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Scholarly Publishing

Guide to scholarly publishing and author's rights.

Predatory Journals

Predatory journals exploit the open access movement by offering online content that has not been peer reviewed or edited up to standards. These journals trick scholars into paying to submit their publications, often by using fraudulent information and preying on the pressure for the scholar to publish. 

Characteristics of Predatory Journals

Common signs of a predatory journal:

  • Little evidence of peer review process
  • Quick turnover for issues 
  • Send unsolicited emails to researchers
  • Journal website does not have much information 
  • Little information about editorial board or publishing process
  • Journal scope is vague
  • Repetition of authors in issues
  • List impact factors from fraudulent organizations

Resources on Predatory Publishing

Everything you ever wanted to know about predatory publishing but were afraid to ask. Monica Berger. Introduction to OA and Predatory Journals, including recent studies and detailed characteristics of Predatory journals. 

No More 'Beall's List'  Carl Straumsheim. 

Who's afraid of Peer Review? John Bohannon. Article from 2013 describing the author's experience when he submitted several poorly research papers to suspicious open access journals. 

Retraction Watch.  Blog that lists recent retractions of scientific papers.