Academic publishing is a hugely profitable enterprise, so it’s no surprise that some dubious companies take advantage of researchers by charging publishing fees but then failing to deliver quality outcomes.

These publishers are called “predatory” because of their unscrupulous business practices, which may include:

• Failing to provide rigorous peer review
• Making false claims about how journal articles are disseminated e.g. indexing in credible scholarly databases
• Falsely claiming prestige markers e.g. Impact Factor
• Charging article processing fees before an article is accepted for publication

It can be challenging to avoid these problematic outlets, but a new quick guide from the Library can help.

For further information, check the Library’s Journal Evaluation Strategies or contact your Librarian or Scholarly Communication Librarian Elizabeth Yates, eyates@brocku.ca