Open Access Publishing

Predatory Academic Practice

Predatory academic practice include activities such as publications and conferences that may exploit academic research for profit, often at the expense of researchers and institutions. This practice misuse the principles of Open Access by targeting scholars' need to publish, offering low fees, rapid publication, and minimal or no peer review, often with misleading claims and deceptive practices.

Commons tactics include, but not limited to:

• Falsely advertising rigorous peer review and editorial boards.
• Misusing names of respected academics without consent.
• Mimicking reputable journal titles.
• Concealing publication fees until after submission.
• Misrepresenting journal metrics and indexing status.
• Promoting fake conferences with fabricated speaker lists.

How to avoid predatory journals?

Avoiding predatory journals starts with informed choices. Here are some key initiatives and resources to support responsible publishing.

Think, Check, Submit

This global, multi-sector initiative is designed to support researchers in selecting reputable journals and publishers for their work. This offers a variety of tools and practical guidance to educate researchers, uphold research integrity, and foster confidence in trustworthy scholarly publications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

DOAJ is a community-curated online directory that lists reputable, peer-reviewed open access journals. Check if the journal is included in the DOAJ list.

Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA)

A community of organizations engaged in open scholarship. Members must follow a code of conduct, so this list can serve as a reference for evaluating the ethical standards of OA publishers