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Predatory Publishing: Getting Started

Designed to be useful and relevant, this guide will provide you with tips on how to identify and avoid predatory publishers

Important Questions

The objective of this guide is to help you answer the following questions

  • Should I publish my article in a particular journal?
  • Should I pay article processing charges (APC) to publish in an Open Access journal?
  • Should I edit a special issue for a particular journal?
  • Should I accept the invitation to serve on the editorial board of a particular journal?
  • Should I accept the invitation to be a keynote speaker at a particular conference?

When in doubt, feel free to reach out to a librarian at USIU - Africa Library University.

Why do Scholars Publish in Predatory Journals?

There are a number of reasons why scholars/researchers may publish in a predatory journal:

  • Goofed - they thought it was a legit journal
  • Need to publish something quickly (often for Publish or Perish reasons) -  because of a deadline
  • Couldn't get published in a legitimate journal - often because the data is incomplete or false or because the article didn't meet the requirements of other journals.

What is Predatory Publishing?

Predatory or deceptive publishing are terms describing publishers or entities that exploit authors by charging publication fees (commonly known as article processing charges) yet don’t deliver on their promise of the editorial and publishing services (such as peer review) that are associated with legitimate publishers. Deceptive publishers typically prey on a researcher’s need to publish in order to get an academic appointment, gain promotion, or achieve tenure.

These publishers often engage in deceptive and unethical business practices and make false claims about a journal’s impact factor, indexing, high standards, and peer review.

The term, predatory publishing, was first introduced by Jeffrey Beall, who in 2008 began to create his own list of predatory publishers, which has been known as Beall’s List. Since then, predatory publishers have increased.

Predatory Publishers

From University of Minetoba Libraries (1:18)

Common Tricks Predatory Publishers Use

  • Contact you following a recent publication/presentation/conference
  • Acknowledges you as a busy and important researcher (doing you a favor)
  • Give you a short deadline to decide
  • Offer you a discount on publishing costs
  • Charge relatively low fees for publication
  • Publish your work immediately (Quick turn around)
  • Accept just about your publication as is, minimal changes if any