Predatory Publishing

Predatory publishing is an exploitative business model where some open access publishers charge authors fees without providing the essential editorial and peer review services associated with legitimate journals. These publishers prioritize profit over scholarly integrity, using deceptive practices to attract submissions from unsuspecting researchers. Since the published research is not put through rigorous peer review and strict editorial control, it can lead to the publication of unreliable, low-quality or even fraudulent research.

The rise of predatory publishing emerged alongside the growth of the open access publishing movement, which aims to make scholarly research freely available online without any financial or legal barriers. While the intent of open access is to increase the dissemination and impact of research findings, some publishers have capitalized on the author-pays model by collecting fees without adding scholarly value through proper editorial oversight.

Publications from predatory journals often lack the credibility mechanisms like rigorous peer review, ethical oversight, digital preservation, and indexing that are standard at legitimate publishers. As a result, the research contained in these journals may be inadequately vetted, containing anything from rigorous studies to pseudo-science. Jeffrey Beall, a university librarian, created one of the earliest lists to identify potentially predatory publishers and journals displaying characteristics like aggressive email solicitation and minimal quality control standards.

Publishing in predatory journals can pose risks for researchers by failing to deliver the credibility and visibility benefits of publishing in established, reputable venues. Works published in predatory outlets may not be accepted for tenure, promotion, or other evaluations at universities and funders that prioritize publishing channels with high quality control standards. Additionally, citations to works in predatory journals may be discounted or disregarded in certain scholarly metrics and applications.

In summary, predatory publishing is a pervasive problem that exploits the open-access model for financial gain at the expense of scholarly integrity. It compromises the quality and credibility of academic work, harms researchers' careers, and erodes public trust in scientific findings. Awareness and vigilance are crucial in identifying and avoiding these deceptive practices to maintain the integrity of scholarly communication. This guide offers instructions, checklists, and tools to help you identify predatory publishers and ensure you choose the reputable ones.