Don't Let Your Research Go to Waste: How to Identify Predatory Journals

Academic journals are among the most vital channels for publishing research topics and findings within the scholarly community. Through the dissemination of journal articles, researchers can stay abreast of scientific trends and the latest research developments, using these platforms to communicate and exchange ideas with their peers.

In recent years, unscrupulous operators have developed a "pay-to-publish" model that ignores or neglects the academic substance and editorial quality of papers. These outlets accept manuscripts for publication without rigorous peer review—or without any peer review at all. As scholars worldwide face increasing pressure to publish, this model has flourished, negatively impacting the healthy development of the academic community.

As the international community became aware of the rise and spread of these deceptive publishing practices, the term "Predatory Publishers" was coined, with the associated publications labeled "Predatory Journals." Subsequently, many international conferences adopted similar content and practices, leading to the term "Predatory Conferences." The issues surrounding predatory journals and conferences have now raised significant alarms within the global academic sphere.

Generally speaking, predatory journals and conferences not only fail to guarantee long-term, regular publication or hosting, but they are also rarely indexed in reputable databases. Consequently, they struggle to generate a positive impact or help scholars build their academic reputation. Furthermore, due to the lack of rigorous peer review, these venues offer no mechanism for authors to refine or improve their research. As a result, the quality of papers published in such journals and conferences is frequently questioned by the academic community.

(Source: Statement by the National Science and Technology Council on "Predatory Journals and Conferences")

The most commonly used checklist for conferences is the Conference Checker from the Think.Check.Attend website. It allows researchers to evaluate a conference through dimensions such as "Organizers and Sponsors," "Agenda and Organizing/Program Committees," and "Conference Proceedings."

• Think.Check.Attend (Conference Checker): https://thinkcheckattend.org/conference-checker/

• Think.Check.Submit (Journal Self-Checklist): https://thinkchecksubmit.org/journals/chinese-traditional/

Some organizations and individuals maintain reference lists based on specific needs; these should be consulted before submission.

• Beall’s List: https://beallslist.net

• Verify Journal Information via JCR:

  • Use Journal Citation Reports (JCR) to verify if the reported Impact Factor is authentic. JCR Login Link

  • JCR Title Suppressions (Warning List): Clarivate JCR Suppressions

• NTU College of Medicine: Information regarding "Journals Requiring Enhanced Substantive Review." Website Link

Following the recommendations of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s (OHRI) Journalology page (cited by Academia Sinica’s "Research Ethics – Predatory Journals and Conferences" section), if faculty or students have already submitted to a predatory journal, they should:

1. Refuse to pay publication fees.

2. Refuse to sign copyright transfer agreements.

3. Request to withdraw/retract the paper.

4. Refuse to pay withdrawal/retraction fees.

5. Proactively disclose this submission experience when submitting to other journals in the future to avoid further harm.

• Academia Sinica Research Ethics Resource: https://ae.daais.sinica.edu.tw/pages/3695

The Ministry of Education has established a "Stay Alert to Predatory Journals and Conferences" resource package on the Taiwan Academic Research Ethics Education Center (AREE) website. This includes online courses, promotional materials, and related resources, with regular updates.

• AREE Resource Package: https://ethics.moe.edu.tw/packagepost/detail/1/

1. Ministry of Education Letter No. 1132201255 (May 15, 2024).

2. National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). Statement on the Issue of "Predatory Journals and Conferences." https://www.nstc.gov.tw/folksonomy/detail/ac8b27c5-a08a-4804-9e0d-cbea4412c9a7?l=ch

1. Chou, C., & Pan, S. A. (2020). Introduction to Predatory Publishing and Prevention. https://ethics.moe.edu.tw/files/resource/knowledge/knowledge_02.pdf
2. Ke, H. R. (2020). Development Trends of Open Access. Journal of National Cheng Kung University Library. https://www.lib.ncku.edu.tw/journal/pdf/29/29_01.pdf
3. Lin, C. S. (2024). From Predatory Journals to Mega Journals: Issues and Challenges in Scholarly Publishing. 2024 TMLA Annual Conference. https://www.taiwanmla.org/?page_id=22563