Forensic Journals Directory
A curated directory of 70 peer-reviewed journals across forensic medicine, toxicology, pathology, and allied disciplines.
Practical Tips for Journal Selection & Submission
Guidance based on common requirements in forensic medicine publishing.
1. Scope Match
Always verify that your manuscript topic aligns with the journal's stated aims and scope before submission.
2. Impact Factor
For SCIE-indexed journals, check the latest Journal Citation Reports (JCR) on Clarivate for the current Impact Factor (IF).
3. Indexing Requirements
Many institutions require publications in SCIE/Scopus indexed journals. Confirm indexing status before submission.
4. Open Access (OA) vs Subscription
OA journals (e.g., Frontiers, PLOS ONE) charge Article Processing Charges (APCs). Check your institution's funding for APCs.
5. Predatory Journal Check
Use Beall's List (beallslist.net) or COPE membership status to verify journal legitimacy. Avoid journals with no ISSN.
6. Peer-Review Model
Check for single-blind, double-blind, or open peer review. Most forensic journals use single or double-blind review.
7. Turnaround Time
Check published statistics for average time-to-first-decision and time-to-acceptance. FastTrack options may be available.
8. Author Guidelines
Strictly follow word limits, reference style (Vancouver or AMA for medical journals), and figure requirements.
9. Ethics Compliance
Ensure IRB/IEC approval for human subjects research. Case reports must include patient consent declarations.
10. COPE Membership
Journals following COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines ensure ethical publishing practices.
11. Preprint Policy
Some forensic journals accept manuscripts posted on bioRxiv/medRxiv. Check the journal's preprint policy.
12. Data Availability
Many journals now require data availability statements and ORCID IDs for all authors.
13. Conflict of Interest
Mandatory declaration in all reputable forensic and toxicology journals.
14. Indian Authors
JIAFM, IJFMT, and JPAFMT are preferred for case-based Indian medicolegal publications. Scopus-indexed IJFMT is recommended for academic credit.
15. Post-Acceptance
Ensure DOI assignment, check proofs carefully, and register for ORCID if not already done.