What Are Predatory Journals?

The term “predatory” is used to describe journals and publishers that engage in unethical publishing practices to make money. They lack rigor and standards in their editorial processes, which can then lead to questionable science making its way to publication.

Open access publishing, or the process of making research articles freely available immediately upon publication, is sometimes confused or conflated with predatory publishing. Though predatory publishing exploits the open access publishing system, it is important to note that they are very different. Open access publications do frequently charge a fee for publication, often called an Article Processing Charge (APC); however, this does not mean that these publications then also forego other scientific and editorial principles. The issue with predatory journals is that they fail to maintain these scientific standards and prioritize their own profit over the dissemination of high-quality research.

Predatory Characteristics

One of the more frustrating aspects of predatory journals is their insidious nature. There is no definitive way to determine if a given journal or publisher is predatory. Several groups have tried to maintain lists over the years of predatory publications; however, these lists often lack nuance and were difficult to maintain, meaning that some publishers/journals could be misidentified as predatory, while other publishers/journals that engaged in predatory behavior might go unnoticed. As such, relying solely on lists can be misleading.

Despite this issue, there are a number of characteristics users can look for when evaluating a journal or publisher to help determine if they are reliable and trustworthy. Of note, the following list of characteristics is not exhaustive, but represents a good place to start.

1. Direct solicitation: Predatory publishers are known to often send direct solicitations to researchers asking them to submit articles. These solicitations are also frequently for inappropriate journals (i.e. outside the scope of the researcher’s expertise) and/or for excessively generalized publications (i.e. journals with no clear scope or focus).
2. Poor peer review: Predatory journals typically skip over many peer review steps. As such, their websites may lack detailed description of their peer review process, or the process they describe may be less rigorous. For example, many predatory journals may promise a very quick turnaround from submission to acceptance, indicating that they are not looking at the submissions closely.
3. False or incomplete journal information: You can review a publication’s website to look for information, such as their editorial board, transparent and rigorous editorial practices, an appropriate journal scope and indicators of quality like impact factor. However, it is important to always confirm any information you view on their website for accuracy. Predatory journals will not always be entirely truthful on their websites.
4. Lack of appropriate database indexing: Reputable journals will typically be indexed and included in a variety of appropriate disciplinary databases. As noted above, you can check to see if a given publication is being indexed by looking at their website, but it is a good idea to also go directly to the databases to confirm that the indexing information is accurate.
5. Unclear or surprise publication fees: Predatory journals make their money through publication fees, and they may hide information about their publishing costs to trick authors. Alternatively, they may request an additional surprise fee after your publication is accepted.

What Should You do?

So where does that leave you as a researcher?

As a reader or consumer of research, you should pay attention to what journals the articles you are reading are published in. If you don’t recognize the name, do a quick search to learn more.  If you suspect an article was published in a predatory journal, consider whether the information in the article is reliable and if it is appropriate to cite the article.

When searching for articles, stick to reputable resources, like library databases, which often have strict and rigorous inclusion criteria. However, it is important to note that this is not a guarantee! Predatory journals are tricky, and they can make their way into standard databases. Many databases are actively working to review and deselect journals when their publishing standards become questionable; however, this takes time, and it is a continually evolving effort.

When authoring an article, make sure to do your due diligence in selecting an appropriate journal and investigate it closely. Use tools like the Think. Check. Submit. checklist to help you think through the critical questions.

Lastly, if you receive a direct solicitation that seems too good to be true, it probably is! Be skeptical of invitational emails, especially if you are not familiar with the resource or the person sending the invite, or if the scope of the journal seems off-target or excessively broad. Use your investigative skills to confirm the information presented.

And when in doubt, check with the library.  We also will not be able to definitively tell you if a journal or publication is predatory, but we can help provide you with information and resources to inform your decision.

To learn more about predatory publishing, check out the below resources:

• Think. Check. Submit.: This group creates easy-to-use tools and resources to help researchers evaluate journals and publishers.
• “Predatory Journals: What Can We Do to Protect Their Prey?”: This recent editorial from members of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) describes the issues of predatory publishing and strategies to avoid them.
• "Combatting Predatory Academic Journals and Conferences": This report from the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) provides a deep dive into the world of predatory journals and conferences and includes guidance to researchers on how to avoid them.
• "Beware of Predatory Journal: Choosing Best Evidence Requires Watching for These Red Flags": This brief article from two OSU Health Sciences Library librarians highlights the problem of predatory publishing in the context of evidence-based nursing.