Four ways to avoid predatory journals and conferences

I was alerted to a message circulating on Facebook, talking about a researcher who was given the option to publish their paper in exchange for a small fee, $2,000. Sounds outrageous? It is!

In this world of online publishing, I’m sure you’ve come across “scams” like this – predatory websites that lure researchers into paying for publication or for attending conferences. It's unbelievable that these “scams” not only affect budding researchers but that Illegitimate journals scam even senior scientists.

Four ways to avoid predatory journals and conferences

It is sad to see that predatory journals and conferences have made it difficult for researchers to find legitimate sources on the internet. They publish articles with little to no quality control, and many of them are not peer-reviewed, which hurts the reputation of legitimate journals and conferences.

You're right to be concerned though, and that’s why I wanted to share some resources that may help you avoid these problems and stay safe:

1. Think. Check. Submit and Think. Check. Attend TCS and TCA are initiatives that guide researchers when deciding where to submit their papers or which conference to attend. These sister websites provide frameworks and checklists that you can use to critically evaluate potential journals and conferences. You could start this by looking at the potential journal's website or reading an article from the journal.

2. FlourishOA is a data-driven web app and API with the goal of changing the traditional publishing model to grant authors more flexibility in where and how they publish and present their studies. Using FlourishOA, anyone can access research information for free, which makes distinguishing legitimate publications from unethical ones a lot easier.

3. The Directory of Open Access Journals is an online directory that gives access to open access and peer-reviewed journals. I highly recommend checking this out to look for legitimate journals that charge fees upfront. If you still have no journal in mind, this is a good place to start your search.

Bonus tip: Be aware of any fees associated with publication before submitting your paper. If you suspect that the journal is predatory, ask someone who has published with them before or contact the editor and ask about how their review process works.

While predatory journals and conferences may seem like an easy way out, they’re actually a form of fraud. Because of the “publish or perish” concept in academia, predatory journals and conferences are definitely not going away anytime soon.

Still, as scientists, we have to keep in mind that the true value of our work is not based on our career or the money we’re making, but instead, on the contribution our work makes to society.

Good luck with your search and don’t fall into their trap!

Do you know any other resources that can help avoid "red flags" when publishing and presenting? Feel free to send us a message!

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At Science Editing Experts, we help scientists like you to submit well-written journal papers with confidence and complete your thesis without headaches, so you can focus on your research and career.

Andrea Devlin PhD

Chief editor and owner of Science Editing Experts

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