<p>Selecting the most appropriate journal for manuscript submission is more complicated and increasingly important for researchers. However, the mechanism underlying the decision-making process of journal selection is not completely understood. This study applied grounded theory to explore the factors affecting journal choice and their effects on submission intention. We collected heterogeneous materials from various data sources including 23 semi-structured interviews with researchers and 69 posts related to manuscript submission behavior in online communities. Through iterative coding, 75 concepts, 26 subcategories, and seven categories of factors emerged, highlighting the effects of relevance, submission value, associative processing mode, and contextual factors. Based on these factors, we developed a model of researchers’ submission decision behavior, showing that: relevance and submission value positively affected submission intention, which was moderated by the risk appetite of researchers and their psychological distance from the journal; and contextual factors had multiple effects on the entire decision process. These findings contribute to extant knowledge by illustrating the mechanisms of researchers’ submission decision behavior, extending relevance theory, and defining submission value. This study also provides insights into improving journal evaluation systems and publishing services.</p>