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Promotion and Tenure - LIbrary Tools Guide

Library resources to help in promotion and tenure preparation

Where do I publish?

Where do I publish my research?

Locating a journal to publish your research can be a challenge.  Here are some suggested resources to get you started.  NOTE:  always check with your college or department in case there are specific journals you are required to submit your research.

UM-Authors No Cost Publishing

  • Cambridge Read and Publish -  Faculty from all three UM campuses can publish for free through Cambridge University Press. See the BTAA Read and Publish agreement. 
  • Public Library of Science (PLOS) - Biology  and  Public Library of Science (PLOS) -  Medicine - Publishing fees are waived for these PLOS resources.  See the Publish link for submission information and other publishing information.
  • OER (Open Education Resources) The University of Michigan - Dearborn offers OER (Open Education Resources) grants for faculty who wish to create and publish works for their courses.  Additional information can be found here.
  • List of additional publishers are found here

Find a Journal in your research area

Is the journal indexed in a reputable subject database?  Examples:

Search Find Database by Subject section on the library's web page.  Start with the Recommended Database featured in each category.  Most databases have a section with their journal titles and other sources that are indexed or published in the database.   

If you have the name of a journal, try the publisher's website.

Contact your subject librarian for questions about how to locate information on a journal.


Directories

Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory - Directory of current and ceased serial publications in print and e-journals..  Look for the refereed symbol   and the Abstract/Index section in the journal record. Ulrich's doesn't rank journals, but provides information about them.

Elsevier Journal Finder - Type in the title of your paper, parts of  the abstract, choose a subject area.  Journal title suggestions will appear if your information matches.

Directory of  Open Access Publishers - Free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals. More than 6,250 journals are included in the directory with nearly 3,000 journals searchable at article level. DOAJ aims to cover all subjects and languages.

Found your journal?   

Check the "Aims & Scope" and "Editorial Board" sections of the journal.  This can help you determine if your research matches the scope of the journal.

 

Where can I publish my book

Book publishing 

Finding the right book publisher can be challenging!  Here are a few suggested tools:
  • Directory of Open Access Books - "indexes and provides access to scholarly, peer-reviewed open access books and helps users to find trusted open access book publishers. All DOAB services are free of charge and all data is freely available" (website March 2021).
  • OAPEN OA Books Toolkit - "This toolkit aims to help book authors better understand open access publishing and increase trust in open access books" (website, March 2021).
  • AskUP - Commons site on university-press related topics.
  • Understanding and Negotiating Book Publishing Contracts  by The Authors Alliance.   Detailed guide on book negotiation and understanding book contracts.

Questions to ask before submitting your work

  • Is the publisher well known?  What are the experiences of peers with this publisher?
  • Can the intended readership be reached with this publisher? Does the topic of your book fit into the publisher's profile?
  • Does the publisher clearly specify how the quality control of your manuscript would be managed (e.g. peer review, editorial support)?
  • Review the instructions for prospective authors
  • What are the distribution channels?  Are there promotional or marketing plans?
  • How many copies will be printed initially?  Will there be hardback, paperback, e-book versions?
  • What is the copyright situation for the author?
  • Can you easily contact the publisher (e.g. e-mail, website, phone, mail)?
  • Did the publisher contact you?  Quality publishers are unlikely to approach you, so beware of broadcast emails that offer publishing opportunities

(Thanks to Scholarly Communications: Book Publishing Researcher Guide and Publishing Academic Research) 

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