Research Publication in Mainstream Journals: Global Patterns, Determinants, and Strategies for Success

A literature review on research publication in mainstream journals was carried out in this paper, focusing on global patterns, determinants, and strategies in contemporary scholarship (2015–2025). The authors synthesized evidence on cross-regional and cross-disciplinary differences in mainstream journal publication and examined personal, institutional, and systemic factors that influence publishing outcomes. Key factors influencing research publication in mainstream journals include collaboration, research self-efficacy, and persistence, while common barriers include limited and unevenly distributed funding, language restrictions, high publication costs, and weak research environments. Furthermore, strategies to strengthen publication outcomes at individual and institutional levels are discussed, with particular attention to settings where structural constraints limit access to global scholarly communication. The authors argue that improved access to reputable journals is essential for visibility, scholarly impact, and fairness in international academic publishing and call for research and policy interventions that address historically rooted inequalities rather than only their recent expressions.