Journals
Acceptance rate (or rejection rate) is the ratio of the number of articles submitted to the number of articles published. It can measure the selectivity or prestige of a journal, though like many journal metrics, the raw number is not the whole story.
There is no single list or database of acceptance rates. If the tools below don't provide a rate for a journal, emailing the journal editor or other staff is likely the best way to get that information. UlrichsWeb - Ulrich's Periodical Directory will list contact information for a journal's editorial staff.
Calculating acceptance rates
The method of calculating acceptance rates varies. Some journals use all manuscripts received as a base for computing the rate. Others allow the editor to choose which papers are sent to reviewers and calculate the acceptance rate on those that are reviewed that is less than the total manuscripts received. Also, many editors do not maintain accurate records on this data and provide only a rough estimate.
Comparing acceptance rates
A prestigious and multidisciplinary journal like Science or Nature will receive many more submissions than they can accommodate in publishing, regardless of merit, resulting in a low acceptance rate. A special journal on a narrow topic (like a specific disease) may only have a limited number of experts writing in the field, resulting in a higher rate. Journals that publish a limited number of paper issues would have a lower rate than one that publishes many issues online (where page counts don't significantly affect costs). Use care when comparing rates.
Sources of acceptance rates
Many sources provide acceptance rates within particular fields or disciplines.
- Cabell's Journalytics AcademicCabell's provides information on the journal article publishing process: acceptance rates, style and formats, types of review processed, time required, and other criteria to find the best fit for your manuscript. Reports provided in HTML and PDF.
- MLA Directory of Periodicals from EBSCOhostThe Directory of Periodicals contain extensive information about the journals and book series indexed in the MLA International Bibliography. The records consist of editorial addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, frequency of publication, descriptions of the periodicals' scopes, circulation figures, subscription prices and addresses, advertising information, submission guidelines, and information on whether or not journals are peer reviewed. The directory also provides statistics on how many articles and book reviews the periodicals publish each year, as well as how many are submitted.
