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Predatory Publishing

Predatory publishing refers to a dubious practice in the academic publishing industry in which publishers or journals publish articles in exchange for payment without conducting standard quality controls such as peer review. The goal is usually to maximize financial profit at the expense of academic integrity. Authors are often lured by the promise of rapid publication, which can, however, undermine the credibility and quality of the research. Long-term availability is also often not guaranteed. 

Researchers are familiar with the established journals in their field, but when it comes to very new journals—or especially at the beginning of one’s career—questions sometimes arise as to whether a particular journal is a suitable platform for one’s own publication.

For guidance, we recommend the following resources:

  • DOAJ: The Directory of Open Access Journals, which lists only true open access journals, periodically reviews the fundamental credibility of the listed titles. It does not pass judgment on a journal’s academic reputation, but caution is definitely advised if an open access journal is not included here.

  • Cabell's Predatory Reports: This database, available at WU, lists journals that have been classified as questionable or even clearly predatory for the reasons specified. When conducting research, it is important to note that due to the very thorough review process and the large number of newly established journals, it may take some time for a title to be listed here.

  • Think.Check.Submit. is a valuable tool that helps potential authors assess the credibility and formal quality of a journal.

  • A comprehensive introduction to the topic is provided by the online course Predatory Praktiken im Kontext der Integrität und Qualität wissenschaftlicher Publikationen. This free iMoox course (registration required) was created as part of the Austria-wide AT2OA2 project. It is currently only available in German, but an English version is in preparation.

Of course, you are also welcome to contact open-access@wu.ac.at with specific questions on this topic.