Learn how to start an academic journal, from defining its scope and building an editorial team to managing peer review, publishing, indexing, and archiving.
TL;DR
- Starting an academic journal requires a clear purpose, audience, and publishing scope.
- A strong editorial team and clear policies help maintain publishing quality.
- A structured workflow is essential for managing submissions, peer review, and publications.
- Journal management software can simplify editorial operations.
- Long-term success depends on consistency, discoverability, and proper journal management.
Starting an academic journal involves more than collecting research papers and making them available online.
A successful journal needs a clear purpose, defined subject area, reliable editorial processes, and a system for maintaining publishing standards over time.
Before launching a journal, publishers need to make important decisions about the journal’s scope, target audience, editorial structure, peer review process, publishing policies, and how manuscripts will move from submission to publication.
Alkademy Press is a journal publishing platform that helps publishers manage the complete journal workflow, including manuscript submissions, peer review, editorial processes, publications, and journal records.
By providing structured tools for managing these activities, Alkademy Press helps publishers create a more organised and efficient approach to running academic journals.
Table of Contents
How to Start an Academic Journal
Define the Journal’s Purpose and Scope
The first step in starting an academic journal is deciding what the journal will focus on and who it will serve.
A clear scope helps attract the right authors, reviewers, and readers while giving the journal a distinct identity.
Consider the following:
- Identify the academic field or research area the journal will cover.
- Define the topics and types of research the journal will publish.
- Understand who the target readers and contributors are.
- Decide whether the journal will focus on a specific discipline or cover multiple fields.
- Review existing journals to identify gaps or opportunities.
A strong aims and scope statement should clearly explain what the journal publishes, who it is intended for, and what types of submissions fall outside its focus.
Choose a Name for the Journal
A journal name plays an important role in how researchers discover and recognise the publication.
It should be clear, relevant, and easy to distinguish from existing journals.
When choosing a name:
- Select a name that reflects the journal’s subject area.
- Check that the name is not already being used by another publication.
- Consider how the name will appear in academic databases and citations.
- Choose a name that can support the journal’s long-term growth.
A well-chosen name helps establish the journal’s identity and makes it easier for authors and readers to find it.
Build an Editorial Team
A strong editorial team provides the expertise and oversight needed to maintain the quality of a journal.
Each role should have clear responsibilities to ensure manuscripts are reviewed and managed properly.
Key roles include:
- Editor-in-Chief: Provides overall direction and makes final editorial decisions.
- Managing Editor: Oversees daily operations and coordinates workflows.
- Associate Editors: Manage submissions within specific subject areas.
- Editorial Board Members: Provide academic guidance and support the journal’s reputation.
- Peer Reviewers: Evaluate submitted manuscripts and provide feedback.
- Production Support Staff: Assist with editing, formatting, and publication processes.
When building an editorial team, select individuals with relevant expertise and clearly define their responsibilities from the beginning.
Create Editorial Policies
Editorial policies provide the foundation for fair, transparent, and consistent publishing practices.
They help authors, reviewers, and editors understand how the journal operates.
Important policies include:
- Peer review process
- Publication ethics
- Plagiarism policy
- Authorship guidelines
- Conflicts of interest
- Corrections and retractions
- Copyright and licensing
Clear policies also help journals build trust with researchers by showing their commitment to responsible academic publishing.
Decide What Types of Articles to Publish
Before accepting submissions, decide which types of content the journal will publish.
This gives authors a clearer idea of what to submit and helps editors apply consistent standards during the review process.
Common article types include:
- Original research articles: Present findings from new research.
- Review articles: Examine and synthesise existing research on a specific topic.
- Case studies: Explore a particular case, practice, event, or research application.
- Short communications: Share focused research findings or early results in a shorter format.
- Editorials: Provide commentary or context on research, issues, or developments relevant to the journal.
- Special issues: Bring together articles focused on a particular theme or research area.
Each article type should have clear submission and formatting requirements so authors know what is expected.
Set Up the Submission and Peer Review Workflow
Once you know what the journal will publish, establish how manuscripts will move from submission to publication.
A defined workflow helps editors track each paper and ensures that authors and reviewers know what happens at each stage.
A typical workflow includes:
- Manuscript submission
- Editorial screening
- Reviewer assignment
- Peer review
- Editorial decision
- Author revisions
- Final acceptance
- Copyediting and production
- Publication
- Archiving
The workflow may vary depending on the journal’s subject, review model, and publishing process, but each stage should have a clear purpose and responsible person.
Create Author Guidelines
Author guidelines should give contributors the information they need before submitting a manuscript. They can include:
- Manuscript formatting requirements
- Referencing style
- Figures and tables requirements
- Ethical declarations
- Submission instructions
- Required supporting documents
Clear guidelines reduce avoidable back-and-forth and help editors assess submissions more efficiently.
Choose Academic Journal Management Software
As submission volumes increase, managing manuscripts, reviewers, and editorial decisions through email and spreadsheets can become difficult.
Journal management software provides a more structured way to handle these activities.
A suitable platform can help organise:
- Manuscript submissions
- Peer review
- Reviewer communication
- Editorial decisions
- Publications
- Journal records
- Article metadata
For a new journal, it is useful to choose software that can support the workflow from submission through publication rather than solving only one part of the process.
Set Up the Journal Website
The journal website is where authors, reviewers, and readers can find information about the publication and access its content.
Keep the structure simple and make important information easy to find.
Essential pages include:
- About the Journal
- Aims and Scope
- Editorial Board
- Author Guidelines
- Submission Guidelines
- Peer Review Policy
- Publication Ethics
- Current Issues
- Archives
- Contact Information
The website should also make published articles easy to access and provide consistent information about the journal, its policies, and its publishing practices.
Get an ISSN and Set Up Journal Identifiers
Before publishing, make sure the journal has the identifiers and metadata needed to distinguish and reference its content properly.
Key elements include:
- ISSN: Identifies the journal as a continuing publication.
- DOIs: Provide persistent links to individual published articles.
- Article metadata: Includes information such as titles, authors, abstracts, keywords, and publication dates.
- Persistent identifiers: Help keep journal content identifiable and accessible over time.
These elements make it easier for researchers, libraries, databases, and indexing services to identify and reference the journal and its articles.
Decide How the Journal Will Be Published
Choose a publishing schedule that your editorial and production team can maintain consistently.
The right frequency depends on the expected number of submissions and the resources available.
Common options include:
- Continuous publishing
- Monthly publishing
- Quarterly publishing
- Annual publishing
You should also decide whether the journal will be:
- Online only
- Print only
- Hybrid
A realistic publishing schedule is more useful than committing to a frequency that becomes difficult to maintain.
Decide on Open Access, Copyright and Licensing
Before publishing articles, establish clear rules around access, ownership, and reuse. Authors should be able to understand what happens to their work after publication.
Consider:
- Open access options
- Copyright ownership
- Author rights
- Creative Commons licensing
- Publication charges, where applicable
These policies should be clearly displayed on the journal website and included in the relevant author guidelines.
Publish the First Issue
Once the editorial and production processes are complete, you can prepare the journal’s first publication.
Take time to check the final content before making it publicly available.
Before launch:
- Review accepted manuscripts.
- Check article metadata.
- Confirm author names and affiliations.
- Verify references and citations.
- Prepare articles for publication.
- Make sure published content is properly archived.
A careful final review can help catch errors before they become part of the permanent publication record.
Make the Journal Discoverable
Publishing an issue does not automatically make a journal easy to find. Build discoverability into the publishing process from the beginning.
Focus on:
- Accurate and complete article metadata
- Search-friendly journal and article pages
- Academic communities and research networks
- Relevant directories
- Appropriate indexing services
Depending on the journal and its eligibility, relevant services may include:
- DOAJ
- Google Scholar
- Scopus
- Web of Science
Each indexing or discovery service has its own requirements, so review the criteria before applying.
How Alkademy Press Supports Academic Journal Publishing
Starting a journal involves several moving parts, from handling submissions and coordinating reviewers to preparing articles for publication and maintaining journal records.
Having these activities organised in one platform can make the process easier to manage as the journal grows.
Alkademy Press is a journal publishing platform that supports key parts of this workflow, including:
- Journal submissions: Organise incoming manuscripts and keep submissions connected to the editorial process.
- Peer review workflows: Manage reviewer assignments, reviews, and related communication.
- Editorial management: Keep editorial activities and decisions organised throughout the publishing process.
- Publication processes: Support the preparation and publication of journal content.
- Journal records: Keep important journal and publication information organised.
- Data organisation and preservation: Maintain structured publishing records that can be managed and preserved over time.
The goal is to give publishers a structured environment for managing the work involved in running an academic journal.
Common Mistakes When Starting an Academic Journal
A new journal can face avoidable problems when its publishing processes are not clearly planned from the beginning. Common mistakes include:
- Launching without a clear scope
- Failing to define editorial responsibilities
- Accepting papers without a consistent peer review process
- Managing the entire workflow through email
- Publishing without clear editorial and ethical policies
- Neglecting article metadata and digital preservation
- Focusing on indexing before establishing publishing quality
A clear workflow and realistic publishing plan can help address many of these issues before they become larger problems.
How Much Does It Cost to Start an Academic Journal?
There is no single cost for starting an academic journal. Expenses depend on the publishing model, the size of the journal, and how much work is handled internally.
Potential costs include:
- Website development and hosting
- Journal publishing software
- DOI services
- Editing and production
- Digital preservation
- Editorial administration
Some journals may have additional costs related to marketing, print production, or external editorial services.
How Long Does It Take to Start an Academic Journal?
The timeline depends on how quickly the journal’s editorial, technical, and publishing foundations can be put in place.
Key stages include:
- Planning the journal and defining its scope
- Recruiting the editorial team
- Creating publishing policies
- Setting up the publishing platform
- Managing initial submissions
- Completing peer review
- Preparing and publishing the first issue
There is no fixed timeline that works for every journal. It is more important to establish a process that can be maintained consistently after launch.
FAQs
Individuals, institutions, academic societies, and publishers can establish journals. However, the journal needs appropriate editorial processes, publishing policies, and quality standards to operate effectively.
Not necessarily. An academic journal can be established independently, although its credibility will depend on factors such as its editorial team, policies, peer review process, and publishing practices.
An ISSN is used to identify a continuing publication and distinguish it from other publications. Publishers should follow the requirements of the relevant ISSN registration authority for their journal.
Peer review is a standard part of scholarly publishing and is used by many academic journals to evaluate submitted research before publication. The specific review model depends on the journal’s policies.
Indexing services have their own eligibility criteria. A journal should first establish consistent publishing practices, clear editorial policies, quality content, and accurate metadata before applying to relevant indexing services.
Final Thoughts on How to Start an Academic Journal
Starting an academic journal requires more than publishing research online. You need a clear scope, capable editorial team, transparent policies, reliable peer review, and a publishing workflow that can support the journal as it grows.
The right publishing infrastructure can also reduce the administrative burden of managing submissions, reviews, publications, and journal records.
Ready to build a more organised journal publishing workflow?
Explore Alkademy Press to see how the platform can help you manage submissions, peer review, editorial processes, publications, and journal records in one place.
