The information on this page should give you a good idea on how to get started with evaluating journals, including whether a journal is predatory or not. However, if you have a question about a specific journal that you are uncertain about or would simply like to discuss this more in detail, please reach out (see contact info on main page).
While the phenomenon of predatory publishing predates the advent of open access publishing, the practice gained new energy with the increasing adoption of open access practices.
“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.”
- Grudniewicz, A., et al. (2019). Predatory journals: no definition, no defence. Nature, 576, 210-212.
This chart appears in the article Predatory journals: no definition, no defence. Nature, 576, 210-212.
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No list to rule them all: Assessments of which journals are likely to predatory or legitimate do not tally, and titles can appear in both categories. There is no way to know which journals were considered for a list but left off, or which were not considered.
Image description:
Venn diagram showing the overlaps and discontinuities between the following 4 lists: Beall's list, Cabells 'predatory' list, Cabells 'verified' list, and the Directory of Open Access Journals list.
While there is no 100% criteria for judging whether a journal is a legitimate journal or a predatory one (see the diagram below for a visualization of how different lists have assessed journals differently), a few things can guide those who seek to publish student research.
Is your prospective journal affiliated with a higher education institution or academic association?
Journals that are affiliated with a well-known institution are easier to verify and can be considered more reliable.
* Note that these criteria differ from those in academia generally. There are many reputable, high-quality journals that are not associated with either of these types of institutions; however, the pool is smaller for journals that specifically publish undergraduate research and are more commonly associated with higher education institutions than not.
Is there a fee associated with publishing at that journal?
While not all journals that charge fees are predatory (conventions differ by discipline), students who are seeking to publish their research can look first at journals that do not charge fees for publishing.
Green flag image credit: RRZEicons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
