What are predatory journals/publishers?
Many publishers ask a fee (article processing charges) to make a publication open access available on their website.
Some publishers abuse this model: they charge for publication without having the necessary quality assurance in place. For instance, these ‘predatory’ publishers and journals do not organize or carry out peer review, suddenly ask for higher fees than what was originally agreed upon, or do not publish some articles at all despite payment.
Researchers are spammed daily with mails from predatory publishers that are using subtle misleading techniques. For example journal titles are mentioned that are, except from a few words, exactly the same as those from wellknown and high profile journals.
Check the videoclips on predatory publishing!
How to avoid predatory publications?
It's important to be careful when choosing a journal. Following tools can help to decide whether a journal is reliable or not:
- ThinkCheckSubmit is a website offering checklists where you can go through in order to determine the reliability of a journal
- Cabell’s Journal Blacklist is a list of predatory journals
- The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) is a list of reliable open access journals. Only journals are added to the list if they meet certain quality criteria.
More information is available on the pintra webpages (log-in required) of the department of research affairs and innovation.
Videoclips about predatory open access publishers
Raf Guns from the department of research affairs and innovation explains in short videoclips what you should know about predatory open access publishers.
