Checking the journal
Compare the journal title, ISSN and official website. Review recent issues and the editorial board, especially publications in your subject. A similar title does not establish a connection to a well-known journal.
Editorial terms
Find the peer review process, author instructions and fees. Think. Check. Submit. recommends checking publisher transparency, review, archiving and costs. An unconditional promise of rapid acceptance needs further scrutiny.
Links to the dissertation
Define the article’s independent question and included findings. Check tables and wording against the dissertation. Confirm publication requirements for your degree and subject through current official rules and the council secretary. Journal selection advice does not replace this check.
Manuscript preparation
After selecting the journal, adapt the article structure, abstract and references to its instructions. Keep correspondence and the final published file. Record exact publication details and the article link to avoid inconsistencies in defence materials.
Matching the journal to your study
Read the journal’s scope and several recent articles. Compare subjects, methods and manuscript types. Even a good article may not fit the editorial profile. Check this before paying for preparation or submitting.
Check publication language, length limits and data requirements. Clinical articles and theoretical reviews may have different instructions. Save the author guidance link and checking date, as requirements may change during lengthy preparation.
Checking indexing claims
Compare the journal’s claims with the official catalogues of the databases it names. Check the exact title, ISSN and coverage period. Finding one article in search results does not necessarily establish the journal’s current status.
Also confirm current rules for your degree and subject. There is no universal journal list for every study. If uncertain, agree the choice before submitting. Keep the response and checking results to avoid later disagreement.
Fees and the editorial process
Find what fees cover, when they arise and what happens after rejection or withdrawal. Clarify review procedures, editorial contact and revision rules. The process should be clear before making a financial decision.
Do not assess a journal only by its promised timing. A quick technical check and full peer review are different stages. Scrutinise any acceptance guarantee made before reading the manuscript. Keep agreements in writing and compare them with official instructions.
Recording publications for the defence
Maintain one list of article titles, authors, status, publication details and links. Distinguish manuscripts under review, accepted articles and published versions. Use the correct status as of the preparation date in defence documents.
After publication, check the text, tables, author details and references against the dissertation. Resolve errors through the journal’s established process. Article and defence preparation are connected, so careful version tracking reduces contradictions between documents.
