The Battle Against Predatory Journals WB

Predatory journals are increasingly becoming a challenge for the research ecosystem and had tarnished many researchers reputation. The more we shed light and create the noise around the topic the better the awareness among the researchers and improved research integrity.

1. The Battle Against
Predatory Journals
Dr. Weam Banjar
Researcher; Health policy, health diplomacy and population health
August 19, 2024

2. Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024

3. Outline
•Overview
•What is predatory journal?
•Characteristics of predatory journals
•Types of predatory publications
•Consequences of predatory journals
•Reasons for publication in predatory journals
•Protecting against predatory journals
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024

4. Overview
•the battle against predatory journals was
initiated by Jeffrey Beall who worked as
the Scholarly Communications Librarian
and Associate Professor at Auraria
Library University of Colorado Denver. He
started a blog “List of Potential Predatory
Journals and Publishers” in 2008, which
was closed down in 2017 due to the
controversies it evoked.
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024

5. Overview
•KscienOrganization for Scientific Research
Kurdistan has recruited a special committee
consisting of 23 young researchers, to prepare
the Kscienlist of predatory journals. They are
working to keep the University Grants
Commission list up-to-date on a daily basis to
expose current tactics of the predators and guide
authors. Research is ongoing to provide more
stringent criteria and objective evidence to
overcome Beall’s critics. Kscien’slist could help
to fill the gap left by Beall’s list
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024

6. Overview
•The Centre for Journalology, an independent
journalologycentre, has been set up by the
Ottawa Hospital, Research Institute, Canada. A
group of experts conduct research and provide
outreach on a wide range of journalologytopics
under the leadership of Dr. David Moher. The goal
is to help enhance reporting quality of research
in order to increase the value of biomedical
research.
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024

7. What is predatory journals?
•Predatory journals are fake academic
publications that deceive authors into paying to
publish their research without providing any
legitimate peer review or editorial services
•It is very difficult to enumerate the exact number
of predatory journals, but Cabell’s blacklist of
predatory journals in 2018 listed 13,900 journals.
Predatory journals are more in number from
developing countries
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024

8. Characteristics of Predatory journals
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024
1
Lack of Transparency
Predatory journals often lack
clear information about their
editorial board, peer review
process, and publication
ethics.
2
Aggressive Marketing
They may use spam emails,
unsolicited invitations, or
misleading advertising to lure
authors.
3
Low Quality
The published articles in
predatory journals often lack
rigor, originality, and proper
citations.
4
Unrealistic Publication
Fees
They may charge excessive
fees for publication, which
can be a red flag for
predatory behavior.

9. Predatory journals practices:
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024
Open Access Exploitation
Predatory publishers often exploit
the open access model, charging
authors high fees for publishing their
research.
Fake Impact Factors
They may fabricate or inflate their
impact factors to make their journals
appear more reputable than they are.
Ignoring Ethical Guidelines
Predatory journals often disregard
ethical guidelines related to
plagiarism, authorship, and data
integrity.

10. Types of predatory publication:
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024
•Shoddy/sham journals: Journals having all characteristics and unethical
features mentioned above
•Hijacked journals: They are difficult to recognize as they mimic the
standard publications in name, logo, and website. They look as good as the
standard legitimate journals.
•Cloned journals:They are online dubious versions of print only authentic
journals. Here the names and ISSN (if any) are the same.
•Crony publishing: Institutional publications in which editorial board
members and a majority of the authors are from the same institutes,
across a majority of the issues of the periodical. Editorial misconduct by
editors and their associate reviewers (groups of friends from either the
same or different institutions are on board of reviewers).

11. Consequences of predatory journals:
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024
1
Damage to Reputation
Publishing in a predatory journal can damage an author's
academic reputation and credibility.
2
Loss of Funding
Funding agencies and research institutions may view
publications in predatory journals as unreliable and
withhold future funding.3
Ethical Concerns
Publishing in a predatory journal can raise ethical
concerns about the integrity of the research process.

12. Reasons to publish in predatory journals:
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024
•Fear of job loss and the “publish-or-perish” pressure.
•Failure to publish in journals indexed in world recognized databases.
•Rejection by standard/respectable journals due to inadequate research
skills .
•Competition among colleagues; desire to score higher and gain respect.
•Lack of awareness among researchers and new faculty members.

13. Protecting against predatory journals:
Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024
Choose Reputable Journals
Always select journals that are reputable and have a strong
track record of quality publications.
Read Journal Guidelines
Carefully review the journal's submission guidelines to ensure
they align with your research field and ethical standards.
Consult with Experts
Seek advice from experienced researchers or mentors in your
field to help you identify reputable journals.

14. Protecting against predatory journals:
Support Reputable Journals
Promote and encourage
research publications in
reputable journals that adhere
to ethical standards.
Educate Researchers
Disseminate information about
predatory publishing practices
and educate researchers
about ethical publishing
principles.
Advocate for Open Access
Reform
Support open access models
that promote transparency,
quality, and fair practices.Support Ethical publication

15. Dr. Weam Banjar (WMB) -IADR -Aug192024