In scholarly publishing, clarity and speed matter. For Editors and publishers, the submission process should be simple, transparent, and efficient, without unnecessary delays or confusion. That’s exactly what the IndexONE™ Publisher Portal delivers: one secure place where publishers can submit their journals for evaluation and track application status from start to decision.
IndexONE is an abstracting and citation database designed to highlight credible, well-managed journals and support a stronger, more collaborative research ecosystem. The new Portal serves as the gateway to evaluation: streamlined for accuracy, built for transparency, and ready for growth.
What the IndexONE Publisher Portal does
At its core, the Portal addresses three persistent challenges in journal evaluation:
- Fragmented submissions – Instead of emails, attachments, and multiple forms, you work through one guided flow.
- Limited visibility – You can track the status of each journal you submit in real-time, no more waiting in the dark.
- Rework and delays – Built-in checks and validations reduce back-and-forth, ensuring that completed applications move forward faster.
With a verified account, publishers can securely log in, register their organization, add journals, and submit requests for inclusion in IndexONE. The dashboard offers a consolidated view of all applications, perfect for managing multi-journal journals and university presses portfolios.
Access note: Only journal publishers are granted access to the Portal and are eligible to submit evaluation requests. This keeps the workflow accurate and accountable at the organizational level.
A Cleaner, Digital-First Process (No hardcopy required)
In step with modern, sustainable practices, hardcopy submissions are no longer required for new journal evaluations. All necessary documentation, including policy documents, sample issues, archiving statements, and metadata summaries, can be uploaded within the Portal. This digital-first approach reduces administrative burden, minimizes environmental impact, and guarantees that publishers’ most up-to-date materials are always on file.
What To Prepare Before You Submit
Successful applications are comprehensive, verifiable, and aligned with industry best practices. Before starting your Portal submission, ensure you have:
- Journal identity & website: Title, ISSN/e-ISSN, stable HTTPS site, clear aims and scope, and contact page.
- Editorial & peer review: Named Editor-in-Chief, editorial board with affiliations, and a documented peer-review policy (model, reviewer selection, and expected timelines).
- Ethics & transparency: Authorship and CRediT roles, conflict-of-interest and funding disclosure, research ethics (human/animal where relevant), and clear procedures for corrections and retractions.
- Publishing model: Access policy, licensing (e.g., Creative Commons), APCs/fees or “No APC,” and waivers if applicable.
- Quality & permanence: Recent, on-time issues; identifiers and metadata (DOIs, ORCID/ROR); and preservation/archiving (e.g., LOCKSS/PKP PN/Portico).
- Integrity safeguards: Plagiarism screening, image/figure checks where relevant, and measures to deter paper-mill content or reviewer fraud.
By preparing these details upfront, publishers can streamline their submissions and ensure a quicker, fairer review process.
How the Portal eases evaluation—step by step
- Register & verify – Create your publisher account and verify organizational details.
- Add journals – Enter core journal metadata once; reuse structured fields for multiple titles.
- Guided checklist – A step-by-step checklist ensures that all required policies and evidence are attached at the correct stages.
- Smart pre-checks – Automated validations (e.g., ISSN presence, policy page accessibility) flag gaps early, reducing later requests.
- Submit & track – View real-time updates on your submission status, from Received to Under Evaluation to Decision.
- Respond in-portal – If reviewers request clarifications or additional documents, they will appear in your dashboard, allowing you to respond in the same thread.
- Decision & indexing – Accepted titles are added to the IndexONE database, increasing discoverability for researchers and librarians.
Why Publishers Will Appreciate This Model
- Transparency: You always know the status of your application and exactly what (if anything) is needed next.
- Consistency: A standardized, criteria-based checklist ensures each journal is evaluated against the same high-quality benchmarks.
- Efficiency: Reduced emails, attachments, and delays; everything is centralized within the Portal for quicker decision-making.
- Scalability: Whether you manage one journal or a portfolio of titles, the dashboard allows you to stay organized and keep track of all submissions.
- Sustainability: Digital submission and verification replace hardcopy shipments, reducing costs and environmental impact.
What IndexONE Looks For
IndexONE evaluates journals based on factors that matter to readers, librarians, and authors alike:
- Editorial quality: A visible, accountable editorial structure and a credible peer-review process.
- Integrity & ethics: Transparent policies and consistent adherence to COPE-aligned practices.
- Reliability: Timely publication and consistent, stable access to content.
- Discoverability: High-quality metadata (DOIs, ORCID, ROR, schema.org/JATS where available) to support search, linking, and citation.
- Permanence: Preservation/archiving strategies that ensure the scholarly record endures.
These evaluation criteria are not just formalities; they ensure the integrity of scholarly publishing and build trust within the research community.
Common questions
Can editors submit directly?
No. Only publishers have access to the Portal. If you’re an Editor-in-Chief, please coordinate with your publisher to submit via the Portal.
Do we need to courier printed issues?
No. The Portal accepts only digital materials, which can be easily uploaded. Upload digital materials through the Portal.
How long will evaluation take?
The timeline depends on the completeness of your application and the volume of submissions. The Portal provides live status and specific “required actions” so you can keep momentum.
What happens after acceptance?
Once accepted, your journal is indexed in IndexONE, becoming visible to users across the database and analytics tools. Keep your policies and metadata current; use the Portal to notify IndexONE about significant changes (title, scope, publisher).
The Bottom Line
The IndexONE Publisher Portal is built for the demands of modern scholarly publishing: policy-driven, data-aware, and committed to integrity. It gives publishers a clear path to apply for indexing and a single view to monitor evaluation progress. For the wider community, it supports consistent and transparent evaluation, strengthening the signal of quality journals in an information-dense world.
Ready to submit or check the status of your journal? Start here:
Register & apply: https://indexone.org/publisher-portal