which journal to submit to
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Post by which journal to submit to on Jun 24, 2013 17:59:15 GMT -5
Other than minor differences in impact rating, what are the differences between these 4 journals all of which I would consider second-tier general journals? (Sociological quarterly, sociological inquiry, sociological forum, sociological perspectives?).
How should I decide which journal to submit my paper to? It's a quant paper if that helps...
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Post by thoughts on Jun 24, 2013 20:28:30 GMT -5
Sociological quarterly bills itself as multidisciplinary. It's associated with the Southwestern Social Science Association, which has a lot of political scientists, too. My sense is that the journal bills itself as a bit more political science/public policy oriented than the others. That said, it's gaining a reputation for being incredibly slow in turning articles around and giving decisions. The other three seem pretty similar -- generalist journals open to both quantitative and qualitative stuff. Soc Inquiry is associated with AKD, the sociology honor society, but I don't think that influences the journal much.
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Post by Silvestra on Jun 24, 2013 21:10:16 GMT -5
Sociological quarterly bills itself as multidisciplinary. It's associated with the Southwestern Social Science Association, which has a lot of political scientists, too. My sense is that the journal bills itself as a bit more political science/public policy oriented than the others. That said, it's gaining a reputation for being incredibly slow in turning articles around and giving decisions. The other three seem pretty similar -- generalist journals open to both quantitative and qualitative stuff. Soc Inquiry is associated with AKD, the sociology honor society, but I don't think that influences the journal much. You are thinking of Social Science Quarterly. To the original question, I do think of The Sociological Quarterly as a bit (just a bit) more prestigious than Sociological Perspectives, Sociological Forum, and Sociological Inquiry (or Social Science Quarterly for that matter). But all four of the sociological journals have published good stuff and I wouldn't make a big deal out of one vs the other. Honestly, I would make my choice based on if they have published articles in the same area as the one you are submitting. |
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Post by thoughts on Jun 24, 2013 21:30:11 GMT -5
Sociological quarterly bills itself as multidisciplinary. It's associated with the Southwestern Social Science Association, which has a lot of political scientists, too. My sense is that the journal bills itself as a bit more political science/public policy oriented than the others. That said, it's gaining a reputation for being incredibly slow in turning articles around and giving decisions. The other three seem pretty similar -- generalist journals open to both quantitative and qualitative stuff. Soc Inquiry is associated with AKD, the sociology honor society, but I don't think that influences the journal much. You are thinking of Social Science Quarterly. To the original question, I do think of The Sociological Quarterly as a bit (just a bit) more prestigious than Sociological Perspectives, Sociological Forum, and Sociological Inquiry (or Social Science Quarterly for that matter). But all four of the sociological journals have published good stuff and I wouldn't make a big deal out of one vs the other. Honestly, I would make my choice based on if they have published articles in the same area as the one you are submitting. Ah, dammit, you're right. Sorry, OP. Yeah, I think silvestra is spot on. |
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Post by silvestra on Jun 24, 2013 22:10:28 GMT -5
That said, [Social Science Quarterly is] gaining a reputation for being incredibly slow in turning articles around and giving decisions. For what it is worth, this describes my experience with Social Science Quarterly under the Gaddie and Damphousse editorial team. I even had a problem with an article post-acceptance--it almost seemed like they had lost the article if I hadn't pestered them about it. I would hesitate to submit to them until they get a new editorial team in place. |
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Post by forum on Jun 24, 2013 22:23:45 GMT -5
There are some substantive differences--Soc Quarterly seems to like social problems type stuff, and Soc Forum political sociology type stuff, for instance. But otherwise, they're all pretty much the same. (And not really ever read by anyone.)
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Post by I prefer inquiry on Jun 24, 2013 23:55:16 GMT -5
I have submitted papers at Sociological Quarterly and Sociological Inquiry with the current editors. I prefer the Sociological Inquiry outlet, their turn around was much faster, the editor was more helpful during the revision process, and reviewer comments were more constuctive. Throughout the years, I have read Sociological Perspectives a bit more since their westcoast locations seems to draw papers that are slighlty more innovative and they publish more social movement studies than the others.
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Post by just curious on Jun 25, 2013 5:42:48 GMT -5
why do you think a westcoast location would matter for the type of papers Perspectives draws?
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which journal to submit to
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Post by which journal to submit to on Jun 25, 2013 9:55:34 GMT -5
Hmm looking at my works cited list the only one of these journals that appears is Sociological Quarterly. It's a fairly new topic though, and most research on it has appeared in books or psychology journals (although this is definitely a sociology paper) and a couple of recent pieces in places like ASR, which is definitely not realistic for this particular paper.
The other option is to send it to an interdisciplinary specialty journal, but I already have a paper under review at the journal I'm thinking of that has come out of this same project, which I submitted just a few weeks ago. Is it stupid to submit two papers on the same general topic (but different aspects of that topic) to the same journal at the same time?
Maybe I will submit it to Sociological Inquiry since a previous poster said they have a quick turn around time, and if it gets rejected I can send it to the specialty journal next...
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Post by I prefer inquiry on Jun 25, 2013 12:11:31 GMT -5
In response to just curious.
All but one of the mentioned journals often get papers from authors at schools in their region (Social Forces, Sociological Focus and Sociological Spectrum are connected to regional associations as well). My claim on regional differences for sociology progrmas is mosltly anecdotal. I have degress from large public universities inthe Midwest and Westcoast. My training in the Midwest was more focused on "traditional positivistic science" and ignored inequalities too much for me (lots of classes on regressions and hypothesis testing). My Westcoast program had professors who were more theoretical, progressive and methodologicaly ecclectic. Friends who went to East coast programs at the New School for Social Research or Brandies had way different class content than my experiences as well.
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Post by drbearjew on Jun 25, 2013 12:20:33 GMT -5
FYI Social Forces is not Southern Sociological Society's journal. The Southerns journal is the newly minted Sociological Currents. Submissions to the new journal, by the way, open in July.
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Post by where to submit to on Jun 25, 2013 15:35:58 GMT -5
I heard about soc currents at the SSS meeting this year, but it seems like it's a risk...on the one hand it'll probably be easier to get into since it doesn't have an established reputation, on the other hand with no established reputation who knows how the journal's reputation will turn out in the long term, and I need semi-decent impact ratings to get tenure.
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Post by silvestra on Jun 25, 2013 16:08:51 GMT -5
I have submitted papers at Sociological Quarterly and Sociological Inquiry with the current editors. I prefer the Sociological Inquiry outlet, their turn around was much faster, Re: TSQ, Under the Donovan-Staples editorial team I had a two-month rejection which I can live with. If things have taken a turn for the worse under the current Dobratz & Waldner team that is a damn shame. |
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Post by samoth on Jun 26, 2013 13:44:51 GMT -5
I have submitted papers at Sociological Quarterly and Sociological Inquiry with the current editors. I prefer the Sociological Inquiry outlet, their turn around was much faster, Re: TSQ, Under the Donovan-Staples editorial team I had a two-month rejection which I can live with. If things have taken a turn for the worse under the current Dobratz & Waldner team that is a damn shame. Still re TSQ: Dobratz and Waldner got back to me (with a rejection) in just over two months, which is pretty good. Unfortunately, their letter was generic and did not explain the grounds for their decision, as most reviewers had minor comments. |
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Post by silvestra on Jun 26, 2013 19:01:38 GMT -5
That happens to me all the time--I don't think I've ever gotten a rejection with a non-generic editor's letter. But you have my sympathies--it is really frustrating to get rejected and not knowing why! |
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