Predatory journals exploit the open access author-pays model for their own profit by using unscrupulous methods to entice authors to publish with them. They conduct little or no peer review or editing work.
As an author, always carefully assess an unfamiliar publisher/journal before submitting your work. When trying to determine the quality of a journal or publisher, ask yourself the questions listed below. Use some of the tools listed here to help you determine validity.
1. If the journal is open access, is it listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)?
2. Is the journal listed in Ulrich's (an authoritative source on publisher information, including open access journals)?
3. Is the journal indexed in a key database such as Web of Knowledge, PsycINFO, etc.
4. Does the journal or publisher appear in Cabell's Blacklist?
5. Are impact metrics provided by the journal recognized? (lack of impact metrics does not indicate low journal quality, as not all reputable journals have impact metrics)
6. Is the publisher a member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA)?
Additional questions to consider:
Sources: CARL website "How to assess a journal",
Consult these checklists for further help:
If you are unsure about the credibility of a conference, there are some things you can do: