MedPubJournal selection and submission support for medical researchers
The right journal is the one whose readers need your study, whose scope genuinely includes it and whose indexing you can verify yourself. We build a documented shortlist so that you choose with evidence instead of an email invitation.
Why journal choice matters
Sending a manuscript to an unsuitable journal costs weeks per attempt: the paper waits in an editorial queue, is desk-rejected for scope, and has to be reformatted for the next journal. For faculty working towards promotion deadlines, or residents who need a publication before an exam or application, those months matter.
A second risk is worse than delay. Deceptive ("predatory") journals and hijacked websites target researchers in India with fast-publication offers and claims of indexing that do not hold up. A paper published there may not count for academic purposes and is very difficult to withdraw and republish. Our process is designed to remove both risks.
What the shortlist contains
For each recommended journal you receive a short evidence record:
- Scope fit: why the journal's aims and recent publications match your topic, design and article type.
- Indexing evidence: current status in Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, PubMed Central, Web of Science (SCIE/ESCI), Embase and DOAJ as applicable, with the ISSN used for each check.
- Costs: article processing charge, any submission fee, waiver policies and whether a subscription (no-fee) route exists.
- Speed: published or typical time to first decision and to publication, where the journal makes it available.
- Practical requirements: word limits, reference style, need for a reporting-guideline checklist, trial registration, and policies on preprints or thesis-derived manuscripts.
How journals are screened
Every candidate passes the same checks before it reaches your shortlist. We confirm the journal's website and ISSN match the database record (to rule out hijacked clones), that the editorial board and peer-review process are described transparently, that fees are disclosed before submission and that the publisher is a member of recognised bodies such as COPE or OASPA where it claims to be. Journals that fail any check are excluded, however fast or cheap they are. Read more in our guide to spotting predatory journals.
Submission support after you choose
Once you pick a journal, we prepare the manuscript for it: formatting to the current instructions for authors, structuring the abstract, preparing a title page and declarations, and drafting a cover letter that explains the paper's contribution in a way an editor can assess quickly. See our guide on writing a cover letter to a journal editor. We then walk you through the submission portal; you, as corresponding author, submit and confirm the declarations.
Indexing terms explained
| Term | What it means | Where to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Scopus | Elsevier's abstract and citation database; titles are added and also discontinued after review. | Scopus Sources list |
| MEDLINE / PubMed | MEDLINE is NLM's selectively indexed database; PubMed also contains PubMed Central and other records, so "in PubMed" is not the same as "MEDLINE-indexed". | NLM Catalog |
| Web of Science | Clarivate's collections, including SCIE and ESCI; only SCIE and SSCI journals receive a Journal Impact Factor. | Master Journal List |
| DOAJ | Directory of quality-screened open-access journals. | doaj.org |
A step-by-step method for each check is in how to verify a journal is really indexed.
Related services and guides
Find the right journal for your paper
Send the manuscript and your constraints (timeline, budget, indexing requirement). We return a ranked, evidence-backed shortlist.
Request a Journal ShortlistJournal selection: common questions
How do you decide which journals to recommend?
We start from the manuscript itself: study design, specialty, sample size, novelty and article type. We then look for journals whose stated aims and recent issues include comparable studies, and check each candidate's indexing, publication fees, open-access model, typical time to first decision and any policies (for example on thesis-derived work or preprints) that affect your submission.
How do you verify that a journal is indexed?
Every journal is checked by title and ISSN in the database's own source list: Scopus Sources, the NLM Catalog for MEDLINE and PubMed Central, the Web of Science Master Journal List and the DOAJ. We record whether coverage is current, because journals can be discontinued from a database. Our guide on verifying journal indexing explains each check.
Can you recommend journals without publication charges?
Yes. Many reputable journals publish under a subscription model with no fee to authors, and some open-access journals waive or reduce fees. Tell us your budget and we will include fee-free or low-fee options where they genuinely fit the paper.
Will you submit the manuscript for me?
No. Journals require the corresponding author to submit and to confirm the declarations personally. We prepare the files, the cover letter and the information each submission portal asks for, and we can guide you through the portal step by step, but the author controls the submission.
What if the journal rejects the paper?
Desk rejection is common even for good papers, often for reasons of scope or priority. Because the shortlist is ranked, you can move to the next journal quickly; we reformat the manuscript and cover letter for it as part of the agreed scope.