How can we publish a research paper in a journal for free?

By Felicito Angeles Jabutay

First, we have to identify the right impactful journal for our paper. There are many lists of journals, but we have to choose the good ones. Scopus indexed journals (https://www.scimagojr.com/journalrank.php) and ASEAN Citation indexed journals (https://asean-cites.org/list_of_journal.html) are examples of appropriate journals. Publishing there is typically for free. Avoid journals that are listed in Beall’s list (https://beallslist.net/) as they are mostly predatory with expensive publishing fees.

Once we have chosen the journal that matches the contents of our paper, we can register to their website and follow the instructions of submission.

Tips on writing a manuscript (I follow basic rules)
• The paper needs to present an issue that is current, significant, and relevant.
• It should be clearly written, easy to follow, and appropriate for the intended audience.

Tips on submitting the manuscript
• Ask colleagues or more experienced researchers to review your manuscript.
They can help check our paper for grammar, spelling errors, typos, clarity, and conciseness. They can also give suggestions regarding the content. Research papers need to present an issue that is significant and relevant.
• Revise your paper based on your colleagues or more experienced researchers’ recommendations.

It is likely that we will go through several drafts before the final submission of our research paper. Therefore, give special attention to the paper’s clarity and easiness to follow. This will significantly increase our paper’s chances of being published.
• Prepare the manuscript according to the chosen journal’s requirements.
We can format our research paper to fit the guidelines for that publication. For example, most journals provide a document called “Instruction to Authors” or “Author’s Guide” that offers specific instructions about layout, type font, and length. This guide will also tell us how to submit our paper and provide details of the review process.
• Submit the manuscript when you feel it’s ready to go. We can go to the Author’s Guide (or similar) on the journal’s website to review its submission requirements. Once we are satisfied that our paper meets all of the guidelines, submit the paper through the appropriate channels.

Tips on handling reviewer’s suggestions
• Don’t be stressed out when you get the journal’s initial response
Very few article submissions get an immediate “Accept” reply from a peer-reviewed journal. We will likely receive one of the following:
o Accept with Revision — only minor adjustments are needed, based on the provided feedback by the reviewers.
o Revise and Resubmit — more substantial changes (as described) are needed before publication can be considered, but the journal is still very interested in your work.
o Reject and Resubmit — the article is not currently viable for consideration, but substantial alterations and refocusing may be able to change this outcome.
o Reject — the paper isn’t and won’t be suitable for this publication, but thatdoesn’t mean it might not work for another journal.

*** When we receive “reject,” the reviewers may explain why. Go through your manuscript again, improve it, and try to submit it to other journals. (I have a paper that was denied publication by a Scopus-indexed Q3 journal because I disagreed with the reviewers with their suggestion to elaborate the sample selections. After several revisions, I withdrew the paper and submitted it to a Q1 journal. It is now considered for publication).

• Consider reviewers’ comments as constructive criticism
Typically, we will be asked to revise our paper and resubmit it, based on the comments provided by several (often two) anonymous reviewers and the editor. Study their feedback carefully and make the necessary changes.

*** However, if we cannot agree with reviewers’ comments that we feel are off the mark, open a dialogue with the editor and explain our position respectfully but confidently. If we cannot still agree on the solution to the issues raised, we can
respectfully withdraw our paper and follow the next tip below.
• Keep trying to get your paper published
o Use the previous reviewers’ and editor’s feedback to improve our paper and increase the likelihood that it will be accepted in other journals.
o Remember, a rejected paper doesn’t necessarily equal a bad paper. Numerous factors, many of them completely out of our control, go into determining which articles are accepted.

Tips on strengthening your submission
• Familiarize with potential publications.
• Be aware of the published research and the current research questions.
• Search online for published research papers, conference papers, and journal articles.
• Ask a colleague or more experienced researchers for a suggested reading list.

Tips on writing the abstract
• The abstract is the first impression the reviewers will get of our work, so we need to make it matter. Ensure that there are no typos or unnecessary elements. We only have around 300 words for the abstract. We have to be precise in our claims and original in our approach but were have to keep it simple.
• The abstract should make people enthusiastic about reading the article but never dissatisfied when they finish it.
• Get as many people to read the abstract and provide feedback before submitting the paper to a journal.