Short-Term Steps toward Core Collection Inclusion

Gaining inclusion in major academic indexing databases, such as the Web of Science Core Collection (which includes SCIE, SSCI, AHCI, and ESCI) and Scopus, is a critical step for academic journals seeking enhanced visibility and credibility. While achieving full indexing status involves demonstrating sustained quality and impact over time, there are several immediate actions a journal can take to establish the necessary foundation and fulfil some of the initial requirements assessed by these evaluators. Based on best practices in scholarly publishing and insights from the sources, here are key steps to prioritize.

Ensure a Transparent and Accessible Online Presence

The journal's website is the primary point of contact and evaluation for indexing services. Making it robust and transparent is an immediate priority.

Give the journal a unique name that is not easily confused with another publication.
Ensure the journal has an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number).
Provide valid contact methods through which the publisher can be reached.
Clearly describe the journal's editorial, ethics, copyright, and fee policies directly on the website. The website must show the journal policies and other required information.
Clearly state the journal's plan for long-term digital preservation, mentioning if papers are archived in recognized databases.
Utilise functioning DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers) for published papers.

These steps ensure that basic identifying information, essential policies, and technical infrastructure elements are in place and easily verifiable, which are fundamental checks performed by indexing bodies.

Develop and Publish Essential Policies, Especially on Ethics

Transparency about how the journal operates, particularly regarding ethical conduct, is non-negotiable and policies must be visible on the website. Adhering to guidelines like the COPE Core Practices is essential.

Adopt and publish clear policies regarding ethical conduct of research. These policies should align with the regulations and norms of the journal’s specific discipline.
Publish clear guidelines for promptly responding to suspected ethical breaches by authors, reviewers, and editors.
Have a clearly described process for handling complaints and appeals against the journal, staff, editorial board, or publisher.
Ensure processes are in place to review submitted work to ensure it conforms with research ethics guidelines. This includes recommended practices for handling issues like informed consent, institutional oversight, and prior ethics approval.
Establish policies to address issues identified in COPE's Core Practices, such as publication ethics.

Making these policies public demonstrates a commitment to ethical publishing, a core requirement for reputable indexing services.

Detail Your Peer Review Process

A credible peer review process is central to the quality of a journal's content. While developing a robust process takes time, transparently describing it on the website is an immediate action.

Work with the publisher or editorial office to determine and describe the processes for handling submissions.
Establish policies to address issues that may arise in the editorial process, which includes peer review. These policies should cover areas such as conflicts of interest, appeals, and disputes related to peer review.
Reviewers should be asked to address ethical aspects of submissions.
Maintain the confidential nature of the review process.

Clearly explaining the journal's peer review model provides transparency about its quality control mechanisms.

Present a Credible Editorial Board

The composition and transparency of the Editorial Board contribute to the journal's credibility.

List the full names and affiliations of Editorial Board members on the website [implied by website review in and checks in].
Ensure the list of board members is up to date and that members have agreed to serve [implied by vetting processes mentioned in and the need for agreement in].
Including distinguished scholars and recognized experts in the field on the Editorial Board can help attract quality research and build trust.

Focus on Operational Efficiency

Efficient workflow management contributes to timely publication, a factor considered by indexing databases [implied by the focus on managing publications in].

Establish a well-managed infrastructure for handling submissions.
Regularly monitor publication numbers and processing stages to ensure timely output.

By focusing on these immediate actions – establishing a transparent online presence with clear policies, detailing the peer review process, presenting the editorial team, and ensuring basic operational efficiency – a new journal can quickly demonstrate its commitment to scholarly best practices and satisfy many of the fundamental quality criteria required by indexing databases like the Web of Science Core Collection. These steps lay essential groundwork for future evaluation.