independent company, we are not a publisher or journal and have no plans to become one. Our team is made up of published researchers and software developers — combining a deep understanding of the publication process with cutting-edge technology tools.

JournalGuide grew out of the need to create a comprehensive database and powerful search tools for the journal recommendation component of the Rubriq Peer Review service. We saw an opportunity to share our internal tool publicly as a free resource for all authors. User accounts for JournalGuide, Rubriq and AJE are linked with a central login, and all journal profile data are also shared. Journals that previously updated profiles on www.rubriq.com will now be able to see and update that data on JournalGuide.

Impact Metric

JournalGuide uses the Source-Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP) as a measure of a journal’s impact. Because the impact of a journal is normalized to the number of papers published in its field, SNIP allows authors to directly compare journals across multiple fields. SNIPs are calculated by Scopus and also are in alignment with our goal of adding transparency to the publication process due to being publically available. JournalGuide updates SNIP values once a year in Q3. We are aware that many authors are required to publish in journals containing a Thompson Reuter assigned Impact Factor. Journals noted as being indexed in SCI, SCI-Expanded, or SSCI have an impact factor, but we are not allowed to display the impact factor itself.


Author FAQ

  1. Why would anyone need help picking a journal?
  2. Can’t I just get the same information from the journal’s website?
  3. How often is it updated?
  4. What areas of study do you cover?
  5. Why do I need an account?
  6. Who pays for this?
  7. I can’t find a journal on your site, how can I get it added?
  8. How is JournalGuide different from the other online journal search tools?
  9. How do I report an error?
  10. What if a journal I’m interested in is listed but is missing most information?
  11. Does JG tell me everything I need to know about picking the right journal?

Journal FAQ

  1. How do I fix an error on my journal’s profile page?
  2. What information can I control?
  3. What does “Verified” indicate?
  4. How do I get my journal verified in your database?
  5. How long does it take for my updates to appear on the site?
  6. Why should I participate?
  7. I can’t find my journal/s – how can I get it added?
  8. Can you remove my journal?
  9. How do I claim my journal if it has already been claimed by someone else?
  10. How are you connected to Rubriq?

Why would anyone need help picking a journal?

The best journal for a manuscript is one that reaches the intended audience and is a good match for both content and quality. Researchers that select the right journal from the beginning will publish faster, saving months of time and frustrating rounds of rejection and revision.

Researchers who benefit most from JournalGuide include first-time authors, international authors, and authors who are working on a paper somewhat outside of their traditional scope (e.g. multidisciplinary topics), but established researchers are also likely to find this tool valuable.

The days of choosing a journal “because that’s where we always submit” are rapidly disappearing. Open Access and online publishing tools have enabled an explosion of new journal growth. Over 2000 journals were added to the DOAJ in 2013-2014 alone. These new journals have the opportunity to be increasingly specific, limiting their focus to a distinct niche that would otherwise be swallowed up by a broader field. Researchers may find that a niche journal could actually offer better exposure to a highly-engaged audience than the traditional journal that has always been their default choice.

Can’t I just get the same information from the journal’s website?

Yes, some of the information presented in JournalGuide can also been found on the journal’s website, and in many cases, JournalGuide staff have collected data directly from that source. We have found, however, that this information is not always consistently presented or easy to compare. JournalGuide has standardized the data and put it all in one place so that comparisons are easy.

How often is it updated?

Journals can update the majority of their data at any time. Our staff also perform periodic updates of 3rd party information in addition to continually researching new sources of data.

What areas of study do you cover?

Our most complete journal data are in the biomedical fields; however, we have created journal-specific pages for journals across all disciplines. If you find that a journal of interest is missing key data, you can easily contact the journal from the journal’s page on our site.

Why do I need an account?

All journal data is publically available; no additional information is hidden behind a user login. Authors benefit from having an account by being able to follow journals, save searches, and set preferences.

An account is required for Journals and Publishers to claim and control profile data and set preferences/options.

Who pays for this?

JournalGuide is a free service for authors and journals funded by Research Square and its divisions.

I can’t find a journal on your site. How can I get it added?

Authors who do not find their journal of interest can contact us at [email protected] to request that it be added to our database. Editors and Managing Editors can request that their journal be added by completing the form found at http://journalexperts.us2.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=3e3115b0623dec0347019639f&id=e8db1ac33a

How is JournalGuide different from the other online journal search tools?

JournalGuide uses a proprietary algorithm to suggest appropriate journals from our extensive article database using the keywords, title, or abstract from the paper of interest. Authors can also browse journals by field or publisher, or search for journals by name. In addition, JournalGuide allows researchers to easily compare several journals at a glance, follow favorite journals, as well as edit, save, and print search results.

How do I report an error?

Errors can be reported by emailing [email protected] with the journal’s title and a brief description of the error. The JournalGuide staff will then investigate and correct the noted error.

What if a journal I’m interested in is listed but is missing important information?

If the journal is not claimed, authors can contact the journal directly through the journal’s profile page to request more information. Additionally, authors can contact us at [email protected] and we will work with the journal to get the missing information added to JournalGuide.

Does JG tell me everything I need to know about picking the right journal?

By finding a match based on your title/abstract, you can narrow down options to identify the best content matches; however, this process can only take you part of the way. Even if a journal publishes on your specific topic, the search tool cannot determine the likelihood of acceptance for any manuscript without some indication of the paper’s quality and impact. Authors can use the tool to compare journal selectivity or have the paper peer reviewed by Rubriq. Rubriq provides independent peer review by three academic experts in your field, and based on this evaluation, our team makes customized journal recommendations that reflect both the content and quality of the manuscript.


How do I fix an error on my journal’s profile page?

Official representatives of the journal may claim and manage their journal’s data directly through their account. Items that are not editable, such as ISSN, may be changed by emailing us at [email protected]. You may claim your journal by clicking “claim this journal” on the profile page and then completing the request form. All requests are verified by the JournalGuide staff prior to approval to ensure that only authorized representatives of the journal are allowed to update data.

What information can I control?

You control the majority of your journal information, with the exception of data obtained from a third party source, such as Impact or ISSN.

What does “Verified” indicate?

The “Verified” notation indicates that the journal is found on the “White List” of journals maintained by Research Square. Journals on the Research Square Verified list are ones that have been verified by third party indexes as being recognized, reputable journals in their field. Lack of the Verified indicator does not mean that a journal is not reputable, merely that its status has not been independently confirmed. Learn more here.

How do I get my journal verified in your database?

Research Square periodically updates the Verified list using the criteria laid out in our white paper. If you feel that your journal meets these criteria, you may request that the JournalGuide staff reviews your journals eligibility by sending an email to [email protected].

How long does it take for my updates to appear on the site?

Updates appear instantly, and you may update your journal profile as often as you wish. Changes to data from third parties may take longer due to the confirmation process.

Why should I participate?

Authors use JournalGuide to compare journals and make informed decisions about where to submit their manuscripts. JournalGuide is a new way to promote your journal and share key information that authors need to know before submission.

I can’t find my journal/s – how can I get it added?

Editors and Managing Editors can request that their journal be added by completing this request form.

Can you remove my journal?

Our goal is to create a comprehensive journal database to help authors, so if your journal is covered by Pubmed or other major indices, it will have a JournalGuide profile page. A journal will be removed if it is found to not meet basic requirements or is no longer actively publishing.

How do I claim my journal if it has already been claimed by someone else?

If you think your journal has been claimed by someone else in error, please email us at [email protected].

How are you connected to Rubriq?

JournalGuide is a publically available version of the tool used by Rubriq to perform journal recommendations. Rubriq, JournalGuide, and AJE are all divisions of Research Square, a for-benefit company with a mission of helping researchers succeed. Authors and reviewers with accounts in Rubriq and AJE can use their same login to access their JournalGuide account.

Rubriq uses data from the journal profile pages to make recommendations to authors about well-matched journals for their manuscripts. To learn more about how a Rubriq Report can help your journal’s submission process, click here.