The question of the quality of works published in predatory journals is not clear-cut. Not all texts are automatically inferior.
Researchers Klara Šeďová a Daniel Kráľ from Masaryk University reveal why scientists should protect themselves from this type of publication fraud, which is a long-term and still current phenomenon.
“I first heard about predatory magazines about twenty years ago. Maybe it’s even longer. However, this is a problem that still occurs,” explains scientist Daniel Kráľ from the Faculty of Informatics, whose expertise is in computer science and mathematics. He further adds that predatory journals could be likened to fake universities, where it is possible to buy an academic degree without actually studying. “The author sends his text to the editorial office of a predatory magazine, and they publish it very quickly. On the contrary, in renowned scientific journals, the time for submission and publication of the text can take several years due to the thorough review process and several rounds of requests for revision of the manuscript,” adds Klára Šeďová from the Faculty of Philosophy, which specializes in educational research.
Fighting predators
Distinguishing between a predatory journal and a reputable scientific periodical is often difficult for researchers, both novice and experienced researchers. Many predatory magazines have well-designed websites and appear to be trustworthy at first glance. “Predatory journals want to get money for publication fees, they are not interested in bringing texts that will enrich existing knowledge, which is the motivation of serious scientific journals,” points out Šeďová. Kráž agrees and adds: “These practices targeting scientists are not new. Often, as scientists, we receive e-mails inviting us to conferences in exotic locations that no one in the scientific community has ever heard of. And not surprisingly, these conferences also require high registration fees.”
Review procedure: quality fee
Fees associated with the publication of scientific articles are a common practice in academia, and the same is true for predatory journals. “Reviewers, who are themselves experts in the same field, have the task of identifying possible flaws in their colleague’s text. This process is a key part of scientific research and helps to increase the quality of publications,” emphasizes Kráľ. This procedure is often missing in predatory magazines. In this way, misleading or inaccurate scientific information can come to light, which can damage the scientific community as a whole.
Without scientific control
The question of the quality of works published in predatory journals is not clear-cut. According to Šeďová, not all texts are automatically inferior: “Paradoxically, not all articles in predatory magazines are of poor quality. Some of the published works may be good in themselves, but these journals often simply lack the thorough control of methods and results that is common in renowned scientific periodicals.” Kráľ adds that it is not easy to recognize such a journal: “Predatory journals do not have written: ‘We are a predator magazine!’ These offers can be tempting and sometimes they ‘get’ great texts even from renowned scientists.”
Publish where I like
Researchers should be careful when choosing journals to publish their work and avoid those that do not provide a transparent and quality review process. According to Šeďová, it is important for a scientist to publish in journals that he knows well and is sure of their quality: “I always wanted to publish in my field in journals that I myself like to read.” Kráľ agrees: “Scientists know the trends in their field and they have awareness of respected periodicals. However, it is always better to consult colleagues or librarians when in doubt.” At Masaryk University, for example, the MU University Campus Library provides a journal evaluation service, where researchers can check whether a given journal is trustworthy or not. This service is available to the entire Masaryk University free of charge.
Librarians in the fight against predatory journals
In addition to managing the book collection, Masaryk University library staff are actively involved in the support of science and research, including the fight against so-called predatory journals. These publications publish scientific articles that do not meet the necessary scientific standards. Through educational webinars and one-on-one consultations, librarians work to identify these journals and warn researchers of the risks associated with publishing in them.
And how specifically? They provide advice and perform specialized screening to help determine if a magazine is predatory. For those who have doubts about the seriousness of the journal, librarians offer a rating system. The latter helps determine whether a magazine is risky or not. However, the final decision to publish remains with the author, but librarians thus provide valuable support in the decision-making process.
A specialized service for the prevention of predatory practices is provided by the University Campus Library and is available for the entire Masaryk University.