Misleading journals & Publishers

Earlier last year, I got an inquiry from a journal and didn't think much of it. The email felt odd and I trust my instincts so I didn't reply back. (I also happened to be in the thick of data collection so didn't reply to many emails during that season). However, after sleuthing for my advisor on an email inquiry, I stumbled into the world of misleading and potentially predatory journals...

I just realized this sounds like the beginning of a science fiction novel or an Edgar Allan Poe story. Resemblance aside, the world of predatory journals and publishing companies, is not one that I knew until I started sleuthing.  (Note: some of the terms I use are based on prior knowledge regarding the publication process. If you are unfamiliar, read about it here). 

WHAT ARE THEY? 
(Potentially) fake/misleading/predatory journals or publishers can range from ones that are a little too ambiguous (e.g. lack of transparency about their editorial board or process) to ones that hold a manuscript "hostage" and demand/charge money for publication. Some journals and publishers might also encourage you to pay a small "fee" or "investment" as part of the review process.  In learning more about this, I have decided that for future, rare occasions of submission solicitation, I'll likely do a quick background search. 

HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT? 
There are several sites that you can look up if a journal or publishing company seems... a little off. A bulk of this work is from Jeffrey Beall, who is an American librarian and library scientist. Based on his work, here are some sites where you can search: 

• ​Beall's List: which is a comprehensive list searchable both by publisher and by journal. (And yes, you are correct, this is the list Jeffrey Beall first created)
• Stop Predatory Journals: which has some overlaps with Beall's list and also provides information about what makes a journal predatory and/or misleading
• Yale University Library List of Suspicious Journals and Publishers: likewise includes overlap with the two resources above, but also provides additional information about copyright guidance, impact factors, and more

If you aren't able to scoop anything from the resources above, I recommend asking your mentors and peers (and maybe you should do that first anyways). During my own process, I looked for information about editorial boards, institutional affiliations, searched on these sites, and also looked on Twitter. Based on what you find, if you do think something is suspicious, I would add the tip and contact the above sites too so that they can update their databases.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Hopefully this doesn't detract you from publishing, but instead provides a cautionary tale. (Excuse me for my literary flairs).  And if you are curious about Beall's journey, I would highly recommend reading his first-person account that explained how he compiled the list and also the ways different publishers tried to get off these lists. You can access it here.