An important component of academic research is discoverability, and a manuscript’s ability to be discoverable lies mostly with being indexed. Without it, even research that would contribute significantly to a given field may be nearly impossible to find. Additionally, an indexed publication indicates it is of higher scientific quality compared to a non-indexed publication. In this regard, indexing is as imperative to an author as it is to the publisher.
Regardless of your author status, whether that be a forthcoming author, active researcher, or established Editor-in-Chief, it is essential to know how your content is being perceived by prestigious indices as this is crucial for any publication’s success. For a publication to gain the reputation as an authoritative and trustworthy resource, editors and authors must be vigilant in seeking to boost their publication’s visibility.
Through the process of being indexed by reputable lists, your publication can gain a broader readership. In turn, more prominent indices will continue to add your publication to their lists, and researchers will continue to be able to find and utilize your work, thus distinguishing you and your work as being of the highest quality. This will further aid in your research reaching larger audiences and being widely cited and shared.
There are many indexing options available for a journal to pursue, each with different requirements and benefits. Using both scholarly databases and free general search engines for optimal discoverability and being mindful of the scope and requirements, its best to choose several indices in which you want a journal to appear. The more a journal is indexed, the better the visibility will be, along with the reputation of the journal itself and its contributors.
It is considered highly beneficial to authors and publishers alike to be indexed with search engine indexing, such as Google Scholar. With researchers using internet search engines to conduct their research, it increases the likelihood of an indexed article being found on top of affirming to authors that their research will be easily available and freely accessible. Additionally, any journal can be added to a search engine index and will not be subjected to rigorous requirements like publication history or citation count. Such indices are a great starting point to consider.
General search engines, such as Google, search for content online, which means you want to make it easy for their computer programs (known as “crawlers”) to find yours. Utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, you also improve the likelihood of your content appearing higher in the search results.
Here are a few tips to get you started with search engine indexing:
There are also scholarly search engine indices, like Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic. While the above steps will be helpful for being indexed in these indices, there are additional requirements as well. As they do not index all content, it is imperative to follow the necessary steps and meet the specified requirements.
When it comes to academic databases, some of the most prominent indices are:
Not surprisingly, the most prestigious indices are highly selective, which can make the process take much longer than expected. Publishers are usually highly dedicated to getting their publication(s) indexed and will continuously submit their respective publications to relevant indices. A publisher’s focus is often on helping authors and editors develop quality content to ensure the work is submitted for consideration and has a higher chance of being accepted.
As provided by our partnering publisher, IGI Global, below are some key guidelines to follow:
To build your esteem as a researcher, and the citation impact of your work, utilize eContent Pro’s Journal Finder service. In doing so, you will be given a number of indexed journals related to your research to which you can submit your work and increase your likeliness of being indexed.
As noted above, there are so many indexing possibilities out there to pursue. We’ve compiled a list of some of the top indexing and abstracting services in scholarly publishing for you to provide a further understanding of their importance. Continue to research these indices and aim to be included in them to increase your research’s visibility in your field:
If you’re concerned about your research’s ability to become indexed, utilize eContent Pro's scientific and scholarly editing to give you piece of mind. With this service, a PhD-level reviewer in your field will comb through your work and determine its impact, relevance, and significance to your field; note its major strength and weaknesses; and provide insight into improving your manuscript for a higher rate of acceptance and,
ultimately, indexing.
To assist in polishing your work and ensuring the highest quality, an integral and highly recommended task to ensure your work meets indexing standards is to have it copy edited and proofread. This will increase your chances of acceptance into a publication and ensure your research can be highly cited as a quality piece of work.
At the end of the day, you want to be indexed. Your research is important to you and the community at large, and you worked hard on your manuscript. Once a publication is indexed, its readership and accessibility increase tenfold, allowing your research to gain more views and citations. You want to reach this goal, and to get there, you need to make sure your work adheres to these strict guidelines. By following the guidelines and understanding the information provided here, you will increase your likelihood of seeing your work indexed and ultimately reach your goal of being a widely cited scholar and contributing greatly to your given field.
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Make sure your manuscript is ready to be indexed by utilizing any of eContent Pro’s quality-assuring services to aid in polishing your work and ensuring you’re on track to acceptance. Get started today by uploading your document or contacting customerservice@econtentpro.com directly.
About eContent Pro: eContent Pro is a U.S.-based professional editorial and publishing services provider for authors, publishing houses, libraries, organizations, university presses, and societies. Offering professional copy editing, translation, scientific and scholarly editing, journal recommendation, typesetting, figure, chart, table, and equation conversions, as well as other production services, we have provided the highest quality editorial services and content advisement to scholarly outlets and individuals around the world. To learn more about eContent Pro, visit the website here or email customerservice@econtentpro.com.
