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Open Access: Predatory Publishing

An overview of open access (OA) basics and resources.

Predatory Publishing

The open access movement allows sharing research more widely and equitably than ever before. But, there are unethical publishing companies who wish to exploit researchers' desire to publish their materials. By carefully and critically evaluating the journals you wish to publish in you can avoid falling victim to predatory publishing.

Things to look for

  • Check the About page of the journal's website.  Is it owned by a recognized society or institution?  Do they have a physical address?
  • Look at their editorial board.  Are you familiar with the names and their reputations? Verify their institutional affiliations and that they know they're on the board.
  • Check the submission to publication time. Is it standard or do they guarantee a quick turn-around time?
  • Read their statement on the peer-review process? Is it credible or are papers accepted without review?
  • Read some of the published articles.  Are they of high quality? How many have they actually published?
  • Don't be taken by copy-cat journal titles. Look at the journal's website. Is the graphic design of high quality? A 2024 Nature article re-iterates the problem. 
  • Unreasonable open access fee. Most fall between $1500-$5000. Make sure the fee is visible on their website.

Retraction Watch Highjacked Journal Checker

Good Sources for Quality Open Access Journals