A new way to help researchers assess journals before they submit
Our checklists for journals, and for books and chapters, are valuable tools for researchers assessing journals and publishers before submitting their work. They encourage researchers to pause, ask the right questions and make informed decisions about where to publish.
But we’re all different, and a variety of formats are needed to support as many researchers as possible.
That’s why we’re delighted to launch an interactive version of our journal checklist:
Try the interactive journals checklist >
The interactive checklist guides researchers through a short series of evidence-based questions about issues including:
• peer review
• indexing and discoverability
• publication fees
• contact details
• publisher practices
Not sure about an answer? The tool provides further guidance and practical tips on what to check next.
This makes the checklist more engaging, while also encouraging researchers to spend a little more time looking closely at a journal before submitting their work.
The importance of providing this kind of guidance came through clearly in our research. As one librarian told us:
“Without instruction on how to do it, most researchers struggle to assess a journal on their own. They’re just not used to looking at journals in this way.”
We’d love you to try the interactive checklist, embed it in your library or research-support guidance, and share it with colleagues and early-career researchers.
And a huge thank you to Oliver Cocks, Head of Content Retention at Springer Nature, who volunteered his time and expertise to create this new resource. It wouldn’t have been possible without him.