Predatory Publishing

Imagine receiving an email from a journal offering to publish your research quickly, affordably, and with minimal hassle. It sounds ideal, but it could be a trap. Predatory journals exploit researchers by mimicking legitimate publications while ignoring academic standards.

Publishing in such journals can damage your reputation, waste your resources, and compromise scholarly communication. This guide will help you:

• Understand what predatory journals are and why they are harmful.
• Identify their key characteristics and avoid their traps.
• Find legitimate and trustworthy journals for your research.

Source: Evaluating Scholarly Journals infographic from FrontMatter by Allen Press / CC BY ND NC 3.0

Definition

Predatory journals are exploitative publishers that prioritise profit over academic quality. They publish plagiarised, substandard, or fake research without proper peer review. Key characteristics include:

• False claims about indexing or impact factors.
• Lack of transparency in editorial processes.
• Aggressive and misleading email solicitations.

Learn more about predatory journals.

Why It Matters

Publishing in predatory journals can lead to:

• Reputational damage: Your work and credibility may be questioned.
• Wasted funds: Publication fees are often hidden or exorbitant.
• Limited visibility: Predatory journals are not indexed in reputable databases like Scopus or PubMed.
• Ethical risks: Your work may be reused, plagiarised, or manipulated

Source: Sage 2023: What are predatory journals and how do I avoid them?

Reliable Resources for Identifying Legitimate Scholarly Publishing and Conferences

The table below provides reliable resources to identify legitimate journals, books, chapters, and conferences. These tools and organisations ensure compliance with ethical publishing standards and help researchers avoid predatory practices.

Footnotes

1. DOAJ: While focused on journals, publishers listed here may also handle books and chapters ethically.
2. COPE: Ethical principles outlined by COPE are applicable to all scholarly outputs, including books, chapters, and conference proceedings.
3. OASPA: OASPA membership ensures adherence to ethical standards across journals, books, and chapters.
4. Scopus: Includes conference proceedings indexing, helping identify legitimate academic conferences.

Researchers especially early-career scholars may fall prey to predatory journals for several reasons:

1. Pressure to Publish: Many institutions require frequent publications for career advancement.
2. Lack of Awareness: Predatory journals exploit researchers unfamiliar with legitimate publishing standards.
3. Deceptive Tactics: Misleading emails, fake impact factors, and fabricated editorial boards create a false sense of legitimacy.
4. Time Constraints: Predatory journals promise fast publication, appealing to those facing deadlines.

Publishing in predatory journals has significant consequences, including:

1. Loss of Credibility: Your work may be dismissed by peers and institutions.
2. Limited Academic Reach: These journals are rarely indexed, making your research hard to find.
3. Financial Costs: Hidden fees and lack of return on investment.
4. Ethical Risks: Manipulation or misuse of your work.

If you discover that you’ve published in a predatory journal, consider retracting your paper and seeking institutional support.

These resources are tailored to help researchers evaluate the credibility and quality of academic journals.

1. Think. Check. Submit.

   • Description: A practical checklist to help researchers identify reputable journals and publishers.
   • Use: Evaluates editorial processes, peer review standards, and publisher credibility.
   • Access: Think. Check. Submit.

2. Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing

   • Description: A set of principles by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME for ethical publishing practices.
   • Use: Provides guidance on transparency, inclusivity, and editorial oversight.
   • Access: Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing

3. Be iNFORMed Checklist

   • Description: A step-by-step checklist developed by Duke University to assess journal and publisher quality.
   • Use: Ideal for evaluating editorial board quality, peer review transparency, and indexing.
   • Access: Be iNFORMed Checklist

4. A Guide to Identifying Predatory Journals and Publishers

   • Description: A checklist by the European Network for Academic Integrity to spot predatory journals.
   • Use: Focuses on warning signs such as unrealistic publishing promises or unverified metrics.
   • Access: A Guide to Identifying Predatory Journals and Publishers

5. Journal Evaluation Tool

   • Description: A rubric by Loyola Marymount University for scoring journal quality.
   • Use: Provides structured scoring criteria for evaluating journals.
   • Access: Journal Evaluation Tool

6. Predatory Journals Algorithm

   • Description: A resource by WAME for distinguishing predatory journals from legitimate ones.
   • Use: A critical tool for avoiding predatory publishing traps.
   • Access: Predatory Journals Algorithm