Publishing an article in an academic journal depends not only on the relevance of the topic or the quality of the research conducted. Editors and reviewers evaluate manuscripts according to numerous criteria. Understanding these aspects helps authors prepare their material more effectively, avoid common mistakes and improve their chances of successfully passing the editorial selection process. What does the journal’s editorial team pay attention to when selecting articles? We discuss this in our new article.
Relevance to the journal’s scope
The first stage of manuscript evaluation is usually checking whether it corresponds to the journal’s aims, subject areas and target audience. Even a high-quality and relevant study may be rejected before peer review if its topic does not fall within the publication’s scope.
Before submission, authors should carefully read the “Aims and scope” section on the journal’s website, review recently published articles and determine which types of material the editorial team accepts. It is also important to ensure that the research topic will be clear and useful specifically to the audience of the chosen publication.
Relevance of the research
The article should address an important academic problem and explain why it needs to be studied. The author should not only introduce the topic but also demonstrate its significance for the development of the relevant field, the solution of practical tasks or the expansion of existing academic knowledge.
The relevance of the research should be substantiated using current academic sources, statistical data or the results of previous studies. A clear definition of the problem helps the editor understand why the article deserves attention and how its publication may benefit the academic community.
Academic novelty
One of the key selection criteria is the presence of an original contribution to knowledge. The manuscript should not merely repeat established ideas or recount the results of previous studies without providing the author’s own analysis. The author should clearly explain what new findings were obtained during the research and how the results differ from previously published material.
Academic novelty may consist of:
- obtaining new results or experimental data
- applying an original or improved methodology
- investigating an insufficiently studied problem
- providing a new interpretation of existing data
- developing a practical solution to an academic problem
It is important not to limit the discussion to a general claim about the originality of the work, but to describe its contribution to the relevant field specifically.
Validity of the methodology
The research methods should correspond to the stated aim and make it possible to obtain reliable results. Editors and reviewers evaluate the logic of the research design, the appropriateness of the sample selection, the methods of data collection and analysis, the justification for the tools used and compliance with ethical requirements.
The methodology should be described in sufficient detail for other researchers to understand exactly how the study was conducted and, where possible, to replicate it. If the author uses an established methodology, the relevant source must be cited. If a new or improved approach is applied, its features and advantages should be explained in detail.
Reliability of the results
The results should be presented clearly, consistently and in accordance with the stated methodology. All conclusions should be based directly on the data obtained and correspond to the aim and objectives of the research. Unsubstantiated generalisations or statements that are not supported by the results may prompt comments from reviewers.
Particular attention is paid to the accuracy of calculations, the correctness of the statistical analysis and the quality of tables, graphs and figures. It is also important for the author to acknowledge the limitations of the study honestly and explain how they may have affected the results. This demonstrates objectivity and increases confidence in the work.
Quality of the literature review
The literature review should demonstrate that the author has a good understanding of the current state of the problem under investigation. Simply listing previous studies is not sufficient. Their main findings should be analysed, existing contradictions should be identified and questions that remain unresolved should be determined.
Preference should be given to current, authoritative sources that are relevant to the topic. At the same time, it is important to consider key foundational works if they are relevant to the research. Ignoring important international publications, relying mainly on outdated sources or failing to provide a critical analysis of the literature may negatively affect the evaluation of the manuscript.
Quality of the text
The text should be grammatically correct, precise and clear. The editorial team evaluates the logical flow of the discussion, the consistent use of terminology, the accuracy of the wording and compliance with academic style. Every statement should be clear, while complex concepts should be explained within the context of the research topic.
Overly long sentences, repetition, unclear wording and the incorrect use of terminology may make even high-quality research difficult to understand. If the article is submitted in a foreign language, particular attention should be paid to academic translation and professional editing of the text.
Compliance with the journal’s requirements
Each publication establishes its own rules for formatting and submitting manuscripts. Ignoring these requirements may result in the article being returned for revision or rejected before peer review begins. The author guidelines should therefore be checked immediately before submission, as editorial requirements may be updated.
Authors should pay attention to:
- the permitted length and structure of the article
- the rules for formatting references and the bibliography
- the requirements for the abstract, keywords, tables and figures
- the list of supporting documents
- the required file formats and upload procedure
Compliance with the formal requirements demonstrates the author’s attention to detail and makes it easier for the editorial team to process the manuscript.
The decision to publish an article is based on a combination of criteria rather than a single factor. Thorough preparation of the material, adherence to the principles of publication ethics and compliance with editorial requirements help authors successfully pass the initial editorial assessment and peer review.
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