How to recognize predatory journal?

Predatory journals

In the last decades, scholarly publishing was transformed by the development of the internet, particularly the possibility of open access publishing. It brought to rise of online journals characterized as ‘predatory’, which actively seek manuscripts and charge publications fees without providing quality peer review. However, there is no standardized definition of what a predatory journal is.

How to recognize predatory journal?

Some librarians, researches and initiatives created criteria for determining predatory journals/publishers. Here, we chose the key ones:

1.Check the website:

• description of the manuscript handling process is lacking
• rapid publication is promised
• manuscripts are requested to be submitted via email
• article processing/publication charge is very low (e.g., < $150 USD)
• misleading metrics (e.g. IndexCopernicus, Global Impact Factor, General Impact Factor, Eurasian Scientific Journal Index)
• members of the editorial board are fake scholars
• email address is non-professional and non-journal affiliated (e.g., @gmail.com or @yahoo.com)
• often the country of office and contact details is different
• often contains spelling and grammar errors and poor use of language

2. Check if the journal is on the list of DOAJ, COPE or OASPA: These associations are all reputable organisations that vet their members for adherence to publishing standards.

3. You can also use the information on the following links:

• Beall's list of potential predatory journals and publishers: https://beallslist.weebly.com/
• The international, cross-sector initiative which aims to educate researchers, promote integrity, and build trust in credible research and publications: https://thinkchecksubmit.org/
• For CEITEC MU researchers: Masaryk University Campus Library https://kuk.muni.cz/vyuka/materialy/predatori/ (only in czech) or contact me pavla.foltynova@ceitec.muni.cz