Predatory Journals and Publishers

1

Spam eMails

If you receive unsolicited eMails inviting you to submit articles, conference papers or to be an editor of a journal from a source you don’t know it’s safe to assume you are being spammed by a predatory journal or publisher. You can mark their eMails as Junk.

2

Fake metrics

If the journal has a fake Impact Factor. Real Impact Factors are published in the Journal Citation Reports.  Any journal that claims an impact factor that is false, has calculated its own spurious impact factor or similar sounding metric, or is using one of many fake metrics is predatory. 

3

Poor English

Predatory journal websites are typically poorly written with grammatical and spelling mistakes.  They may copy and paste text from legitimate journals that is at odds with the surrounding text.

4

Very short peer review times

Predatory journals offer very short peer review times.  If the review time is in hours, days or a few weeks then the journal is likely to be predatory.  Even more caution should be exercised if the short peer review time is the main marketing message of the website.

5

Extravagant claims and improbable titles

If the journal makes extravagant claims for content, typically covering many or all disciplines then look more closely.  This is usually accompanied by the use of the words, international, global or multidisciplinary in the title.  Predatory journals will also choose titles that are very similar to legitimate journals to deceive authors.  If the title sounds familiar check to make sure the journal is the one you think it is.

6

Misleading addresses

Predatory journals like to pretend they are based in Europe or the United States, but are often located elsewhere.  If the postal address is a PO Box, or if you have any reason to suspect the journal, Google the address on Google Earth.  If you end up at a private house or an out of town industrial estate, this is just a forwarding address and the journal is probably predatory.

7

Claims to be indexed in major databases

If a journal claims to be indexed in a major database such as Scopus then check that this claim is true.  If it is false the journal is likely to be predatory. Any journal that claims to be indexed by Google or Google Scholar is probably suspect.

8

Fake Editors

Predatory journals use named editors to attract authors and to boost their credibility.  Quite often they do this fraudulently.  If an academic is claimed as editor check that they are actually the editor. If for an international or Global (See Point 5) journal all or the majority of editors are from one country the journal may be predatory.

9

Opaque charging policy

Predatory journals have an interest in revealing as little specific information about their activities as possible.  If you find it hard to find basic information about charges or their peer review process, look more closely.

10

Missing Policies and procedures

If the journal offers no policies or procedures for Peer Review, Editorial, Appeals or Retractions or no policies at all then it may be predatory.