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Gibson D. Lewis Library Libguides

Predatory Publishing

Predatory Publishing Red Flags

There are many warning signs that you can use to come to your own conclusions about the reliability of the publication. These can include, but are not limited to:

Graphic of paper with checkmarksStandards

  • Does the publication follow normally accepted standards of scholarly publishing?
  • Does the time between submission and publication look too good to be true? If so, they might be bypassing peer review.

Graphic of pencil writing on paperEditorial Board

  • Does the journal list editorial board members, including names and affiliations?
  • Are they well-known experts in the field? Consider contacting them to be sure they are actually on the editorial board.

Graphic of map locationOwnership and Management

  • Does the journal's website include information that clearly identifies the owner?
  • Is their contact information listed?
  • Try searching the address in Google Maps - does it look like a legitimate business?

Graphic of person giving reviewPeer Review

  • Is most of the journal's content peer-reviewed?
  • Are the criteria for peer review described clearly and thoroughly on the journal's website?

Author FeesGraphic of dollar sign

  • Is information about fees available and easy to locate prior to submitting articles for publication?
  • Are the author fees exorbitant? Excessive author fees could be a sign of a predatory publisher.

Graphic of briefcaseProfessionalism

  • Does the journal website look professional? Are there spelling or grammar mistakes?
  • If invited to publish by email, does the email make sense or does it have obvious errors?
  • Was the invitation clearly a form email?

 

Examples and Library Support

Examples and Library Support

One of the first signs that a journal may be predatory or hijacked is receiving an unsolicited email asking you to submit your research. Often, these emails begin with Dear Professor, Esteemed researcher, or similarly vague salutations.  The email then often provides accolades for your previous publications.  And very often, the email will mention research in areas outside of your research focus or area of expertise. Return email addresses are normally generic Gmail or Yahoo domain-specific, rather than attached to the journal, and may not match the signature on the email.  All of these are red flags and mean that the journal warrants further investigation before you consider publishing.  An example of a predatory solicitation can be seen below.

Lewis Library offers access to Cabell's Directories and LibKey to help HSC faculty, staff, and students identify potentially predatory/problematic/hijacked journals.  Cabell's provides a report that identifies problematic publishing practices and LibKey works in tandem to provide warnings during internet searches and within our library catalog.  You must have downloaded the LibKey Nomad browser extension to take advantage of these services.  

Examples or a predatory report and warnings can be seen below.

 

Screenshot depicting a predatory notification for the journal Gorteria

 

When you click on the online warning, you will be taken to the full report page seen below.

 

Please contact Lewis Library for help identifying potentially predatory or hijacked journals.