Understanding Journal Rejection Reasons: Identifying Poor Quality vs. Irrelevant to Scope

In the academic publishing world, the rejections from journals can be frustrating and confusing. It’s not uncommon to wonder whether your paper was rejected due to poor quality or if it simply didn’t align with the journal’s scope. Here’s a guide to help you distinguish between these two reasons.

Lack of Clear Communication from the Journal

Sometimes, you might wonder, why aren’t you getting a clear answer from the journal? As a seasoned researcher, you should expect that the editor won’t explicitly state that your manuscript is out of scope, but you should also be prepared for a rejection due to poor quality. If the response from the journal doesn’t explicitly mention that the manuscript is out of scope, the safest assumption is that the rejection is due to poor quality. This is where the role of a supervisor or a trusted colleague becomes crucial. Instead of asking for a generic opinion, direct them to specific aspects of your manuscript that pertain to the emphasis or analysis.

Scrutinizing the Editor’s Letter and Reviewers' Reports

For more clarity, examine the editor’s letter and reviewers’ reports. If the rejection was at the editor level, you should receive a letter detailing the reasons for rejection. If the letter doesn’t explicitly state that the manuscript is out of scope, then the rejection is likely due to poor quality. If the manuscript has proceeded to the review stage, the reviews may provide more insights. If the reviews mention that the manuscript wasn't considered up to the journal's standard of novelty, interest, or timeliness, this is a strong indicator that quality is the issue rather than scope. The rejection for being out of scope is typically a ‘desk rejection’ and is usually delivered very soon after submission. In such cases, the journal won’t usually send reviewer reports. Conversely, if the manuscript has gone through the review process, the reasons for rejection will likely be related to quality, interest, or novelty instead of scope, unless the reviewers explicitly discuss scope issues.

Comparing with Other Published Papers in the Journal

In some rare cases, you might still be uncertain if the rejection is due to scope or quality. One way to determine if your manuscript is within scope is to compare its subject, methodology, and style with other papers published by the same journal. Upon careful analysis, it should become evident whether your manuscript aligns well, is marginally acceptable, or is indeed out of scope. For instance, if the papers in a given journal are primarily focused on a specific area, using contrasting methods or adopting a different style, it might indicate that your paper is out of scope. The alignment with the published works will provide further clarity.

Conclusion

Navigating the complexities of academic publishing requires a thorough understanding of rejection reasons. By evaluating the responses from journals, reviewing the editor’s letters, and analyzing the reviews, you can better determine whether the rejection is due to poor quality or if it is simply irrelevant to the journal’s scope. With this knowledge, you can make informed decisions about revising and resubmitting your paper to more suitable venues.

Keywords

journal rejection, scope, quality