Aims and Scope
A journal’s aim is the objective or purpose of what the journal is trying to accomplish.
The scope is how the journal will accomplish this.
The aims and scope statement includes:
- A brief introduction to the journal
- An outline of the subjects covered
- The type of articles published (and what it doesn’t publish)
- Its peer-review policy
- Information about Open Access (OA) publishing options
How to use the aims and scope to see if a journal is the right place for your research
Once you have read the journal’s aims and scope, consider the following points:
- Is your research relevant to the journal’s audience?
Consider whether the language is too technical for a journal that has a large, general readership, or if your research is too country-specific for a journal with a global audience. Are the journal’s readers experts in several subjects, or more specialized in one? - Is your manuscript type appropriate for the journal?
For example, the journal may not accept editorials, or clinical studies. - Is your work too similar to other articles in the journal?
Your manuscript needs to be a good fit, but the journal may not accept your article if there are too many similarities with existing articles. This does not apply across the board, for example F1000Research publishes without editorial bias, welcoming original articles regardless of novelty.
It’s important to reference the aims and scope in your cover letter, to show the editor that you have taken the time to fully consider how your paper is a good fit for the journal, and how it will help to achieve the purpose of the journal.
