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Open Access: Alert!!! Predatory Publishers

Predatory Publishing Overview

Sometimes called low-quality publishers, these companies use a variety of means to persuade or extort authors to publish in their journals, but they are not reputable, tend to have below average citation rates and contribute little to overall science. You should avoid publishing with them, but the number of predatory publishers and their techniques can be difficult to navigate.  

Center for Open Science definition: “Predatory journals and publishers are entities that prioritize self-interest at the expense of scholarship and are characterized by false or misleading information, deviation from best editorial and publication practices, a lack of transparency, and/or the use of aggressive and indiscriminate solicitation practices.” 

Indicators of a Predatory Publisher and ways to Check

Journal title or publisher is unfamiliar 

  • Ask colleagues if they have heard of it 
  • Ask your Knowledge Management unit 
  • Ask other professional connections 

Lures you in with a very good sounding offer 

  • Compare to conditions of offer from established publishers 
  • Look for grammar errors or other problems with language 

Journal title sounds very respectable 

  • Check known titles from Web of Science and check ISSN 
  • Check that journal has an impact factor available from the Web of Science (see link below) 

Article submission costs are not transparent 

  • A reputable publisher will generally provide this information on their website 

Uses address in prominent city 

  • Look at Google maps to see what the building looks like for the address.  
  • If Google street view shows a construction site or a residential building, it’s suspicious 
  • Check that phone number is provided and is working 

Editorial board claims prominent university affiliation 

  • Check if those same universities have them listed as staff 
  • Check the ORCiD of the board member if available 
  • Confirm board membership from ResearchGate and/or Google Scholar profile 

Review system is unclear 

  • They should use a known peer review system or public review system 

Journal title not present in Directory of Open Access Journals or other indexes commonly used 

  • Use this to search for high quality Open Access journals from a curated list 

Publisher should be listed in one or more directories for ethical publishers 

Resources Outside the CGIAR

Related Guides to Predatory Publishing

IFPRI is a CGIAR Research Center