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Predatory Journals

This Library Guide will help you identify the Predatory journals and Publishers and related information

A predatory journal is a publication that exploits the open-access model by charging authors high fees without providing the standard editorial and publishing services associated with legitimate academic journals. These journals often engage in unethical practices, such as:

  1. Lack of Peer Review: They typically skip or perform minimal peer review, resulting in the publication of low-quality or fraudulent research.
  2. Misleading Information: They may falsely claim to have a high impact factor or reputable indexing.
  3. Aggressive Solicitation: They often aggressively solicit submissions from researchers, sometimes sending repeated emails.
  4. Hidden Fees: They might not disclose the full extent of their publication fees until the paper is accepted.
  5. Unqualified Editorial Boards: They often list scholars on their editorial boards without permission or include individuals with dubious credentials.
  6. Rapid Acceptance: They might have an unusually quick acceptance process, which is a red flag for inadequate peer review.

Researchers are advised to carefully vet journals before submitting their work, using resources like the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and Beall's List, which track and identify potentially predatory publishers.