Can You Submit a Paper to Two Journals at Once? What to Do Instead

Direct Answer

No. You generally should not submit the same manuscript to two journals simultaneously. Major publishing guidance treats concurrent submission as unacceptable because it wastes editorial and reviewer resources and can create conflicting publication rights. Submit to one journal, wait for a formal decision, and then submit elsewhere. If you made a duplicate submission accidentally, tell both editors immediately and follow their instructions. icmje

What Does Simultaneous Submission Mean?

Simultaneous submission means sending the same manuscript, or substantially the same manuscript, to more than one journal while both journals are still considering it. The rule usually applies even when the journals use different publishers, languages, or submission systems.

Think of the process as giving one journal an exclusive opportunity to evaluate your manuscript. Two journals may independently assign editors, invite reviewers, request revisions, and prepare the paper for publication. Both may also believe they have the right to publish the work.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, or ICMJE, states that authors should not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time, including in different languages. icmje

The rule concerns duplicate consideration, not merely duplicate files. A revised manuscript submitted to another journal after a rejection is normally different from simultaneous submission, provided the first journal is no longer considering the work.

What Counts as the Same Paper?

Editors may consider a submission substantially overlapping when it contains:

· The same research question and dataset.

· Nearly identical results, tables, or figures.

· The same main conclusions with minor wording changes.

· A translated version submitted without full disclosure.

· A second manuscript that reproduces most of an earlier paper.

Different titles do not make duplicate work original. Paraphrasing does not solve the problem either.

Can You Submit a Paper to Two Journals at Once?

You should assume the answer is no unless both journals and their editors have explicitly agreed otherwise. The ICMJE identifies wasted peer-review work and possible disagreement over publication rights as central reasons for prohibiting the practice. icmje

Most submission systems also ask authors to confirm that the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere. That declaration creates a clear ethical problem if you knowingly submit the same paper to a second journal.

A narrow exception can exist when editors arrange joint or simultaneous publication for a legitimate reason, such as public-health communication. Authors should never create that arrangement independently. The editors must coordinate the publication, disclosures, and indexing details. icmje

Why Is Duplicate Submission a Problem?

Duplicate submission shifts unnecessary work to editors and reviewers. Two editorial teams may spend time screening and evaluating a manuscript that should have been considered by only one journal. icmje

The practice can also create conflicting outcomes. One journal might accept the article while the other requests major revisions. If both journals move toward publication, the authors may face competing copyright, licensing, and publication obligations.

Publication ethics concerns can extend beyond the journals. COPE guidance describes procedures for investigating concurrent submissions, including comparing manuscripts, contacting authors, and involving relevant institutions when appropriate. publicationethics

A blunt point: faster publication is not a good defense for misleading two editorial offices. Slow peer review is frustrating, but it does not cancel the submission agreement you made.

What Can Happen If You Submit Twice?

Consequences depend on the facts, the journal policies, and whether the problem is discovered before or after publication. Possible outcomes include:

ICMJE says authors who attempt duplicate publication without notification should expect at least prompt rejection of the submitted manuscript. icmje

COPE case guidance also shows that related manuscripts can be acceptable when they analyze genuinely different aspects of a study, disclose the relationship, cite companion work, and provide the related manuscript to the editor. publicationethics

A rejection is not automatically a punishment for misconduct. Editors may distinguish an accidental submission from deliberate concealment. Your response after discovery matters.

What Should You Do Instead?

Use a controlled journal-selection process rather than submitting everywhere at once. I recommend the following sequence.

1. Define Your Publication Priorities

Write down your priorities before choosing a journal. Common priorities include:

· Scope and readership.

· Methodological fit.

· Article type.

· Review speed.

· Open-access requirements.

· Publication charges.

· Indexing requirements.

· Acceptance of supplementary data.

· Funder or institutional requirements.

Do not rank journals only by prestige. A journal that regularly publishes work like yours may be a better target than a famous journal with poor scope fit.

2. Build a Short Journal List

Create a shortlist of three to five possible journals. Check each journal’s official author guidelines, aims and scope, publication model, fees, peer-review description, and policies on related manuscripts.

A journal finder can help you generate candidates from your title, abstract, or keywords. For example, you can find the right journal for your manuscript before checking the final candidates manually.

A journal search tool should support your judgment, not replace it. Automated matching may identify topical similarity, but it cannot fully assess editorial culture, methodological standards, or the quality of a journal’s recent articles.

3. Verify Each Candidate

Use the journal’s own website for submission requirements. Then check recognized sources where relevant.

Think. Check. Submit. recommends checking whether a journal has clear author guidelines, transparent fees, stated peer-review policies, verifiable contact information, and a trustworthy editorial structure. thinkchecksubmit

For open-access journals, verify claims through appropriate directories and publisher sources. Treat claims such as “guaranteed acceptance,” “publication within days,” or “Scopus indexed” as warning signs until independently confirmed.

4. Choose One Journal

Select the journal with the strongest overall fit. Your first choice should usually be the journal where:

· Your manuscript matches the scope.

· Similar papers appear in recent issues.

· Your methods fit the journal’s expectations.

· The article type is accepted.

· The fees and license terms are acceptable.

· Your intended readers are likely to find the paper.

Record the submission date, manuscript ID, journal contact, and current status. This simple record prevents accidental duplicate submission when several coauthors manage files.

5. Wait for a Clear Editorial Outcome

Do not submit the manuscript elsewhere while the first journal is still considering it. A decision such as “major revision,” “minor revision,” or “revise and resubmit” generally means the journal remains involved.

A rejection normally ends that journal’s consideration, but ambiguous decisions require care. If the editor says “reject and resubmit,” read the letter closely. Ask whether the journal considers the manuscript closed or expects a new submission.

COPE notes that “reject with resubmission allowed” can create confusion. Editors and authors should clarify whether the original submission remains active. publicationethics

6. Withdraw Formally When Necessary

If you decide to move the manuscript before a decision, request withdrawal through the journal’s official system or by email. Wait for written confirmation before submitting elsewhere.

Keep the withdrawal email and confirmation with your project records. If several coauthors are involved, inform everyone before making the transfer.

7. Submit to the Next Journal

After the first journal confirms withdrawal or issues a final rejection, revise the paper for the next journal. Do not simply upload the same files without considering the new journal’s format, audience, and reporting requirements.

A journal search by abstract can help you compare new candidates after rejection. You can also use a journal selection tool to identify journals that match a revised title, abstract, or keyword set.

What If the Journals Are Different?

Different journals do not make simultaneous submission acceptable. Sending the manuscript to a medical journal and an engineering journal, or to journals from different publishers, still creates duplicate editorial consideration if the work is substantially the same.

The same principle applies to different languages. ICMJE specifically includes submissions in the same or different languages in its rule against simultaneous submission. icmje

Different manuscripts from one research project can be acceptable. For example, one paper may present a primary clinical outcome, while another analyzes a separately justified methodological question. The papers must have distinct aims, limited overlap, clear cross-referencing, and transparent disclosure.

This is not permission to divide one study into the smallest possible publications. If the second paper depends heavily on the first, tell the editor.

What If You Already Submitted to Two Journals?

Act quickly. Silence usually makes the situation harder.

Confirm whether both journals still have the manuscript under consideration.

Tell all coauthors what happened.

Contact both editors promptly.

Explain the timeline accurately.

Ask one journal to withdraw the manuscript if appropriate.

Do not withdraw silently or submit a misleading explanation.

Keep copies of all correspondence.

You can write:

Dear Editor,

We recently discovered that the same manuscript was submitted to your journal and another journal during overlapping periods. This was an error, and we apologize for the duplicate submission. Please advise whether you would prefer that we formally withdraw the manuscript from your journal. We will follow your instructions and provide any information needed.

Sincerely,

[Corresponding author]

Do not claim that the issue was a technical error unless that is true. Do not ask both journals to continue reviewing while you decide which offer you prefer.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

“The Journals Probably Will Not Find Out”

Editors may compare overlapping manuscripts, and journals can use text-matching systems. More importantly, a reviewer may recognize the same manuscript, figures, dataset, or wording.

“A Journal Has Taken Too Long, So I Can Submit Elsewhere”

Delay does not equal rejection. Contact the editorial office for a status update. If the delay is unacceptable, request withdrawal and wait for confirmation.

“A Different Title Makes the Second Submission Acceptable”

Editors assess substance, not just titles. Shared data, analyses, figures, and conclusions can reveal substantial overlap.

“A Manuscript Is Safe to Submit After a Desk Rejection”

Usually, a clear rejection ends consideration. Still, check the decision letter. Some journals invite resubmission or transfer, which may mean the editorial relationship remains active.

“Two Journals Can Review It, and I Will Choose the Better

Offer”

That approach treats reviewers’ unpaid work as a private bidding process. It also creates a serious risk that both journals will believe they have publication rights.

A Deeper Development: Clearer Policies and Screening

Recent publishing guidance has focused on making concurrent-submission policies more explicit. In November 2024, COPE emphasized that journals should define simultaneous submission, duplicate publication, and redundant publication clearly in their policies. publicationethics

That development matters because vague instructions create avoidable disputes. Authors should not rely only on general assumptions. Read the target journal’s current submission declaration and related-publication policy before uploading a manuscript.

The ICMJE’s current recommendations continue to state that authors should not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously. icmje

My practical reading is simple: journal systems may change, but the ethical baseline has not. Submit once, document everything, and communicate early when circumstances change.

My Take

I would never submit the same manuscript to two journals at once. The possible time saved rarely compensates for damaged trust, extra editorial work, and the risk of formal investigation.

This advice does not apply in the same way to genuinely separate manuscripts from one project. It also does not prohibit editor-approved joint publication, translated publication with transparent permission, or companion papers with distinct aims.

The honest trade-off is slower decision-making. You may wait longer, but a clean submission history protects your authorship record and makes later journal selection easier.

What You Should Do Next

Choose one journal, verify its policy, submit your manuscript, and maintain a simple submission log. If you need another option after rejection or confirmed withdrawal, use this free journal finder to search journals by your manuscript topic. Never solve a slow review process by submitting the same paper to two journals at once. Search your manuscript topic at scientificjournalfinder.com and find your best-matched journal in seconds.