Case Study
Sustainability Research Published in an SCI Q2 Environmental Journal
How a cross-disciplinary approach was positioned for publication in a leading environmental science journal.
Journal
Journal of Cleaner Production / Energy Policy
Domain
Environmental Science / Sustainability
The Researcher's Starting Point
An international researcher working on renewable energy policy had a manuscript combining technical analysis with policy recommendations. The cross-disciplinary nature made journal selection difficult — engineering journals found it too policy-focused, while policy journals found it too technical.
Challenges Identified
Key Issues
- Cross-disciplinary framing confused journal editors
- No clear positioning — was it an engineering paper or a policy paper?
- Literature review mixed energy engineering and policy literature without clear structure
- No theoretical framework grounding the policy recommendations
How We Supported the Manuscript
Research Ramp's Role
- Positioning Strategy: Framed the paper as a policy paper informed by technical analysis (not vice versa)
- Literature Restructuring: Separated the review into technical context and policy gap sections
- Theoretical Framework: Introduced a policy adoption framework to ground the recommendations
- Journal Identification: Targeted journals that specifically welcome policy-technical intersections
- Special Issue Targeting: Identified an open special issue on energy transition policy — faster review
Publication Timeline
Month 1
Repositioning from engineering to policy framing
Month 2
Literature and framework restructuring
Month 2.5
Submitted to special issue
Month 4
Minor revisions received
Month 4.5
Revision submitted
Outcome
Result
Paper accepted in Journal of Cleaner Production / Energy Policy (SCI Q2) within ~5 Months.
Academic Integrity Disclaimer
- The researcher maintained full intellectual ownership throughout the process
- Research Ramp's role was limited to strategic publication guidance and editorial support
- All data collection, analysis, and core research decisions were made by the researcher
- Client details are anonymised to protect confidentiality
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This case study describes Research Ramp's editorial and strategic publication support process. All client details have been anonymised. Research Ramp does not claim authorship of any published work. The researcher retains full intellectual ownership.