LibGuides: Oak Point Library: Predatory Journals

Predatory Nursing Journals

Predatory Journals and Publishers are an increasingly prevalent problem for researchers who are looking to publish their own work and students who are looking for accurate, peer-reviewed research. This page provides you with some resources to learn some of the warning signs of predatory publishers and journals. By one estimate, there were 10,000 journals that qualified as predatory in 2015. (Shen and Björk, 2015)

Below you will find resources to help you assess the reliability of a journal and decide if a journal's publications are a good fit for publishing your own research.

No single definition of what a predatory journal or publisher actually is will cover all cases, but in a piece in Nature, 35 academics crafted a robust definition:

“Predatory journals and publishers are entities that prioritize self-interest at the expense of scholarship and are characterized by false or misleading information, deviation from best editorial and publication practices, a lack of transparency, and/or the use of aggressive and indiscriminate solicitation practices.”

Video Resources

This brief video by American Journal Experts provides characteristics of questionable journals. It should be noted that AJE works frequently with established publishers in the medical field and is a for-profit manuscript service-provider.

This brief video from the Office of Scholarly Communication at Cambridge reviews some tell-tale signs of predatory journals and some of the effects that their business practices can have on academics.

Nursing Specific Resources

International Academy of Nursing Editors
The International Academy of Nursing Editors has compiled a list of nursing journals that comply with the COPE standards for academic publishing integrity. While the list is not exhaustive, if you are questioning the reliability of a particular journal, you can search for it by name here.
World Association of Medical Editors
The World Association of Medical Editors is one of the largest active communities of medical journal editors and scholars. Their website provides a list of journals whose editors are members in WAME. This list can be used to cross-reference the reliability of published research or to get a sense of whether submitting your research to the journal is a good idea.
Eriksson and Heglesson's 25 Characteristics of Predatory Journals
In this study, the authors provide an extensive list of characteristics shared by many predatory journals. As the authors note, a journal possessing a single characteristic from this list does not mean they are necessarily predatory, but "the more points on the list that apply to the journal at hand, the more sceptical you should be."
Red Flags for Journals
If you scroll down to the table toward the bottom of this page, you will find a set of questions, answers, and red flags that you should be aware of while considering the merits of a particular journal.
Canadian Association of Research Libraries Guide
This PDF provides guidance on assessing journals. It was produced by the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) and provides a list of negative, positive, and neutral factors to consider when researching or publishing.

Study of Predatory Open-Access Journals by Marilyn H. Oermann and others
This study draws on two data sources listing predatory journals to analyze characteristics of these journals (peer-review processes, publication fees, turnaround times, and specializations) and to understand the experience publishing with these journals by other authors.
Editorial by Philip Darbyshire on Predatory Journals
This article by nursing consultant and retired nursing professor explores some of the more egregious examples of fake journals and conferences. Particularly interesting is the anecdote on page two of this file where the title of a legitimate journal was co-opted (Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences) and used to solicit submissions from other academics. There are also some

General Resources for Finding Vetted, Peer-Reviewed Journals

Think. Check. Submit.
A general resources for learning habits and accessing tools that will help you find the best journal for your research and avoid journals that aren’t the right fit for you.
Directory of Open-Access Journals
The Directory of Open-Access Journals is an index of high quality open-access journals that follow guidelines for publishing high quality and well-reviewed scholarly articles. If you want to learn more about the standards this organization and others like it promote for the open-access journal ecosystem, you can find that at https://doaj.org/bestpractice.
Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association
Open-Access publications have been hit hard by predatory publishers who use the appeal of open-access journals to extract high fees from authors. Here you'll find a number of links to important declarations, best-practices guides, and directories for finding high quality open-access journals.
Committee on Publication Ethics
Although less relevant to scholars looking to publish their own work or researchers looking for quality journals, the Committee on Publication Ethics is an international organization that provides a widely respected set of guidelines for publishers. They also offer some educational modules for free to non-members.

Search Engines for Journal Impact Factors

Web of Science Impact Factor
Although requiring signing up for a free profile, this search engine will allow you to see a journal's impact factor on one of the gold-standard metrics.
SciMago Labs Journal Data Engine
In this database of important journal metrics, you can search by Journal Name, ISSN, or Publisher Name to find data about Impact Factors, H-Index scores, history of publishing, and other important data regarding the journal's peer-review and vetting processes.
International Academy of Nursing Editors Database
If you're curious about a journal's reliability, you can check here if it is a member or recognized by the International Academy of Nursing Editors.
Google Scholar Citation Impact Factors
Google Scholar also provides a way to check on various metrics of journal prestige, reliability, and citation factors. On this page, you'll also find a tab for "subcategories" that can focus more directly on nursing journals.