Introduction
In today’s rapidly evolving scientific landscape, interdisciplinary research has become a cornerstone of innovation, particularly in engineering. Complex global challenges such as sustainable energy, artificial intelligence, smart materials, and environmental resilience demand collaboration across multiple disciplines. However, when it comes to publishing interdisciplinary research, one of the most difficult tasks researchers face is selecting the right journal.
Engineering research that spans multiple domains, such as mechanical and biomedical engineering, or civil and environmental systems, often falls outside the traditional boundaries of a single discipline. This can make the process of journal selection challenging, as researchers must ensure that their work is both appropriately positioned and visible to the right academic community.
This blog outlines a systematic approach to selecting a suitable journal for interdisciplinary engineering research, which covers key aspects such as scope alignment, audience relevance, impact, indexing, and publication ethics.
- Understand the Scope and Focus of Your Research
Before exploring potential journals, you must first define where your research fits within the broader academic context. Interdisciplinary studies often blend concepts, methods, or applications from multiple engineering domains, such as:
- Electrical + Mechanical = Mechatronics
- Civil + Environmental = Sustainable Infrastructure
- Computer + Biomedical = Health Informatics
- Materials + Chemical = Nanotechnology and Energy Systems
To identify the right publication outlet, analyse the core and peripheral disciplines your study contributes to. For instance, a paper on machine learning models for predicting structural failure may align with journals focusing on computational mechanics, applied AI, or civil engineering informatics.
Tips to Remember: Draft 4–5 keywords that best represent your study. These terms will guide you toward journals whose scope overlaps with your research focus.
- Identify Target Journals by Scope and Aims
Once your research focus is clear, the next step is to examine the scope and aims of potential journals. Reputable publishers like Elsevier, Springer, IEEE, Wiley, and Taylor & Francis provide detailed “Aims and Scope” sections on their journal homepages.
When assessing journal scope, consider:
- Disciplinary breadth: Does the journal publish interdisciplinary or cross-domain studies?
- Application focus: Does it emphasise theoretical models, simulations, or applied engineering outcomes?
- Audience type: Is it read by researchers, industry practitioners, or policy experts?
For interdisciplinary work, broad-scope journals such as Scientific Reports, Nature Communications, IEEE Access, or Frontiers in Engineering are often more suitable than highly specialised outlets.
Example:
If your paper integrates civil engineering with environmental data modelling, journals like Environmental Modelling & Software or Journal of Infrastructure Systems may be more appropriate than traditional civil engineering journals.
- Evaluate the Journal’s Interdisciplinary Orientation
Interdisciplinary journals typically encourage the submission of studies that combine multiple methods or perspectives. They may list keywords such as “cross-disciplinary,” “multidisciplinary,” or “applied systems” in their aims and scope.
- Assess Journal Quality and Visibility
The credibility and visibility of your paper largely depend on where it is published. Interdisciplinary researchers should prioritise journals indexed in recognised databases such as:
- Scopus
- Web of Science (SCI/SCIE/ESCI)
- IEEE Xplore
- PubMed (for biomedical engineering)
- DOAJ (for open access journals)
While the impact factor (IF) remains a widely used metric. Other important indicators include:
- CiteScore or SNIP (Scopus metrics)
- SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)
- Acceptance rate and review timeline
- Publisher reputation and editorial transparency
- Analyse Past Publications
A practical way to assess journal suitability is by reviewing previously published articles. Examine:
- Whether recent papers cover similar interdisciplinary themes.
- How frequently the journal publishes hybrid studies (e.g., engineering + computer science).
- The structure, depth, and presentation style of those papers.
If your work aligns in scope and methodology with recently published studies, then the journal is a correct match for your research paper.
- Consider the Journal’s Target Audience
Your journal choice should ensure that your work reaches readers who can understand, use, and cite it. In interdisciplinary engineering research, the audience can vary widely from data scientists and electrical engineers to material chemists and industrial designers. Selecting a journal in a diverse readership can enhance your research impact.
For example:
- A study on AI-based corrosion detection could attract readers from both materials engineering and computer vision domains.
- A paper on smart agricultural robotics might appeal to agricultural engineers and mechanical system designers alike.
Hence, prioritise journals that bridge the gap between disciplines, ensuring your work contributes to both fundamental knowledge and applied innovation.
7. Evaluate Journal Accessibility and Publication Model
Researchers must also consider whether the journal is subscription-based or open access.
- Subscription-based journals have traditional publishing models, offering prestige but limited access.
- Open-access journals make research freely available online, improving visibility and citations but may charge Article Processing Charges (APCs).
For interdisciplinary work aimed at wide dissemination, open-access journals (especially hybrid ones) can enhance cross-field collaboration and recognition. However, always ensure that the APCs are reasonable and justified by the journal’s reputation and indexing.
8. Match Manuscript Type and Journal Requirements
Different journals accept different kinds of submissions: original research, reviews, case studies, technical notes, or short communications. Verify whether your manuscript type aligns with the journal’s accepted categories.
Additionally, confirm the journal’s preferences regarding:
- Word count and structure (IMRaD format)
- Figures, tables, and supplementary data
- Referencing style (APA, IEEE, Vancouver, etc.)
Submitting to a journal that does not accept your manuscript type or exceeds its scope can result in immediate rejection before peer review.
Practical Tools to Help You Choose
Several tools and platforms can assist in selecting the right interdisciplinary journal:
- Elsevier Journal Finder
- Springer Journal Suggester
- Edanz Journal Selector
- Journal/Author Name Estimator (JANE)
- IEEE Publication Recommender
These tools use your abstract, keywords, and research field to suggest compatible journals based on scope, citation data, and acceptance rates
