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Scholarly Publishing : Predatory Publishers

This guide points users to information on academic publishing, covering topics such as measuring journal impact and quality, the peer review process, selecting the appropriate journal for publication, and more.

What is predatory publishing?

Predatory or deceptive publishing involves publishers exploiting authors by charging fees for publication but failing to provide promised editorial and publishing services, like peer review, typical of legitimate publishers. These publishers often target researchers needing publications for academic appointments, promotions, or tenure.

Why does predatory publishing exist?

Predatory publishing came out of the emergence of online publishing, especially open access (OA). In the OA publishing business model, authors are charged fees for publication. This business model is not the problem. Many legitimate and prestigious publishers/journals run the business model successfully.  What is problematic is that the predatory journals or publishers exist solely for collecting the funds (Article Publication Charges-APCs) without any commitment to publication ethics or integrity (text from guide on Predatory Publishing at Princeton).

Why You Should Avoid Predatory Publishers

  • Your work may undergo subpar peer review.
  •  Your work might disappear if the publisher shuts down.
  • Predatory journals usually aren't indexed in academic databases, reducing your work's readership and impact.
  • They might publish plagiarized or fabricated content.
  •  Being associated with such journals can damage your reputation, along with that of your institution or field.

Why Authors Fall for Predatory Journals:

Authors may unwittingly publish in predatory journals due to:

  •  Unfamiliarity with the journal's field.
  • Being new to research or publishing.
  • Pressure to publish for academic advancement.
  • Urgency to publish quickly.

Signs of Predatory Publishing

  • Mimicry of other respected journals, such as a similar name.
  • Incorrect use of a proper ISSN.
  • Fake editorial boards, either incorrectly listing an academic board member or listing one with fake credentials.
  • Accepting articles quickly without signs of peer review or quality control.
  • Notification of fees after a paper is accepted.
  • Not indexed in a well-established database.
  • Journal uses poor language.
  • Rapid publication is promised.
  • The journal does not have clear policies on retraction, corrections/errata, or plagiarism.
  • Description of the manuscript handling process is lacking.
  • Manuscripts are requested to be submitted by email instead of through an online submission system.
  • Journals claiming to be open access either retain copyright of published research or fail to mention copyright.
  • Article processing and/or publication charge is very low (e.g. < $150).
  •  Information on whether and how journal content will be archived and preserved is absent.
  • Scope of journal is not clear.
  • Website contains spelling and grammatical errors.

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