Predatory Journal
Publishing & metrics
A publication that charges fees while faking or skipping peer review — recognisable by solicitation emails, days-long 'review', unverifiable metrics and false indexing claims.
A predatory journal charges publication fees while providing none of the editorial and peer-review services a legitimate journal performs. The business model is volume: accept almost everything, publish quickly, collect the fee. Publishing in one damages a research record and the work is often invisible to serious readers.
The warning signs are recognisable. Unsolicited flattering emails inviting a submission, promises of peer review within days, fees disclosed only after acceptance, editorial boards listing academics who never agreed to serve, a scope so broad it spans unrelated disciplines, misuse of the term impact factor from unofficial providers, and claims of indexing that cannot be verified.
Check systematically before submitting: confirm indexing on the official Scopus source list or Web of Science Master Journal List rather than the journal's own claims, look for DOAJ membership for open-access titles, apply the Think-Check-Submit checklist, and ask your supervisor or librarian. If an invitation arrives unsolicited and sounds too easy, it almost certainly is.
Where it's used
- Screening target journals before submission
- Explaining why one bad publication can contaminate an academic CV
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