Pre-submission due diligence
Check a journal before submission
A ten-minute check before uploading your manuscript can prevent months of difficulty later. The aim is not to find a perfect journal; it is to confirm that the journal is who it says it is, its claims can be independently verified, and its publication terms are clear before you hand over your work.
Maintained by the Beallslists.com editorial review team · Evidence reviewed: · Current verification cycle: 2026
The 10-minute pre-submission check
- Minute 1 — Journal identity: confirm the exact title, ISSN, publisher and official website.
- Minutes 2–3 — Indexing: verify only the databases that matter to you or your institution, using the database's own search.
- Minute 4 — Editorial board: independently verify two or three editors.
- Minute 5 — Peer review: read how reviewers are selected and who makes the final decision.
- Minute 6 — Fees: locate APCs, taxes, optional services, waivers, refunds and withdrawal terms.
- Minute 7 — Metrics: verify any claimed Journal Impact Factor, CiteScore or other metric with the provider.
- Minute 8 — Recent papers: read two or three recent articles and inspect scope, affiliations, references and DOI links.
- Minute 9 — Policies: check corrections, retractions, authorship, conflicts, licensing and archiving.
- Minute 10 — Invitation: if you were recruited by email, compare the sender domain and claims with the official site.
Five questions to answer before you click “Submit”
- Can I independently confirm the journal's identity?
- Can I independently confirm the indexing or metric claims that matter to me?
- Do I understand exactly what I may have to pay and when?
- Does the peer-review and editorial information look credible for my field?
- Would I be comfortable showing this journal's website and policies to my co-authors, supervisor or librarian?
If something does not match
Do not rush to label the journal. First identify the specific conflict: wrong ISSN, different domain, old indexing coverage, unverifiable editor, hidden fee or misleading metric. Ask for clarification and retain screenshots or correspondence. If the answer cannot be independently confirmed, choose another venue.
For a deeper review, use the journal checker or the full journal evaluation checklist.
Independent sources used in this guide
- Think. Check. Submit. — practical journal and publisher due-diligence checklist
- Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing — joint transparency principles used by DOAJ, COPE, OASPA and WAME
Database coverage and publisher practices can change. Check the official source directly before making a submission, promotion, funding, or assessment decision.