Predatory journals are scholarly journals that are created with the sole purpose of making money. These journals do not follow the traditional peer-review process, and they often publish articles that are of poor quality. Many predatory journals are created by companies that are not affiliated with any academic institution.
In this article, we have listed the 10 signs that every academic writer should know about predatory journals.
10 Important Signs of Predatory Journals
1. The publisher’s name is similar to a well-known journal
The publisher’s name is similar to a well-known journal, and the publisher’s website is similar to a well-known journal’s website.
2. The journal has a .com domain name
The journal has a .com domain name, which is a generic top-level domain. So, researchers and academic writers will believe that a journal is a genuine journal.
3. The journal’s website is poorly designed
If the journal’s website is poorly designed, and it is difficult to navigate. Then this type of predatory journal may pertain to the following attributes:
- There is no information about the journal’s editors or editorial board.
- The journal’s submission guidelines are not available on the website.
- The journal does not appear to be indexed in any major databases.
- The journal charges authors a publication fee.
- There are concerns about the journal’s peer review process.
- There is evidence of possible academic misconduct. The journal has a history of publishing fake and/or biased reviews.
- The journal has been involved in a major publishing scandal.
4. The journal charges authors for publication.
The journal charges authors for publication, and the cost is borne by the author’s institution or funder. But, sometimes the predatory journal does not charge for submission.
5. The journal does not have a peer-review process
This type of journal does not have a proper peer-review process but simply publishes the article without any review comments.
6. The journal does not have an editorial board
The editorial board is responsible for reviewing articles and deciding whether or not to publish them. Without an editorial board, the journal may not have high-quality control. A journal without an editorial board is usually a predatory journal.
7. The journal’s articles are not indexed in major databases
There are a number of reasons why journal articles might not be indexed in major databases. One reason could be that the journal is a relatively new or predatory journal and has not yet been indexed. Another reason could be that the journal is not well known or respected, and therefore is not indexed in major databases.
8. The journal’s articles are published without delay.
There are a few reasons why these journals publish articles without delay.
- First, predatory journals typically have very low standards for what they will publish. This means that they are more likely to accept articles that are not well-researched or that do not meet basic standards of quality.
- Second, predatory journals often do not have a peer-review process, meaning that articles are not reviewed by other experts in the field before they are published. This can lead to errors and inaccuracies in the articles that are published.
- Finally, predatory journals typically do not charge authors for publication, meaning that there is no financial incentive for them to delay publication.
9. The journal’s articles do not undergo any copyediting or proofreading process
The predatory journal’s articles do not undergo any copyediting or proofreading process because the journal is not interested in producing high-quality scholarship.
The journal is only interested in making money, so it does not invest in quality control measures like copyediting and proofreading. This means that the journal’s articles are often full of errors, which can make them difficult to understand.
10. The journal’s publisher is based in a country with lax intellectual property laws
The publisher may be based in a country with lax intellectual property laws because it is easier to pirate content and sell it without consequence. Additionally, the publisher may be based in a country where it is difficult to enforce copyright laws.
I hope, this article would help you to learn about the important signs of predatory journals and how to avoid publishing in them.
Also Read: How To Identify Fake Journals?
