Choosing the right journal for a manuscript can be a challenging exercise, and many factors are likely to influence the final decision. Factors involved include the visibility of the journal, the focus of the journal and how well it matches the topic of the manuscript, the impact factor of the journal, the timeliness of the editorial office process and whether feedback is constructive, journal accessibility, author costs, and the governance of the journal. Among these, the impact factor plays a particularly significant role in choosing a journal, and yet it is also one of the more controversial areas in terms of the way it is utilized. Having a set of guidelines to assess which journals will suit your manuscript best is invaluable and may make a significant difference to your publication success.It is important to be clear about what is motivating the decision to publish and to have a set of criteria by which the merits of a journal can be assessed, thus maximizing the chance that the author’s expectations will be met. Finally, a system or checklist to actually help choose the best journal for one’s manuscript can be invaluable.
