Predatory publishing happens when a publisher charges an author fee that is disproportionate to the value. Wikipedia phrases it this way: "...an exploitative academic publishing business model, where the journal or publisher prioritizes self-interest at the expense of scholarship. It is characterized by misleading information, deviates from the standard peer-review process, is highly non-transparent, and often utilizes aggressive solicitation practices..."
Predatory publishers can sometimes be difficult to distinguish. Characteristics of predatory publishers include:
- The publisher solicited the article. Well-respected journals often receive more submissions than they have the opportunity to publish. An email from a journal that is actively soliciting submissions is a red flag
- The journal is not indexed into PubMed. Journals included in PubMed go through a thorough vetting process. If you cannot find an article from that journal in PubMed, that probably means that your article would not appear in PubMed.
- The journal website doesn't clearly state the Author Processing Charges, has typos, contains conflicting information, doesn't list an impact factor, or offers an unreasonably fast turn-around time.
Several websites that can help you evaluate a journal include:
- ThinkCheckSubmit is a free website designed to assist researchers who want to evaluate a journal before submitting their article.
- COPE, the Committee on Publication Ethics, offers similar services and is also available at no charge
References: Wikipedia; Predatory Journals: What They Are and How to Avoid Them