For many academics, the “desk rejection” is a frustrating experience. It’s been months of data collection, experimentation and writing, and now you’ve received an email of rejection within 48 hours. Typically, it’s because of a simple lack of fit with the journal. At Next Publishers, we see excellent research held back, not due to quality, but to fit. Knowing how to overcome this is critical to the success of any academic professional seeking to keep up a steady publication stream.
Understanding the Mismatch
Mismatch occurs when the topic, scale and/or methodology of your research is not aligned with the journal’s aims. Journals establish their “Aims and Scope” to foster a particular discussion in their field. If you submit a case study to a journal that only publishes cutting-edge theory, the editor will reject it, even if it’s a high-quality study. If you get this right, you can avoid months of heartache and disappointment.
Step 1: Read the Rejection Letter
Don’t overlook the wording in the rejection letter. Editors typically categorise their rejections into “rejection based on quality” and “rejection based on fit”. If the rejection notice says your manuscript is “beyond the present scope” or “suitable for a narrower audience,” you have a scope problem. This is actually good news. This indicates you probably did a good job on your research, but missed the mark by aiming at the wrong target. Accept their feedback, and immediately focus on your manuscript’s essential message.
Step 2: Audit the Scope
Before you submit to a new journal, return to the homepage. Read the abstracts of the past three issues. Are they more interested in empirical research or theoretical pieces? Are they local or international in scope? Look at the “Key Contributions” of the recent papers they published. If your manuscript seems to be an “oddball” in terms of style or content, it’s time to shift tactics. Authors often select a journal just based on its Impact Factor, without considering the ongoing discussion in its pages.
Step 3: Work with Journal Submission Experts
Journal selection is a highly technical exercise that requires days of research. Journal Submission services offer you evidence-based journal recommendations. Next Publishers’ experts search indexing platforms such as Scopus or Web of Science to identify journals publishing similar keywords within the past 12 months. This pre-emptive strike pinpoints “high-match” targets, giving you a better chance of being selected for review. Services like this allow you to not gamble with your academic future.
Step 4: Optimise Your Cover Letter
A mismatch can also be a miscommunication. Your cover letter needs to clearly address how your work contributes to the aims listed in the journal’s “Aims and Scope”. Apply their language to connect. If the journal seeks “policy implications” from research, make sure your cover letter stresses your research’s impact on legislative policy. If they’re interested in “interdisciplinary perspectives,” describe your sociological insight as complementing their legal or economic emphases.
Step 5: Have a Long List
Always have more than one target. Researchers of merit develop a “Submission Tier” list as early as the final draft. This list includes:
Tier 1: Your “Dream Journal”, high impact and a great fit, although competitive.
Tier 2: Reputable journals with a slightly more generalized audience that appreciate your approach.
Tier 3: Niche journals for whom your area of research is a primary focus.
With these alternatives available, you can get your paper resubmitted within days of rejection instead of having to start over again.
Step 6: Tweak the Story
If you find a journal that is a 90% match, consider modifying the “framing” of your paper. This is not changing your data. Rather, you change your introduction and conclusion to emphasise things that your journal focuses on. If you are publishing in a criminal justice journal, for instance, and have published in a sociology journal, focus on law enforcement or recidivism rates rather than on social theory. This shows the editor you know their audience and their community well.
What You Can Do for Your Next Submission
- Read the “Instructions for Authors”: Make sure your manuscript type (e.g., original research, case report) is suitable for publication.
- Examine the Editorial Board: If there is no one on the board with expertise in your sub-discipline, they may not have the ability to honestly evaluate your research.
- Audit Your Citations: Make sure you reference the latest work from the new journal. This shows you are in the conversation.
- Get a Second Opinion: Work with Journal Submission’s experts to get an expert eye on your manuscript before it reaches the editor’s in-tray.
Conclusion
Journal scope mismatch doesn’t mean your work is beyond redemption. At Next Publishers, we know there’s a journal for every sound piece of research. With expert Journal Submission help, you use a desk rejection as a stepping-stone. Adjust your aim, spruce up your pitch, and try again. Your work is important; there is a journal waiting for you to submit your work. Let’s not let a “wrong address” slow your progress towards a better world.
