Journal Submission Services vs. Doing It Yourself: Pros & Cons

Whether you’re submitting your paper independently or through a professional service, these are the essential steps you must follow to ensure a smooth and successful submission to an international journal:

• Identify journals that align with your research topic, field, and indexing goals (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed).

• Consider the journal’s impact factor, scope, target audience, language, and Article Processing Charges (APCs).

• Always verify the journal’s credibility to avoid predatory or fake journals. Use indexing databases and official websites.

• Format your manuscript strictly according to the journal’s author guidelines.

• Ensure correct referencing style (e.g., APA, Vancouver), proper manuscript structure (Abstract, Introduction, Methods, etc.), and high-quality tables and figures.

• Stay within word limits and follow all ethical publishing standards, including citations and authorship transparency.

• Before submission, run your manuscript through a reliable plagiarism detection tool (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate).

• If overlaps or unoriginal content are found, rephrase, paraphrase, or cite properly to reduce similarity.

• A low similarity score is often a requirement for acceptance in Scopus or ISI-indexed journals.

• For non-native English speakers, having your paper edited by a professional academic editor can greatly enhance clarity and readability.

• Journals expect grammatically sound, well-structured manuscripts. Poor language is a common reason for rejection.

• Native English editing ensures your research is communicated effectively and professionally.

• Prepare a concise, compelling cover letter that:

  • Summarizes your research findings

  • Explains the significance of the study

  • Justifies why it fits the scope of the chosen journal

• Personalize the letter to the journal editor—this increases the chances of acceptance.

• Create an author account on the journal’s submission system.

• Upload:

  • The manuscript

  • Cover letter

  • Figures, tables, and supplementary materials

  • Required documents (e.g., author contributions, ethics declarations, conflict of interest forms)

• The journal’s editorial team sends your paper to subject experts for review.

• You may receive comments requesting minor or major revisions based on methodology, clarity, novelty, or structure.

• Revise your manuscript according to the reviewers’ comments.

• Prepare a point-by-point response letter, explaining the changes made or justifying your choices.

• Be respectful and professional in tone—it significantly affects editorial decisions.

• Once approved, your paper undergoes:

  • Proofreading and formatting

  • Typesetting

  • Final checks before online or print publication

• Your article will then be indexed in Scopus, PubMed, or Web of Science, depending on the journal.

Pro Tip: Missing any of these steps—or executing them poorly—can lead to delays, rejection, or submission to the wrong type of journal. Getting help from professionals can make a big difference.

Submitting a paper isn’t just uploading a file. There are multiple technical and strategic hurdles. Common challenges include:

These issues can delay your publication by weeks or even months.

We offer an all-inclusive journal submission service that guides researchers through every phase of the publication journey: