My Paper Got Rejected Recently by an A* Journal: Should You Trust the Suggested Journals or Treat It as Politeness?

Introduction: When an A* Journal Rejects Your Paper, the Next Decision Matters

My paper got rejected recently by an A Journal and the editors suggested other journals to submit the same paper to, is it worth submitting to these suggested journals or it’s just some sort of being polite?* This is one of the most common questions PhD scholars, early-career researchers, and academic authors ask after receiving a rejection from a high-ranking journal. The emotional weight is real. You invested months, sometimes years, into the manuscript. You refined the literature review, defended the methodology, aligned the theoretical contribution, responded to supervisor feedback, and finally submitted to an ambitious A* or top-tier journal. Then the decision arrives: rejected, but with a suggestion to submit to another journal.

At first, the suggestion may feel confusing. Is the editor genuinely guiding you toward a better publication route? Is the journal transfer recommendation based on scope, quality, or publisher strategy? Or is it simply a polite way to soften the rejection? The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

In many cases, suggested journals are not merely a courtesy. Major publishers now use formal manuscript transfer systems. Elsevier describes its Article Transfer Service as a way to help rejected articles move to more suitable journals when the first submission is unsuccessful. Springer Nature also operates a Transfer Desk where subject experts review a manuscript and suggest relevant journals. Emerald Publishing explains that authors may receive a transfer invitation in the decision email when the first-choice journal does not accept the manuscript. Taylor & Francis similarly describes article transfers as a cascade process for papers judged unsuitable for the original journal but potentially suitable elsewhere. (www.elsevier.com)

However, this does not mean you should accept every suggested journal automatically. A journal recommendation can be useful, but it is not a guarantee of acceptance. It is also not always the best strategic option for your PhD thesis, academic career, institutional requirements, or target indexing needs. A suggested journal may match your topic better, but it may have a lower ranking, different audience, higher open access cost, weaker indexing, or longer review timeline.

For PhD students and academic researchers, the publication environment has become more competitive. Clarivate’s 2025 Journal Citation Reports covers 22,249 journals across 111 countries and 254 research categories, which shows the scale and complexity of journal selection today. At the same time, open access publishing has expanded rapidly, with STM reporting that the share of global articles, reviews, and conference papers available through gold open access rose from 14% in 2014 to 40% in 2024. (Clarivate)

This means authors face more options, more fees, more ranking pressure, and more decision fatigue. For a PhD scholar, choosing the wrong journal after rejection can cost six to twelve months. For a faculty member, it can affect promotion timelines. For a grant-funded researcher, it can delay project reporting. Therefore, the right question is not only whether suggested journals are “polite.” The better question is whether the suggested journal is academically credible, strategically suitable, ethically safe, and aligned with your publication goals.

This article follows the ContentXprtz brief for an educational, SEO-ready, publication-focused article for students, PhD scholars, and researchers seeking professional academic writing and publication help.

What Does It Mean When an A* Journal Suggests Other Journals?

When an A* journal rejects your manuscript and suggests other journals, it usually means one of five things.

First, the editor may believe your work has academic merit but does not fit the journal’s current aims, scope, novelty threshold, or readership. A* journals often reject technically sound papers because the contribution is not broad enough, not disruptive enough, or not aligned with the journal’s theoretical conversation.

Second, the editor may see potential in your manuscript but feel it is better suited to a specialist journal. For example, a broad management journal may reject a paper on AI-enabled financial behavior but suggest a fintech, information systems, or consumer behavior journal.

Third, the suggestion may come through an automated or semi-automated publisher transfer system. Elsevier, Springer Nature, Emerald, and Taylor & Francis all operate transfer pathways that help authors identify alternative journals after rejection. These systems may consider scope, subject area, editorial fit, manuscript metadata, and sometimes reviewer feedback. (www.elsevier.com)

Fourth, the suggestion may support the publisher’s internal journal ecosystem. Publishers want strong manuscripts to remain within their portfolio. That does not make the recommendation unethical, but it means authors must still evaluate the suggested journal independently.

Fifth, the recommendation may be polite but not deeply personalized. Sometimes the journal list is broad. Sometimes it includes journals with very different standards. Sometimes the suggested outlet is not indexed in your required database. Therefore, a transfer suggestion should be treated as a lead, not a final decision.

Is It Worth Submitting to the Suggested Journals?

Yes, it can be worth submitting to the suggested journals, but only after a careful journal fit assessment.

A suggested journal may be worth considering when:

• The rejection was mainly due to scope mismatch.
• The manuscript received positive reviewer comments.
• The editor mentioned that the paper may suit another journal.
• The suggested journal is indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ABDC, ABS, or your field’s recognized list.
• The journal publishes similar articles.
• The aims and scope match your research question, theory, method, and audience.
• The article processing charge fits your budget.
• The journal has transparent peer review and publication policies.
• The transfer can save time by moving files and reviewer comments.

However, the suggested journal may not be worth it when:

• The journal is outside your target ranking requirement.
• The journal has weak indexing.
• The scope only loosely matches your topic.
• The open access fee is too high.
• The journal has poor visibility among your target academic community.
• The previous reviewer comments show major theoretical or methodological weaknesses.
• The suggested journal looks like a downgrade that may not support your PhD or career goals.

In short, the editor’s suggestion is useful, but your decision must be strategic.

Suggested Journal vs Fresh Submission: What Should a Researcher Choose?

A transfer option can save time. Taylor & Francis notes that article transfers allow authors to submit to a suggested journal for consideration or submit elsewhere. Emerald explains that files and reviews may be transferred automatically. Springer Nature highlights that transfer services may reduce resubmission effort and save time. (Author Services)

Still, speed should not be your only criterion. A fast submission to a weak-fit journal may produce another rejection. A carefully revised fresh submission to a stronger-fit journal may produce a better outcome.

Choose the suggested journal when the fit is strong and the journal meets your academic objectives. Choose a fresh submission when another journal outside the suggested list offers better ranking, indexing, readership, or thematic alignment.

For PhD scholars, this decision also depends on university requirements. Some universities require publications in Scopus, Web of Science, ABDC, ABS, PubMed, UGC-CARE, or discipline-specific lists. Before accepting a transfer, verify whether the suggested journal satisfies your institutional criteria.

Why A* Journals Reject Good Papers

A rejection from an A* journal does not always mean your paper is weak. It may mean the journal had limited space, high competition, or a different editorial priority.

Common reasons include:

• The contribution is too narrow for the journal.
• The theory is underdeveloped.
• The research gap is not convincing.
• The method lacks clarity.
• The data are limited.
• The discussion does not show strong implications.
• The paper does not engage enough with the journal’s recent literature.
• The manuscript does not match the journal’s audience.
• The paper is good but not novel enough for an A* outlet.

The APA’s reviewer guidance emphasizes that recommendations should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the science rather than personal factors. That principle matters because a rejection is an editorial judgment about fit, evidence, and contribution. It is not a judgment on your worth as a scholar. (American Psychological Association)

How to Evaluate Suggested Journals After Rejection

Check the Journal’s Aims and Scope

Read the aims and scope carefully. Do not rely only on the title. A journal may look relevant but publish a very specific type of work.

Ask:

• Does the journal publish your methodology?
• Does it accept your article type?
• Does it publish your theory area?
• Does it welcome your region, sector, or sample type?
• Does it publish conceptual, empirical, review, or mixed-method papers?

If your paper is about AI in personal finance, for example, a finance journal, information systems journal, consumer behavior journal, fintech journal, or digital banking journal may all look relevant. Yet each journal will expect a different framing.

Review Recently Published Articles

Check the last two years of articles. Look for papers similar to yours in topic, theory, method, and contribution. This is one of the strongest indicators of fit.

If the journal has published similar work, your manuscript may have a realistic chance. If not, you may need to reframe the paper or choose another outlet.

Verify Indexing and Ranking

Use trusted databases. Clarivate’s Master Journal List helps authors check Web of Science coverage. Journal Citation Reports provides journal evaluation indicators, including the Journal Impact Factor and category information. (Web of Science Master Journal List)

Also check Scopus, ABDC, ABS, PubMed, DOAJ, or your university’s approved list when relevant. Do not trust only claims on a journal homepage.

Examine Peer Review Transparency

A credible journal clearly states:

• Editorial board details
• Peer review process
• Publication ethics policy
• Fees
• Indexing
• Copyright terms
• Retraction policy
• Contact information

COPE’s Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing emphasize truthful, transparent publishing information. This is especially important when researchers evaluate unfamiliar journals after rejection. (Publication Ethics)

Assess the Article Processing Charge

Open access fees can create pressure, especially for self-funded PhD students. Do not accept a transfer before checking the fee. Some suggested journals may be gold open access journals with substantial article processing charges.

A lower-ranked journal with a high fee may not be the best investment. Compare cost, indexing, audience, and publication value before deciding.

Study the Rejection Letter

The rejection letter contains strategic information. If the editor says “not suitable for this journal,” your paper may be publishable elsewhere with moderate revision. If reviewers identify serious conceptual or methodological problems, you need deeper revision before any resubmission.

A transfer should never become a shortcut around necessary revision.

A Practical Decision Framework for PhD Scholars

Use this five-step framework before accepting a suggested journal.

Step 1: Diagnose the Rejection

Was it a desk rejection, post-review rejection, or rejection after revision?

A desk rejection usually signals scope, novelty, formatting, or editorial fit concerns. A post-review rejection gives richer feedback. A rejection after revision may indicate deeper disagreement about contribution or evidence.

Step 2: Classify Reviewer Feedback

Divide comments into three groups:

• Must-fix issues
• Strategic improvements
• Optional refinements

Must-fix issues include unclear research questions, weak theoretical contribution, poor method justification, missing robustness checks, and incomplete literature positioning.

Step 3: Score Each Suggested Journal

Create a simple journal fit score.

Rate each journal from 1 to 5 on:

• Scope match
• Indexing
• Ranking
• Audience fit
• Acceptance probability
• Review timeline
• Publication cost
• Ethical transparency
• Relevance to your PhD or career goals

A journal scoring below 30 out of 45 may not be worth the transfer.

Step 4: Revise Before Resubmission

Do not submit the same file immediately unless the rejection was purely scope-related and the manuscript received no critical feedback.

Revise the title, abstract, introduction, literature review, contribution statement, methodology, discussion, and formatting for the new journal.

Step 5: Prepare a New Cover Letter

Your cover letter should explain why the manuscript fits the new journal. It should not mention the previous rejection unless the transfer system requires it.

Example: When Suggested Journals Are Worth It

Imagine a PhD scholar submits a paper on digital banking trust to an A* information systems journal. The journal rejects it after peer review. Reviewers praise the topic and data but argue that the theoretical contribution is too applied for the journal. The editor suggests two journals in digital finance and service research.

In this case, the suggested journals may be worth considering. The paper has scholarly merit, but the original journal may not be the best audience. The author should revise the introduction, strengthen the service or finance framing, and submit to the better-fit suggested journal.

Example: When Suggested Journals Are Not Worth It

Now imagine a researcher submits a management paper to an A* journal. The editor rejects it and suggests a broad open access journal with high publication fees. The suggested journal has weak indexing and rarely publishes work in the researcher’s exact field.

In this case, the suggestion may be less useful. The author should conduct a fresh journal search, compare alternatives, and avoid making a quick emotional decision.

How ContentXprtz Helps After Journal Rejection

After rejection, many authors do not need only proofreading. They need strategic academic support. That includes reviewer comment analysis, journal fit assessment, manuscript restructuring, academic editing, formatting, cover letter development, and ethical publication guidance.

ContentXprtz supports students, PhD scholars, researchers, universities, and professionals through expert-led academic editing, proofreading, manuscript refinement, dissertation support, and publication assistance. Since 2010, ContentXprtz has worked with researchers in more than 110 countries, with virtual offices in India, Australia, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, London, and New Jersey.

Researchers seeking structured PhD thesis help can use professional support to diagnose rejection reasons and prepare a stronger resubmission. Authors who need manuscript refinement can explore academic editing services. Students requiring broader academic guidance can review student writing support. Researchers developing long-form scholarly works can also explore book authors writing services, while professionals and institutions can benefit from corporate writing services.

What You Should Not Do After an A* Journal Rejection

Do not submit the same manuscript blindly. Even if the editor suggests another journal, you should revise the paper. The new journal may have a different scope, format, word limit, citation style, and theoretical expectation.

Do not assume the suggested journal guarantees acceptance. Transfer systems reduce effort, but they do not remove peer review.

Do not ignore reviewer feedback. Even harsh feedback may contain valuable direction.

Do not chase only impact factor. A journal with the right audience may serve your academic goals better than a higher-ranking journal with weak fit.

Do not submit to suspicious journals. Always verify transparency, indexing, editorial board, and ethics policies.

Expert Tips for Resubmitting After Rejection

Use the rejection as data. A rejection letter is not only a decision. It is also a diagnostic document.

Rewrite your abstract for the new journal. The abstract should signal fit immediately.

Strengthen your contribution paragraph. Editors want to know what your paper adds to the field.

Align your references with the target journal. Cite relevant recent papers from the journal when academically appropriate.

Revise the cover letter. Show why the paper belongs in the journal.

Check formatting before submission. Small errors can create a weak first impression.

Use ethical research paper assistance. Professional support should improve clarity, structure, and compliance. It should not fabricate data, manipulate citations, or guarantee acceptance.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My paper got rejected recently by an A* Journal and the editors suggested other journals to submit the same paper to, is it worth submitting to these suggested journals or it’s just some sort of being polite?

It can be worth submitting to the suggested journals, but you should not treat the recommendation as automatic approval. In many cases, editors suggest other journals because they believe your manuscript may fit a different audience, scope, or impact level. Large publishers also use structured transfer systems that help authors move manuscripts from one journal to another. Therefore, the suggestion may reflect a real editorial pathway rather than simple politeness.

However, you must still evaluate the journal. Check its scope, indexing, ranking, editorial board, publication fees, peer review model, and recent articles. Also compare the suggested journal with other independent options. If the suggested journal is indexed, credible, relevant, and aligned with your academic goals, it may save time. If it is poorly aligned or too costly, you should look elsewhere.

The safest approach is to revise the manuscript before resubmission. Even when the transfer system moves your files, the new journal has its own standards. A revised manuscript shows professionalism and increases your chance of success.

2. Does a journal transfer increase the chance of acceptance?

A journal transfer may improve your chance if the suggested journal is a better fit. It can also save administrative time because some systems transfer files, reviewer comments, and submission details. Emerald notes that author accounts, files, and reviews may be transferred automatically through its manuscript transfer service. Taylor & Francis also explains that authors can submit to a suggested journal or choose another outlet. (Emerald Publishing)

Yet a transfer does not guarantee acceptance. The receiving journal may still conduct editorial screening, peer review, plagiarism checks, ethics checks, and formatting checks. If the manuscript has unresolved weaknesses, it can still be rejected.

Your acceptance chance depends on fit, quality, contribution, method, writing clarity, and response to earlier feedback. If the original rejection was mainly due to scope, a transfer may be helpful. If the rejection was due to serious methodological flaws, you need substantial revision first.

Think of the transfer as an opportunity, not a promise. Use it wisely.

3. Should I revise my paper before submitting to the suggested journal?

Yes, in most cases, you should revise your paper before submitting to the suggested journal. A common mistake is to accept the transfer immediately without improving the manuscript. This can result in another rejection because the same weaknesses remain.

Start by reading the rejection letter carefully. Identify whether the editor raised issues about scope, novelty, theory, data, method, writing, or formatting. Then revise the manuscript for the new journal’s aims and scope.

You should also update the abstract, keywords, introduction, contribution statement, literature review, and conclusion. The new journal may have different expectations. For example, a management journal may expect stronger theoretical framing, while an applied education journal may value practical implications.

If reviewers gave comments, use them. Even if the paper was rejected, reviewer feedback can improve your next submission. A strong revision signals that you respect peer review and understand scholarly standards.

Professional academic editing can also help. Editors can improve structure, coherence, grammar, argument flow, and journal alignment.

4. How do I know whether the suggested journal is reputable?

A reputable journal is transparent, indexed, peer reviewed, and academically recognized. Start by checking the journal’s official website. Look for clear information about aims and scope, editorial board, peer review process, fees, ethics policy, indexing, publisher details, and contact information.

Then verify indexing through independent databases. For Web of Science coverage, use Clarivate’s Master Journal List. For impact and category data, use Journal Citation Reports when available. Clarivate states that the 2025 Journal Citation Reports includes more than 22,000 journals across 254 research categories. (Web of Science Master Journal List)

You should also check whether the journal follows recognized publication ethics standards. COPE’s transparency principles are useful when assessing whether a journal presents truthful, clear, and non-misleading information. (Publication Ethics)

Finally, review recent articles. If the journal publishes rigorous work in your field, has credible authors, and attracts citations, it may be suitable. If the website looks vague, promises fast acceptance, or hides fees, avoid it.

5. Is it better to submit to a lower-ranked suggested journal or try another A* journal?

It depends on your goals, timeline, and manuscript strength. If your paper received strong reviews and the rejection was mainly about fit, you may try another high-ranked journal after revision. However, if the reviewers questioned the contribution, theory, or methodology, another A* journal may reject it for similar reasons.

A lower-ranked suggested journal can be a smart choice when it has excellent topical fit, strong indexing, and the right readership. Publication strategy is not only about rank. It is also about audience, credibility, speed, and career value.

For PhD scholars, the decision should align with institutional requirements. If your university requires Scopus or Web of Science indexing, the suggested journal must meet that requirement. If you need ABDC or ABS ranking, verify it before submitting.

Do not downgrade too quickly because of disappointment. Also, do not chase prestige blindly. The best journal is the one where your paper can make a meaningful scholarly contribution and satisfy your academic objectives.

6. Can I submit the same paper to another journal without changes?

You can submit the same research to another journal after rejection, but you should not submit the same unchanged manuscript unless the rejection was purely administrative or scope-related. Most manuscripts improve after rejection. Reviewer comments, editor notes, and your own reflection can help you strengthen the paper.

Before resubmission, adapt the manuscript to the new journal. Adjust the title, abstract, introduction, literature framing, citation style, tables, figures, word count, and author guidelines. Also check whether the new journal requires a specific reporting checklist, data availability statement, conflict of interest statement, or ethics approval note.

Submitting the same unchanged manuscript may waste time. Editors often detect poor fit quickly. A revised version gives your paper a better chance.

Ethically, you must not submit the manuscript to more than one journal at the same time. Submit to one journal, wait for a decision, and then proceed. Simultaneous submission violates standard publication ethics.

7. What should I write in the cover letter after rejection?

Your cover letter should focus on the new journal, not the old rejection. Begin with a concise statement of your article title, research problem, method, and contribution. Then explain why the manuscript fits the journal’s aims and readership.

Avoid emotional language. Do not write that another journal rejected the paper unless the transfer system requires disclosure. Instead, present the paper as a carefully prepared submission for the target journal.

A strong cover letter should include:

• The manuscript title
• The article type
• The research gap
• The core contribution
• The reason for journal fit
• Ethical declarations
• Confirmation that the manuscript is not under review elsewhere

If you received reviewer feedback from the previous journal and made improvements, you may briefly mention that the manuscript has been revised for clarity, contribution, and journal alignment. Keep the tone professional.

A good cover letter cannot save a weak manuscript, but it can help editors understand your paper’s relevance quickly.

8. Are suggested journals sometimes part of a publisher’s business strategy?

Yes, suggested journals can be part of a publisher’s broader journal portfolio strategy. Publishers invest in transfer systems because they want good manuscripts to find a suitable home within their portfolio. This can benefit authors by saving time, but it also benefits publishers by retaining submissions.

This does not automatically make the suggestion unreliable. Elsevier, Springer Nature, Emerald, and Taylor & Francis all describe manuscript transfer or cascade systems as pathways to help authors find suitable journals after rejection. (www.elsevier.com)

Still, researchers should remain independent. A publisher’s suggested journal may be credible, but another publisher may offer a stronger fit. Your responsibility is to compare options. Look at indexing, ranking, cost, audience, review timeline, and relevance.

The best decision balances convenience with academic strategy. Do not reject a suggested journal only because it comes from the same publisher. Do not accept it only because it seems easy.

9. How can professional academic editing help after journal rejection?

Professional academic editing can help you turn rejection feedback into a stronger manuscript. Many authors focus only on grammar after rejection, but journal rejection often involves deeper issues. These may include unclear contribution, weak argument flow, insufficient literature positioning, inconsistent methodology, or poor discussion of implications.

A strong academic editor can help restructure the introduction, clarify the research gap, strengthen the theoretical framework, improve transitions, refine the methodology section, and align the manuscript with the target journal. Publication consultants can also help assess journal fit, prepare response documents, and identify ethical publication pathways.

However, academic support must remain ethical. Editors should not fabricate data, invent citations, manipulate results, or promise guaranteed acceptance. Their role is to improve clarity, compliance, and scholarly presentation.

ContentXprtz focuses on ethical academic assistance. Its services support authors in making their research clearer, stronger, and more publication-ready while respecting academic integrity.

10. What is the best next step if my A* journal paper was rejected?

The best next step is to pause, diagnose, revise, and then resubmit strategically. Do not react emotionally. Rejection from an A* journal is common, and many strong papers reach publication after one or more rejections.

First, read the decision letter twice. Separate emotional reaction from academic information. Second, classify the rejection reason. Was it scope, novelty, theory, method, writing, formatting, or data? Third, evaluate the suggested journals using a structured checklist. Fourth, compare those journals with independent alternatives. Fifth, revise the manuscript before resubmission.

If the suggested journal is credible, indexed, affordable, and well aligned, it may be worth submitting. If not, choose a better-fit journal. Your goal is not simply to publish somewhere. Your goal is to publish in a journal that strengthens your academic profile and reaches the right readers.

For PhD scholars, this process can feel overwhelming. Professional PhD support can provide clarity, structure, and confidence during resubmission.

Final Checklist Before Accepting a Suggested Journal

Before you accept the transfer, confirm the following:

• The journal matches your research topic.
• The journal publishes your methodology.
• The journal is indexed where you need it.
• The journal has transparent peer review.
• The publication fee is acceptable.
• The editorial board is credible.
• Recent articles are relevant.
• The timeline fits your academic goals.
• You have revised the manuscript.
• You have prepared a tailored cover letter.

If most answers are yes, the suggested journal may be a strong next step. If several answers are no, pause and search again.

Conclusion: A Suggested Journal Is a Lead, Not a Guarantee

When you ask, *“My paper got rejected recently by an A Journal and the editors suggested other journals to submit the same paper to, is it worth submitting to these suggested journals or it’s just some sort of being polite?”**, the most accurate answer is this: it may be worth it, but only after careful evaluation.

A suggested journal is not always empty politeness. Many publishers now use formal article transfer systems to help authors find a better journal fit. These systems can save time and reduce resubmission effort. However, they do not guarantee acceptance. They also do not replace your responsibility to evaluate scope, indexing, ranking, ethics, fees, and audience.

For PhD scholars and academic researchers, rejection should become a strategic turning point. Read the decision letter carefully. Learn from reviewer comments. Compare suggested journals with independent options. Revise the manuscript with purpose. Then submit where your paper has the strongest scholarly fit.

ContentXprtz helps researchers move from rejection to readiness through ethical academic editing, proofreading, PhD support, manuscript refinement, journal selection guidance, and publication assistance. If your paper has been rejected and you are unsure where to submit next, explore ContentXprtz’s PhD and academic assistance services and take your next publication step with clarity.

At ContentXprtz, we don’t just edit, we help your ideas reach their fullest potential.