Top 10 Reasons for Journal Desk Rejection (and How to Avoid Them)

Academic Integrity Journal Publication Peer Review Research Glossary

"Desk Rejection" occurs when a journal editor rejects your manuscript without sending it for peer review. For many researchers, this is a major setback. At GRIT, we analyze thousands of manuscripts to identify the red flags that trigger these rejections.

Common Causes of Desk Rejection

1. Out of Scope

The most common reason. If your paper doesn't align with the journal's "Aims and Scope," it will be rejected instantly. Always check the journal homepage before submitting.

2. Poor Language and Formatting

If an editor struggles to understand your abstract due to grammatical errors, they will assume the science is also flawed. Our Professional Editing Service is designed to solve this.

3. High Similarity (Plagiarism)

Journals use Crossref Similarity Check (Turnitin). If your similarity index is above 15-20%, it's an automatic rejection.

4. Lack of Novelty

If your study just repeats what is already known without a new "Research Gap," editors won't find it "Impactful" enough for their journal.

The GRIT "Pre-Submission Peer Review"

Don't risk months of waiting just to get a desk rejection. Our PhD experts act as "Internal Reviewers" to audit your paper before you submit it to Scopus-indexed journals.

Get a Manuscript Audit →