Avoiding 'predatory publishers'
Researchers are responsible for ensuring that their research results are published in bodies that meet the standards of good research practice (DFG Code of Conduct, Guideline 15).
Whilst the academic quality of a paper does not depend on the publication in which it is made available, not every publication meets the requirements of academic integrity and quality control. The publication of research papers by so-called ‘predatory publishers’ is particularly problematic. According to the definition by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE 2019), the term ‘predatory publishing’ refers to ‘the systematic for-profit publication of purportedly scholarly content (in journals and articles, monographs, books, or conference proceedings) in a deceptive or fraudulent manner and without any regard for quality assurance’.
The initiative: Think. Check. Submit. helps identify potential predatory publishers. However, it should be noted that some predatory journals may also “pass the test,” so additional verification steps or expert consultation may be advisable in certain cases.
Further guidance and support can be found here, among other resources:
- Predatory Journals: Identify, Avoid, and Publish Safely
To avoid supporting questionable publishing practices, the University Publication Fund covers the costs of Open Access publications only if they are published in journals or other publication venues that provide appropriate quality assurance (peer review). Suspected cases can be reported to the Open Access Team of Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen): oa@sub.uni-goettingen.de. Please note that, since February 2024, all journals published by MDPI have been excluded from funding by the University of Göttingen’s central publication fund (more information).
The SUB offers a journal recommendation service for Open Access publishing. If you would like to publish Open Access but are unsure which journal would be suitable, the University of Göttingen version of B!SON provides, among other things, information on funding opportunities for Open Access publication costs specifically available to corresponding authors affiliated with our institution. You can also enter the title, abstract, and/or references of your article, and based on this information, the service will suggest Open Access journals that may be a good match for your manuscript.