Conducting research and producing scholarly work are major milestones in an academic career. At the same time, disseminating this work through appropriate journals and conferences is just as important as the research itself. In this article, we outline ten key steps to help you identify the most suitable outlet for your research paper.
What do we mean by a “publication outlet”?
By a publication outlet, we refer to scholarly journals, conferences (including proceedings), workshops, special issues, and, in some disciplines, preprint servers. These outlets differ in terms of their target audiences, quality standards, visibility, and typical types of contributions. In Information Systems, journals and conferences tend to play the most central role, whereas workshops and preprints often serve as intermediate stages for developing and discussing ongoing research.
Overview: outlet selection as an ongoing process
Selecting an appropriate outlet is not a single, one‑off decision but an iterative process. Typically, you move through several stages: clarifying your target audience, identifying thematically suitable outlets, evaluating quality criteria and boundary conditions, and then making a well‑reasoned decision. The ten steps below structure this process and can serve as a practical checklist for designing your publication strategy.
Step 1: Identify your target audience
Before you start looking for a publication venue, you should clearly define your intended audience. Who are the scholars and practitioners who are most likely to be interested in your work? A clear sense of your audience will help you identify the venues where your contribution is most likely to have an impact.
Closely related to this is the choice of outlet type: Some papers are better suited for journals (for example, theory papers or extensive empirical studies), while others are a better fit for conferences or workshops (for example, early‑stage results or work aimed at community feedback). At an early stage, consider whether you primarily want to address the Information Systems community or a neighboring field such as computer science, management, or the social sciences.
Step 2: Literature research
A thorough Literature Review is essential for understanding where related work has been published. As you review the literature, keep track of journals, conferences, and special issues that frequently appear in your references; these outlets have already accepted work in your area and are often promising candidates. Use the core databases and digital libraries of your field (for example, AIS eLibrary, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, or discipline‑specific publishers) to compile an initial portfolio of potential outlets.
Step 3: Consider the impact factor
A journal’s impact factor is a widely used, but by no means sufficient, indicator of its visibility in the scholarly community. Treat it as one criterion among several, alongside thematic fit, audience, perceived reputation in your community, and typical acceptance rates. In business and information systems, additional indicators such as community‑based rankings, indexation in major databases, and conference ratings play an important role and should likewise inform your decision.
Detailed information can be found in the article Ranking and Impact in Information Systems.
Step 4: Study submission guidelines
Each journal or conference has specific submission guidelines concerning length, structure, formatting, and types of contributions (for example, full papers, research‑in‑progress papers, or practice‑oriented pieces). Make sure you read these guidelines carefully and align your manuscript with them early on to avoid unnecessary desk rejections due to formal issues. Pay particular attention to whether your intended contribution type and methodological approach are explicitly in scope or explicitly excluded.
Step 5: Understand the peer review process
Try to understand the peer‑review process at your target outlet as clearly as possible. Find out whether the review process is single‑blind, double‑blind, or open, how common desk rejections are, and how many rounds of revision are typically required. This information will help you manage your expectations, build realistic timelines, and better interpret the nature and quality of the feedback you receive.
Step 6: Check costs and fees
Another important aspect concerns the costs and fees associated with publication. Distinguish between article processing charges (APCs) for open‑access publishing, potential page charges or fees for color figures, and any submission fees. Clarify early on whether your institution provides publication funds or participates in transformative agreements with specific publishers that can fully or partially cover these costs.
Step 7: Reputation of the publisher/conference organizer
The reputation of the publisher or conference organizer strongly influences how your work will be perceived. Consider whether the outlet is recognized as reputable and well established in your community, whether it is indexed in the relevant databases, and whether the editorial team and program committee include respected experts. At the same time, watch out for predatory journals and conferences, which may be signaled by aggressive unsolicited emails, unrealistically short review times, or opaque fee structures.
Step 8: Open access vs. traditional publication
Decide whether you prefer to publish your work open access or under a traditional subscription model. Open access can increase both the accessibility and citation frequency of your work, but it is often tied to APCs, whereas subscription‑based models are financed via libraries and may restrict access for some readers. Check whether your target outlets offer hybrid options and whether your institution has specific open‑access mandates or funding mechanisms. Each model comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, which you should weigh against your goals and constraints.
Step 9: Create a schedule
Develop a realistic timeline for the entire publication process—from the first complete manuscript through submission and review to final publication. Conferences usually have fixed submission deadlines and faster decision cycles, while journals often rely on longer, multi‑stage review processes with several rounds of revision. A possible workflow might be: compile a shortlist of outlets → assess fit (scope, audience, type of contribution) → check formal requirements → weigh risks (for example, very long review times) → make a decision.
Step 10: Consider alternative publication options
If your manuscript is not accepted on the first attempt, do not be discouraged. There are many alternative routes to publication, including preprint servers and smaller conferences, which can still help you share your work with a broader audience and receive valuable feedback.
Choosing the right outlet for your research paper is a pivotal step in building your academic profile. With careful planning and by following these ten steps, you can increase the chances that your work will receive the attention it deserves. Although this process requires time and perseverance, selecting an appropriate outlet will pay off in the long run by enhancing the visibility and impact of your research within the scholarly community.
Coordination with supervisors and co‑authors
You should not make outlet decisions in isolation. Discuss potential venues, their pros and cons, and their alignment with your career plans (for example, doctoral requirements, tenure‑track expectations, or broader profile building) at an early stage with your supervisor and co‑authors. A joint, well‑argued decision reduces the risk of later conflicts and helps ensure that all contributors are committed to the same publication trajectory.