To avoid the risk of publishing in a fake journal, here are some indicators to look out for:

• The journal has no address or contact information other than an email address listed.
• There are articles listed but no evidence of an editorial board to review those articles.
• The website has an overwhelming number of images from major publishers who would have no reason to partner with this journal.
• The editorial board seems to contain very prominent researchers who would be too busy to work with an unknown journal.
• There is no mention of an APF, which means you’ll likely receive an outrageous bill after your article has been rapidly accepted for publication.
• There is no mention of a peer review process or basic submission requirements.

Also, see the following RG links for more suggestions:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_can_determine_the_fake_journals

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_can_we_avoid_the_risk_of_publishing_in_a_fake_journal_and_how_can_we_evaluate_a_journals_quality

To avoid the risk of publishing in a fake journal, here are some indicators to look out for:

• The journal has no address or contact information other than an email address listed.
• There are articles listed but no evidence of an editorial board to review those articles.
• The website has an overwhelming number of images from major publishers who would have no reason to partner with this journal.
• The editorial board seems to contain very prominent researchers who would be too busy to work with an unknown journal.
• There is no mention of an APF, which means you’ll likely receive an outrageous bill after your article has been rapidly accepted for publication.
• There is no mention of a peer review process or basic submission requirements.

Also, see the following RG links for more suggestions:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_can_determine_the_fake_journals

https://www.researchgate.net/post/How_can_we_avoid_the_risk_of_publishing_in_a_fake_journal_and_how_can_we_evaluate_a_journals_quality

Hi

Good question. Thank for sharing your views Hadeel Saleh Haj.

Regards

You should check the indexing and ensure that they are in the database of the indexing. Also check their review process because fake Journals will not be interested in the quality of the work published. Fake journals are interested in your money. Also check those involved as the editorial board member. Goodluck as you progress in research work.

Dear Rameez Ali Mahesar

Dr. Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu give you the right way to disgusting between the fake and authentic journal. Also, publish your papers in journals indexed in Scopus and Clavirate analytics and SJR.

One of the most famous websites for the detection of the fake journals and publishing houses is the site of (Jeffrey Beal), whose name is [Scholarly Open Access} and can be accessed from the following link:

http://scholarlyoa.com

For finding out, if a given journal is predatory or not. These sites discussed that

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-is-a-predatory-journal/article21039351.ece

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predatory_open_access_publishing)

For the detection of the fake journals and publishing houses, one can use Jeffrey Beal list as Dr. Isam Issa Omran said. Here addition links for that:

( https://beallslist.weebly.com/ )

(http://ssau.ru:8080/files/science/crpd/CriteriaBillPublishers2015.pdf )

Following

Prof. Jabbar:

A highly reliable and well known source, Cabell's Scholarly Articles, will be very helpful to you. Here's a link:

Cabells scholarly analytics

The whitelist covers qualified academic journals spanning 18 disciplines to help researchers select the best match to publish their manuscripts. Each entry displays contact information, manuscript and submission guidelines, and actionable metrics to help researchers make informed decisions. The blacklist aims to shine a light on the deceptive practices of the predatory publishers. Each entry contains the basic information to identify the blacklisted journal.

Database Access

https://www2-cabells-com.proxy.library.nd.edu/

Look for the "whitelist" and you'll find a wealth of information about editorial policies, acceptance rates, submission procedures, and scholarly cross-listings. This is considered the gold standard in assessing whether a journal is authentic. Best wishes with your publications.

This questions pops up every now and again. As it should. The fact that you are asking the question is a good indication that you are already aware that ‘fake,’ ‘predatory’ or ‘vanity’ publishers and journals exist. Not everyone is aware of this. And even for those who are, it is sometimes difficult to discern the difference between one kind of journal or publisher and another. There are a number of reasons for this, not least of which being that those who operate the fake/predatory journals are quite clever in how they title their publications and the tactics that they use to entice authors to submit their papers.

Some others have already chimed in with some good suggestions as to how you may begin to determine the validity of a publication. I have used Beall’s – though I am not sure of the current status of his list (how it is being maintained and whatnot).

To this discussion, I would add the following -- if you get a generic email that says something along the lines of “we saw your paper XYZ was part of conference ABC, and we feel you are an expert in this field. We invite you to publish your paper in our journal XYZ.” The email may then go on to list a bunch of names, tags, titles, terms -- which are mostly associated with quality and legitimacy – and which may then serve to confuse you as to the sender’s actual intent and their publications’ worth.

For many years, the issue was primarily with vanity presses. However, as time has gone by, more and more academics are finding that their universities are requiring them to have “X” number of publications for advancement (and to add to collective knowledge, and the prestige of the university). There’s nothing wrong with this, of course; however, as more academics are trained and conduct research, we find that the number of places for one to legitimately publish has remained relatively stagnant. Of course, there are many new legitimate publications that have joined the academic community (and from the global south to boot), but apparently these legit pubs have not kept pace with the changes in higher education – else, one could argue, that the predatory operations would not be popping up all of the time.

Academic research often entails difficulties in drawing comparisons and determining merit – and this varies significantly among departments, disciplines, universities, and even countries. Some universities are now ranking specific publications according to stringent guidelines and rules – journals must be ranked according to ‘tiers,’ and these are based chiefly on reputation and impact factors (but also should depend on decisions made collectively by the campus research community). In other cases, books and book chapters are judged to be in a different category, perhaps not very important at all, or very important. I believe that a person must follow their research interests, and submit to publications where it makes the most sense based on the material – regardless of impact factor. Having said that, you must really investigate the publication where you will send your writings. Try to avoid those that do not have real, appropriate, (again - legit) editors or editorial boards. If the journal is attached to a reputable university, scholar(s), or association, then that will give you a better indication that it is legit. Paying for publication is not always a bad sign, however it could be.

Recently I was asked to join the editorial board of a journal (called Cogent OA). I had both published and reviewed for this journal, so I was pleased to be asked. And after thinking about it, I did agree. In my way of thinking, the Cogent line of journals is but one way that a major, reputable, legitimate, publisher, in this case, Taylor & Francis, is attempting to respond and address the situation of all of these open-access predatory journals coming out. Cogent OA journals are blind peer-reviewed (as should be the case) and open access, an idea which I do like. But, yes it is also the case that there is a requested *fee* for publishing. On that note, however, "Cogent OA is the first multi-disciplinary publisher that introduced Freedom APC, a ‘pay what you can’ model." Finally, though, the scholars who are associated with the Cogent journals hail from diverse backgrounds and authentic programs. Link: https://www.cogentoa.com/journal/arts-and-humanities

For every researcher or scholar out there who may just be starting out, try to seek publication in genuine publications – ideally, you want to shoot for the highest- ranked journals in your field. Alternatively, if a book is called for, you want to seek a publisher that is known for having published books in your area. Failing that, you can look around and try to find the lower-tiered publication venues - it is fine! However, never go with a predatory publisher. In the end, it may very well do more harm than good to your long-term career and prospects. And please help raise awareness by talking to your friends and colleagues so that they will not fall into the trap of predatory publishing.

great

Useful information

I agree with madame Hadeel Saleh Haj Aliwi

Search for the journal in Scopus and Clavirate analytics and SJR.

thomson reuters journal list

It also provide a data of authentic Journals.

Here is the link:

https://mjl.clarivate.com/home

Thank you for raising this question.

I do agree with Hadeel Saleh Haj Aliwi .

Further, you may have a look at the following web sites:

1. https://mjl.clarivate.com/home

2. https://publicationethics.org/

3. https://doaj.org/

4. https://oaspa.org/

Regards and Good Luck

Can anyone please tell me that, is journal fake or not? I think it's an Indian Journal.

Tathapi Journal (http://tathapi.com/index.php/2320-0693/index)

Thank you.

for all researchers it is useful to check the journal of a well known databases (Scopus- Thomson Reuters -PubMed ) as well as a blacklist journals .

IGU Dilmini Rathnayaka I am also looking for the same answer. Did you manage to find?

The editor approved my article within minutes without even reading it. I am skeptic about this journal. Moreover they do no have standard format of publishing the article.

Search the website and check the editors, authenticity of the indexing, quality of the publisher works and other vital information.

@Dilmini and Verma

The website of this journal lacks important facts like indexing information and author charge(s) information. The editorial board seems geographically biased. No physical address of its editorial office. This OA journal is not included in DOAJ. Also, not registered with COPE. Try to verify its ISSN in ISSN Portal. The journal is multidisciplinary. According to Verma, the editor approved the article soon after receiving. All these are red flags. However, the journal is not included in Beall's list or predatoryjournals.com. Probably because, it is a relatively recent journal. In my view, this journal could be a predatory or low quality journal. Stay away from this is recommended.

Dear IGU Dilmini Rathnayaka ,

The archives section of the journal “Tathapi” seems to suggest that they shifted towards open access less than a year ago while the issue numbers seems to suggest that they exist for more than 10 years (presumably as subscription journal).

Indeed according to:

https://archive.org/stream/Tathapi/Tathapi_djvu.txt

and

https://www.newspapers.in/newspapers_details/ref_id-33162/language-gujarati/periodicity-quarterly/district-vadodara/state-gujarat

It used to be a subscription based journal with information such as: December 2017- January-February 2018, Year-13: Number- 50, Editor's Name Jayesh Bhogayata… Publisher & Owner: Daksha Jayesh Bhogayata, A-9, Parth Park, Behind Raneshwar Mandir, Vasna Road, Vadodara-390 012. INDIA… Tathapi is published four times in a year, November, February, May and August. Annual subscription is as follows : Annual ? 500 Bi-Annual ? 1000, etc.

I think that Prof Jayesh Bhogayata used to be the founder and leading force behind the subscription journal Tathapi. But at some point retired:

https://www.ugc.ac.in/ef/Undertaking/EMERITUS-2013-14-GEN-3397-UNDR.pdf

According to:

https://lakshmibaicollege.in/Secure-admin/webroot/upload/customfiles/14022020122704Journals-Removed-from-UGC-Approved-List-of-Journals_removed%20(1).pdf

They (at least the open access cloned version) lost their UGC approval and thereby the only real serious indexing.

So I suspect that this journal used to be a serious and legit journal and is now hijacked. This according to the ‘classical’ pattern: take a (still active or discontinued) respected journal with virtually no activity on the internet and pretend to be the open access version.

So I might be wrong but be careful with this one.

Best regards.

Update 7-7-2020: Indeed according to the following link the journal is hijacked (or cloned): https://ugccare.unipune.ac.in/Apps1/User/Web/CloneJournals added the journal to the list I try to keep up for recent examples: https://www.researchgate.net/post/New_very_misleading_type_of_scam_Anyone_with_recent_examples

@Manjula thank you so much for your inputs. I asked the editor similar questions and also if he would be providing me a certificate in which journal's ISSN and that it is indexed in UGC CARE is mentioned. He did not reply me on that.

Global Scientific Journal is fake or not? some one can help me

Dear Zafar Mehmood ,

The ‘journal’ Global Scientific Journal is published by Global Scientific Journals: http://www.globalscientificjournal.com/ is mentioned in the updatedversion of the Beall’s list: https://beallslist.net/standalone-journals/#update

This a red flag for a predatory journal (publisher). Other red flags are:

-Use of a misleading impact factor Citefactor (see also: https://beallslist.net/misleading-metrics/ )

-Checked a few ‘papers’ these were nothing but master thesis manuscripts which simply were copy pasted as a paper (so without peer review, no real editing etc.)

-Fake ISSN (seems to belong to another vague journal)

-Contact info is basically absent

So for sure fake and better to avoid.

Best regards.

In order for you to make sure this journal is not fake you need to do your simple research on that journal:

Regards

Dear Rameez Ali Mahesar The following points are helpful:

- Check Beall's list of predatory journals.

- Check Scopus and Clarivate websites to make sure that the journal is at least indexed in one of them.

Boss what you need to do is to check their abstracting and indexing. As well as most of the journal didn't ask you to pay. Most of the predatory journal issue certificate of publication and in return ask for heavy publication fees. If you find EBSCO, Proquest, Scopus, SScI or SCI then that journal is authentic. Most authentic journals are from top publishers they are sage, springer, Elsiever, Taylor and Francis, wiley blackwell, medknow, Thieme, Inderscience

Can someone please help and let me know if this is an authentic journal

Indian Journal of Arts, here is the link below;

http://www.discoveryjournals.org/arts/Aim_Scope/index.htm

Please see this and let me know.

Kindly go the scopus website and type the name of the journal. Even go to Union Grant Commission journal list. Type the title of the journal.

I searched over scopus and UGC care list. It is a predatory journal don't publish it.

Be careful ! I heard few cases that few cheaters creating website with same information of less known journals. In this (worse) case, if anyone search the authentic databases e.g scopus, isi masterlist, the result would verify the journal information/ existence. As an author I would suggest you to be very careful in journal selection. Its better to get second opinion of experience person in publication.

Dear Kasturi Hazarika ,

The journal “Indian Journal of Arts” is published by “Discovery Publication” which is mentioned in the Beall’s list for potential predatory publishers (https://beallslist.net/ ). This is a red flag for being predatory. The journal seems no longer active (last papers are from 2018). I would say avoid.

Arsalan Ghouri you are absolutely right, there is even a term for it: “hijacked journals”. A helpful tool for already known cases:

https://beallslist.net/hijacked-journals/

For new cases of not (yet) included journals, see for example:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/New_very_misleading_type_of_scam_Anyone_with_recent_examples

Best regards.

PS. Hijacked journals are also known as cloned or counterfeit journals.

Dear Rob Keller,

This is a new journal, but does not look bad. Do you think this is authentic;

https://nuartjournal.com/aims-and-scope/

Dear Kasturi Hazarika ,

The journal “Nuart Journal” looks indeed fully legit. It has a very specific (but interesting) focus: street art related topics. Everything seems to look okay:

-ISSN is real

-Proper contact info

-As far as I can judge good content

-Transparency about costs (it is for free)

-Google Scholar indexed

The only thing is that they already exist since 2017 and my impression is that although they look fully legit and genuine, they have no ambition to get indexed in DOAJ, Scopus etc. The papers have no DOI (which is often the starting point for proper indexing). So, if publishing in an indexed journal is required then it might not be a good choice, but getting a paper published in this journal would be more than okay since I estimate that this journal is within this particular discipline a well-respected journal.

Best regards.

To see whether the Journal is genuine or fake,just search for the ISSN CODE and check for the same,also check the Journal website outside Google.As People may pay Google to advertise it,and then Google will show only that in search.

Regards

Nowadays, there are many fake Journals. Even some time you will see a Journal have all the information including fake editorial boards, submitting guidelines, template, fee structure.

Some journals name appears in the Scopus etc but they are clone Journal.

So, it highly recommended before submitting a paper or pay fee cross verify it through different resources i.e confirm the name its Scopus and other database, check it old paper, most important check the name for duplicate website inorder to avoid from clone website attack.

I strongly recommend that you search the net for the highly esteemed journals in your area of specialisation specially those with impact factor