I'm not sure this journal is legitimate
Check a journal or conference before you send your work, and choose a venue that fits your paper.
In short
Start here, today. For the journal you're considering, check three things: whether you recognize anyone on the editorial board, whether the peer review process and fees are explained on the website, and, if it's open access, whether it's listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals. This takes about 20 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
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Start with where your field publishes
Look at the reference list of your proposal or a recent chapter and note which journals appear most often. Ask your supervisor and committee where they would send a paper like yours. Journals you already read and cite are the safest place to begin.
Check how the journal works
Read a few recent articles and ask whether they're the kind of work you'd cite. Check that the scope is clear, the editors are recognized researchers with current contact details, the peer review process is described and any fees are stated up front. Be wary of impact numbers you can't verify.
Use the checklists
Think. Check. Submit. offers a short checklist for journals and books, and Think. Check. Attend. does the same for conferences. For open access journals, see whether the journal is indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals. A journal that isn't listed isn't automatically predatory, but it deserves a closer look.
Treat unsolicited invitations with caution
Reputable journals sometimes invite submissions, but a flattering email from an unfamiliar journal, especially one outside your field, is a reason to slow down. The same goes for invitations to join an editorial board, speak at a conference you've never heard of or publish your thesis for a fee. You don't have to reply.
Ask a librarian
Your library's scholarly communication or research support team checks journals for researchers all the time. Send them the journal's name and website and ask what they think. They can also tell you whether your university has agreements that reduce open access fees.
Choose for fit, not only prestige
Once you have a shortlist of legitimate journals, choose based on audience, scope, article length, time to decision and any open access requirements from your funder. Record your reasons in the Decision Log, so that if the first journal says no, you already know where the paper goes next.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- An email you didn't expect is inviting you to submit, with flattering words about your work.
- The journal promises peer review and publication within days.
- You can't find a clear statement of fees anywhere on the website.
- The journal's name sounds almost exactly like a well-known one in your field.
Why this happens
Some publishers and conference organizers make money from authors' fees while skipping the editorial and peer review work that gives publication its value. A 2019 consensus definition describes predatory journals and publishers as “entities that prioritize self-interest at the expense of scholarship.” Typical signs include false or misleading information, poor editorial practice, a lack of transparency and aggressive, indiscriminate invitations.
Graduate students are frequent targets, partly because their names appear on conference programs and theses, and partly because the pressure to publish is real. Work published in these outlets can be hard to find and may not be counted by hiring or funding committees. Withdrawing a paper once it's been submitted is usually very difficult, so the checking needs to happen first.
Not every new, small or open access journal is predatory. Open access is a legitimate model, and many excellent journals charge publication fees. The aim is to check how a journal works, not to avoid anything unfamiliar.
Worth a look (5)
- Predatory publishing, University of Calgary LibraryWarning signs, how to check a journal and links to evaluation tools. Your own library likely has a similar guide.
- Scholarly communication guide, University of Calgary LibraryChoosing a journal, open access, author rights and tools that suggest journals from your abstract.
- Think. Check. Submit.A short checklist for deciding whether a journal or book publisher is trustworthy.
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)An index of quality, peer-reviewed open access journals.
- Open policy finderCheck a journal's open access policies, including which version of your paper you can share and where. It replaced Sherpa Romeo, so older guides may still use that name.
When to bring someone in
Your supervisor and subject librarian are the first people to ask about a particular journal. If you've already submitted to a journal you now think is predatory, tell your supervisor and ask the library for advice before you pay anything or sign an agreement. Keep every email, especially if you're being pressured to pay a fee you weren't told about.
Find the right person, or talk to Ify