Avoiding Predatory Open Access Journals

As stakeholders continue to push for freely accessible research, many researchers have found themselves attempting to navigate the often-uncertain world of Open Access (OA) publishing. Between understanding the different OA models, licensing and copyright agreements, Article Processing Charges, sharing allowances, etc., and finding relevant journals that meet funder and/or institution requirements, the last thing that researchers need is to have to question whether the journal they are submitting to is legitimate. However, and unfortunately, predatory publishing remains a significant problem in the academic community—a problem compounded by the fact that predatory journals can often be difficult to spot under OA models.

While following traditional advice to avoid journals with hidden fees or that ask researchers for money to publish was an easy fix when working with subscription-based journals, OA models oftentimes require at least an Article Processing Charge (APC) to be paid by the researcher or a funding body. Thus, it is important for researchers to equip themselves with a list of criteria to look for when submitting their research to an OA journal. To better protect against predatory journals, further investigation must
be undertaken.

Here are some key warning signs that researchers should watch out for when submitting an article to a journal:

• An APC was requested to be paid before the peer review process.
• The manuscript was guaranteed to be published so long as you paid.
• Journal does not list an Editorial Board.
• Journal does not transparently display an OA or ethics policy, licensing agreement, or APC.
• Journal does not list its peer review process.
• Journal does not carry a legitimate ISSN. ISSNs can be checked here.
• Inability to access past OA content supposedly published by the journal.
• No contact information for either the Editor(s)-in-Chief of the journal or the publisher.
• No archiving or preservation of access to content. For example, IGI Global archives all published content through the CLOCKSS and LOCKSS initiatives.
• The reason for the waiver of the APC is not clearly identified nor linked to a funding body.

Conversely, signs that a journal is legitimate include:

• Publisher partners with well-known ethical organizations (i.e., Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), etc.).
• Journal has a legitimate ISSN. ISSNs can be checked here.
• Journal is indexed in established and credible indices, directories, and abstracting lists which can include Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Web of Science, Scopus, Inspec, Cabells, etc.
• Transparent policies, copyright agreements, and peer review process.
• All publishing fees and APCs are clearly stated upfront.
• Clearly defined Editorial Board.
• Editor(s)-in-Chief have legitimate academic and professional expertise.
• Editor(s)-in-Chief contact information is displayed on the journal’s webpage.

While this may seem like extra work on top of already busy schedules, it is important to note that relying on “credible journal lists” that are freely available through the Internet, or on word-of-mouth can be risky and will often lead to further confusion. If attempting to use one of these lists, it is important to remember that these sources may have hidden agendas and inherent biases that are not disclosed. For example, it is recommended to avoid using blog posts or opinion-based articles as references, as well as any source whose author prefers to remain anonymous, providing no clear information on why this individual is qualified to compose such a piece.

Luckily, there are a few resources that academics have found to be useful in identifying legitimate journals:

• Think.Check.Submit Campaign: Supports researchers looking to identify trusted journals and publishers.
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): Every credible OA journal looks to be indexed by DOAJ. Journals included in the directory are rigorously reviewed to ensure credibility and ethicality.
• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): While providing key support resources for researchers, COPE also lists publishers and journals that have undergone a rigorous year-long review to ensure ethicality. See IGI Global’s listing.

As IGI Global enters the OA arena, we are working hard to ensure that our full Gold OA journals are each included in DOAJ and continue to follow the strict ethical practices and procedures as outlined by COPE. As a full member of COPE and recognized for upholding the ethicality of each of our publications to the highest standards, we are pleased to offer our full Gold OA and Hybrid OA journals as credible and sound outlets for your research. If you are interested in publishing, we invite you to browse the Call for Papers webpage and visit our Open Access webpage for more information.

Author Relations Team
(717) 533-8845
authorrelations@igi-global.com
www.igi-global.com