Fast-Track Free Scopus & WOS Journals: A Guide for Researchers
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Use your university’s indexing requirement (Scopus vs Web of Science) as the starting constraint before choosing any journal.
Briefing
Finding a journal that matches a researcher’s needs—and doing it quickly—depends less on one-size-fits-all recommendations and more on indexing requirements set by universities. Some institutions prioritize Scopus-indexed journals, while others require Web of Science indexing. The practical takeaway: researchers must verify both indexing and fit, then can use a fast filter method to locate “fast-track” options that also waive publication fees.
A streamlined approach starts on ScienceDirect, where categories span Physical Sciences & Engineering, Life Sciences, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Within a chosen discipline, the key filters are (1) selecting “Journals” (not books or other publication types), (2) choosing “Accept submissions,” and then (3) narrowing by access type. ScienceDirect offers two relevant access options: “Open Access” and “Contains Open Access.” The distinction matters because Open Access journals typically require high article processing charges, while “Contains Open Access” surfaces journals that include open-access articles but may not require an upfront fee for every submission.
Using the Physical Sciences & Engineering track as an example, applying “Accept submissions” plus “Contains Open Access” yields a list of journals. Opening a specific title—Resource Technology—shows performance metrics that researchers can use as a proxy for speed: an average of 3 days to first decision, about 21 days for review, roughly 45.4 days from submission to acceptance, and around 3 days from acceptance to publication. ScienceDirect also provides impact indicators. For Scopus-oriented interest, Resource Technology lists a Scopus Site Score of 20.8, and for Web of Science-oriented interest, it lists an Impact Factor of 9.7. The page further indicates publication cost behavior: Open Access may cost about $5,000, but there is no publication fee for non–Open Access publishing.
The same workflow works in Health Sciences. Filtering to Nursing and Health Professions and again selecting “Accept submissions” plus “Contains Open Access” leads to titles such as American Journal of Medicine. Its metrics are notably fast: about 22 days from submission to acceptance. It also lists both Scopus Site Score and Web of Science Impact Factor, and it indicates no publication fee—making it another candidate for researchers seeking speed without paying an upfront publication charge.
Not every promising listing will have impact metrics immediately. An example is Advanced Exercise and Health Science, which shows no Site Score or Impact Factor on the page. That absence doesn’t automatically mean the journal is unindexed; it often signals a newer journal, requiring manual verification of Scopus or Web of Science indexing. The method therefore ends with a final check: confirm indexing status using dedicated verification steps (the creator references separate guides for Scopus and Web of Science checks) before submitting.
Overall, the core insight is a repeatable filter-and-verify process: use ScienceDirect’s discipline filters and “Accept submissions” plus “Contains Open Access” to surface fast-turnaround journals, then confirm indexing and cost details before targeting submission.
Cornell Notes
A repeatable way to find fast, low-cost journal targets starts on ScienceDirect. Researchers pick a discipline (e.g., Physical Sciences & Engineering or Health Sciences), filter to “Journals,” then select “Accept submissions” and “Contains Open Access” to surface titles that include open-access options without necessarily charging a publication fee for every submission. Examples given include Resource Technology (about 3 days to first decision; ~21 days review; ~45.4 days submission-to-acceptance; ~3 days acceptance-to-publication) and American Journal of Medicine (about 22 days submission-to-acceptance), both shown with Scopus and Web of Science indicators. If a journal lacks Site Score or Impact Factor (e.g., Advanced Exercise and Health Science), it may be new, so indexing must be checked manually. This matters because universities often require specific indexing (Scopus vs Web of Science).
Why can’t researchers rely on generic journal recommendations when choosing where to submit?
What ScienceDirect filters help narrow results to journals that are likely to accept submissions quickly?
How do the examples illustrate “fast-track” timelines?
How does the transcript distinguish between Scopus and Web of Science indicators?
Why might a journal show no Site Score or Impact Factor, and what should researchers do then?
What does “Contains Open Access” imply for publication fees?
Review Questions
- When would “Contains Open Access” be a better filter than “Open Access” for researchers trying to avoid high publication fees?
- What specific turnaround metrics are used in the examples to judge speed, and how do they differ between first decision, review, and acceptance?
- If a journal lacks a Scopus Site Score and Web of Science Impact Factor on ScienceDirect, what verification step should be taken before submitting?
Key Points
- 1
Use your university’s indexing requirement (Scopus vs Web of Science) as the starting constraint before choosing any journal.
- 2
On ScienceDirect, filter to “Journals” and “Accept submissions” to avoid irrelevant listings and closed submission targets.
- 3
Apply “Contains Open Access” to find journals that include open-access options without necessarily requiring high fees for every submission.
- 4
Check turnaround metrics on the journal details page (first decision, review time, submission-to-acceptance, and acceptance-to-publication) to identify fast-track candidates.
- 5
Use the displayed Scopus Site Score and Web of Science Impact Factor fields to match the journal to your institution’s indexing needs.
- 6
Treat missing Site Score/Impact Factor as a cue to verify indexing manually, especially for newer journals.
- 7
Confirm publication fee expectations by checking whether the journal’s fee applies only to open-access publishing or also to non–open-access submissions.