Right, I don't know why, but I feel like drawing some comparisons with dating here, a bit cheesy, so, apologies. I have this feeling about publishing an article for the first time - it's like the first kiss or first love... anyway, you get the picture - one wants to make it right.  So, imagine, there is someone really attractive you fancy with a bitter sweet feeling inside that they are too much for you and mean trouble, but you cannot resist their looks and fall for them with all corresponding consequences - either upfront or eventual rejection, hurt feelings, damaged self-esteem, etc. Similarly, there is this journal I sort of fancy for the first time publication with an impact factor over 2 and something...and it's like with that good looking someone...I have a feeling of trouble...should I still dare?

:$

======= Date Modified 29 Sep 2011 08:41:28 =======
Hi Rina,


Hehehe Nice analogy. In short, yes. ;) Firstly assuming you keep an open mind and heart, it never hurts to submit to the highest ranking journal (most good looking journal out there :-x). Perhaps the most important thing you can ensure before choosing a suitable journal is for the scope of the paper to match well with the journal scope otherwise there are good chances that no one will even get to review it (Editorial rejection) though I have seen exceptions where some Journals still always get reviewers to review every article that they get (however badly written the article turns out to be) . Once it is past this stage, either your proposal (I mean paper. . . :-) ) will either get accepted (typically with major revision and rarely with minor rev) or else you will at least get experience (in other words detailed comments on how to make the paper a lot stronger and for re-submission in the same or another journal). If you think positively about this, all of these are actually win-win situations.

In my personal experience, my first rejection was the most important one because (while disheartening at first), its reviews essentially allowed me to understand what was really expected from a research paper from the reviewers' point of view. Afterwards, I had luck with a number of papers in a row. :p

Cheers

i totally want to go on a date with a copy of the global media journal :P

Cheers all, thank you for encouragement (up) Dating game - here I go... Will keep you posted ;-)