Many scientists face difficulties in publishing scientific articles in the global databases Scopus and Web of Science. High-quality original research is only halfway to successful publication. The stage of evaluation by editors, peer review and direct publication of the scientific work is ahead of you. For the successful placement of the article requires in-depth knowledge of all the nuances of the publication process. Today we will raise an urgent question: is it possible to publish a scientific paper independently or is it better to seek help from a scientific consulting company?
Self-publishing: pros and cons
Self-publishing an article requires careful preparation and compliance with the established rules and recommendations of the journal. Self-publishing has advantages, but it also has many pitfalls.
How to publish a scientific article independently?
Publishing a research paper is a difficult process that requires careful preparation and attention to detail. If you have decided to publish your research without assistance, we suggest you read a brief guide that will help you through the difficult path to successful publication:
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Conduct original research and write a quality article. Remember, only unique papers have a chance to be published in a prestigious scientific journal.
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Choose a journal that is suitable for your research work. When searching for a journal, consider criteria such as specialization, scientific metrics, and reputation.
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Proofread and edit the article according to the journal's requirements to minimize the chance of rejection.
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Translate the article into academic English. This is a mandatory requirement of international journals and should not be ignored to avoid being rejected for publication.
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Send your paper to the journal's editorial office and be prepared to make revisions if necessary.
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If your paper is accepted, the journal editorial board will notify you with a positive response. In case of rejection, you can always try to send your work to another publication.
Benefits of self-publishing
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Cost savings: when self-publishing, you only pay a publication fee depending on the type of business model of the publication. But it should be taken into account that this saving is insignificant, especially if the article is published in co-authorship
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full control over the processes from writing an article to its indexing in the database. By publishing your work yourself, you retain full control over the content of the article and its design. This allows you to present your ideas exactly the way you want them to be presented
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The achievement of getting your article published in a reputable journal is entirely yours. Successfully overcoming all the difficult stages of self-publishing can be a significant source of pride.
Challenges of self-publishing
We have highlighted the main difficulties faced by scholars:
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Choosing a research topic: scientists may face a situation where they cannot properly assess the potential of the chosen topic. A topic that is not sufficiently relevant to the international scientific community risks being ignored by the journal's editorial board
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publication deadlines: self-publishing can be time-consuming, as the author will have to deal with all stages of the process on his/her own: getting acquainted with the publication's requirements, editing the text, performing academic translation, and solving a number of other organizational issues. This will require additional time to prepare and coordinate each aspect, hence the publication timeline may be delayed
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structure of the scientific article: non-compliance with the IMRAD international reference structure may lead to rejection of the article by reviewers at the initial stage.
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editing and design of the paper: materials should be prepared strictly in accordance with the requirements of the edition in which publication is planned. Any errors at this stage can significantly prolong the terms of publication of the article, in the worst case - lead to its rejection
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Academic translation and proofreading: Scopus and Web of Science mainly publish their materials in English, so it is necessary to perform a perfect translation of specialized terminology. Without it, there is a high risk that the paper will be rejected even before the review stage
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plagiarism: when self-publishing, you should be careful about the design of citations and literature review. Incorrect citation can be equated with plagiarism, which is unacceptable for authoritative publications.
Which to choose: self-publishing or using a scientific consulting company?
The choice between self-publishing and using a scientific consulting company depends on your goals, level of preparation and budget. If you have a lot of experience in writing scientific articles and are confident in your abilities, self-publishing may be a good solution. However, if you are just starting your research journey and are inexperienced in preparing and publishing a research paper, the help of specialists may be more appropriate.
Collaborating with a consulting company can significantly reduce the time it takes to prepare and format a paper, thanks to the expertise of specialists and access to professional resources and tools.
The services of a research consulting company include:
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publication fee
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all types of editorial work
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academic translation and proofreading
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work of different specialists: journal managers, analysts, reviewers, etc.
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support of a personal manager until the article is indexed.
If you need professional assistance with the publication of your article in an international rating journal included in Scopus or Web of Science, we will be glad to cooperate with you. We have more than 8 years of experience in working with international databases and during this time we have closed thousands of successful projects. When publishing with us you don't waste time on technical processes and organizational issues - we do it all. You can find out more about us and our offers in the section "Services".
