Publish with Elsevier

1. Find a journal

Find out the journals that could be best suited for publishing your research. For a comprehensive list of Elsevier journals check our Journal Catalogue. You can also match your manuscript using the JournalFinder tool, then learn more about each journal.

Top tips

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  Read the journal's aims and scope to make sure it is a match

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  Check whether you can submit — some journals are invitation only

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  Use journal metrics to understand the impact of a journal

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  If available, check the journal at Journal Insights(opens in new tab/window) for additional info about impact, speed and reach

2. Prepare your paper for submission

Download our get published quick guide(opens in new tab/window), which outlines the essential steps in preparing a paper. (This is also available in Chinese(opens in new tab/window)). It is very important that you stick to the specific "guide for authors" of the journal to which you are submitting. This can be found on the journal's home page.

You can find information about the publishing process in the understanding the publishing process(opens in new tab/window) guide. It covers topics such as authors' rights, ethics and plagiarism, and journal and article metrics.

If you have research data to share, make sure you read the guide for authors to find out which options the journal offers to share research data with your article.

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  Read about publishing in a special issue

Top tips

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  Use an external editing service, such as Elsevier’s Author Services(opens in new tab/window) if you need assistance with language

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  Free e-learning modules on preparing your manuscript can be found on Researcher Academy(opens in new tab/window)

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  Mendeley(opens in new tab/window) makes your life easier by helping you organize your papers, citations and references, accessing them in the cloud on any device, wherever you are

3. Submit and revise

You can submit to most Elsevier journals using our online systems.  The system you use will depend on the journal to which you submit. You can access the relevant submission system via the "submit your paper" link on the Elsevier.com journal homepage of your chosen journal.

Alternatively, if you have been invited to submit to a journal, follow the instructions provided to you. Once submitted, your paper will be considered by the editor and if it passes initial screening, it will be sent for peer review by experts in your field. If deemed unsuitable for publication in your chosen journal, the editor may suggest you transfer your submission to a more suitable journal, via an article transfer service.

Top tips

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  Check the open access options on the journal's homepage

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  Consider the options for sharing your research data

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  Be accurate and clear when checking your proofs

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  Inform yourself about copyright and licensing

4. Track your paper

Track your submitted paper

You can track the status of your submitted paper online. The system you use to track your submission will be the same system to which you submitted. Use the reference number you received after submission to track your submission. Unsure about what the submission status means? Check out this video(opens in new tab/window).

In case of any problems, contact the Support Center(opens in new tab/window).

Track your accepted paper

Once your paper is accepted for publication, you will receive a reference number and a direct link that lets you follow its publication status via Elsevier’s "Track Your Accepted Article" service.

Even without a notification you can track the status of your article by entering your article reference number and corresponding author surname in Track your accepted article(opens in new tab/window).

5. Share and promote

Now that your article is published, you can promote it to achieve a bigger impact for your research. Sharing research, accomplishments and ambitions with a wider audience makes you more visible in your field. This helps you get cited more, enabling you to cultivate a stronger reputation, promote your research and move forward in your career.

After publication, celebrate and get noticed(opens in new tab/window)!