Media University of Babylon | Scientific Seminar at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, on Choosing the Right Journal for Publication

Media University of Babylon - Faculty of Medicine

Scientific Seminar at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, on Choosing the Right Journal for Publication

By : Zaynab Kadhim Ameen Awadh

Date : 20/11/2025 53:40:10 AM

Scientific Seminar at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, on Choosing the Right Journal for Publication
As part of the activities of the Continuing Education Unit at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, and under the slogan “Towards a Published Scientific Research,” a scientific seminar titled “How to Choose the Right Journal for Your Research” was held. The seminar was a practical workshop that addressed strategies for selecting suitable journals and the mechanisms of scientific publishing.
Assistant Lecturer Murtadha Khalil delivered an informative presentation on the classification of scientific journals, providing a detailed explanation of the criteria for assessing their credibility — such as indexing in global databases (Scopus, Web of Science), identifying the type of access (open or closed), and verifying whether a journal is predatory or fake using reliable resources such as Beall’s List or the DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals). He also discussed journal impact metrics like the Impact Factor and CiteScore, clarifying the differences between them and how these indicators reflect journal quality.
Following that, Dr. Laith Jasim Mohammed delivered a detailed lecture and a hands-on session on the precise steps to select an appropriate scientific journal. He explained the essential factors that researchers must consider before submission — including the specific field of specialization, types of articles accepted, editorial policy, and publication requirements. He emphasized the importance of aligning the aims and scope of the journal with the content of the research to increase the likelihood of acceptance and avoid rejection.
The lecture also covered the key files required during submission, such as the Conflict of Interest statement that ensures transparency between researchers and funding entities, the Cover Letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief highlighting the significance and contribution of the study, and the Manuscript prepared according to the journal’s submission guidelines.
Dr. Laith also focused on the main reasons for manuscript rejection by peer-reviewed journals, noting that rejection is not always due to poor results. It can stem from methodological flaws, mismatch with the journal’s scope, weak academic writing, lack of originality, or poorly developed introductions and discussions. He stressed that many rejection cases can be avoided through careful pre-submission review and strict adherence to each journal’s publication instructions.
The seminar concluded with a practical demonstration of selecting an appropriate journal for an actual research paper. Participants applied each step — from identifying keywords and searching for journals on publishing platforms to choosing the most suitable journal based on relevance and credibility. The session also discussed professional communication with editors and responding to reviewers’ comments in a way that enhances the chances of publication acceptance