Publishing scientific articles is a responsible process that requires a lot of time, resources and attention. In addition to conducting research and presenting its results properly, an equally important stage in preparing for publication is choosing a journal. Over the past few years, the number of so-called “predatory” journals has increased significantly. In this article, we will review the phenomenon of unscrupulous journals and share tips on how to recognise them.
What are predatory journals?
Predatory journals – are unscrupulous scientific publishers that publish articles without proper peer review and adherence to academic ethics standards. The main goal of such journals is to make a profit from authors for publishing, not to promote the development of science.
Types of predatory journals
- stolen or clone journals – completely copy the style, subject, and even titles of reputable scientific journals, which are usually indexed by Scopus or Web of Science. The purpose of this imitation is to mislead scientists and researchers who want to publish their work.
- those that have lost their credibility – are publishers that used to have a significant impact in the scientific community and were indexed in Scopus or Web of Science. However, they have lost credibility in the academic community due to violations of regulations, non-compliance with peer review standards, or a decline in the quality of their publications.
- pseudo-journals – are journals created exclusively for fraudulent activities. They do not adhere to the standards of academic ethics and ignore the proper peer review process. These types of publications use high-profile titles and fake impact factors to attract the attention of researchers. Their main goal is to generate revenue from authors through publication fees.
How to recognise a predatory journal?
There are a number of signs that allow us to identify journals that are trying to mislead authors.
- Lack of transparency in peer review. The journal does not provide information about the peer review process or it is very fast and without proper verification.
- Aggressive marketing. The journals actively invite authors to publish articles by sending mass letters with offers of cooperation.
- Unrealistic promises. Offers to publish an article ‘free of charge’ or demanding payment only after the article is accepted.
- Poor quality of articles. Such publications often publish materials that do not meet scientific standards, have significant methodological or theoretical errors, and have no scientific value.
- Fake impact factors and indexing. If the journal provides false information about its impact factor or indexing in scientific databases, this is another warning signal.
- Mismatch of journal topics and publications. If a journal publishes articles on topics that do not correspond to its scientific specialisation, this may indicate that it simply collects them for profit.
How to avoid falling for the bait of unscrupulous journals?
To avoid falling into the trap of predatory journals, follow a few simple but effective tips:
1. Check the reputation of the journal
Before submitting your article, check the journal for indexing in reputable scientometric databases such as Scopus or Web of Science. This will help you understand its scientific impact.
2. Assess the peer review process
Well-known scientific journals have a transparent peer review process that involves reviewing articles by experts in a particular field. If there is no information about the peer review process or if the process is too fast, this should be a red flag.
3. Avoid aggressive invitations
Predatory journals often send out massive invitations to publish, promising quick publication for a fee. If you receive such an invitation, be careful and check the credibility of the publication.
4. Pay attention to the impact factor and indexing
Confirmation of the journal's impact factor should be available on the official website or in reputable sources. If the journal cannot confirm its figures or provides false information, this may be a sign of malpractice.
5. Assess the quality of publications
If a journal publishes low-quality articles, this should raise suspicion. Highly reputable journals publish papers that meet academic quality standards.
6. Pay attention to publication fees
The cost of publication should be clearly stated and should correspond to the level of services provided.
7. Use resources to check journals
There are specialised online resources for checking the reliability of publications. For example, the Beall's List platform contains a list of predatory journals.
8. Contact a research consulting company
Experts in the field of science will help you choose a reliable and reputable journal for publication.
Following the above tips will help you avoid unwanted risks and successfully publish your research.
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