A narrative review of the phenomenon of predatory journals to create awareness among researchers in veterinary medicine

Charbel Fadel, Aneliya Milanova, Jelena Suran, Andrejs Sitovs, Tae Won Kim, Abubakar Bello, Solomon Mequanente Abay, Stefanie Horst, Rositsa Mileva, Michela Amadori, Ena Oster, Giovanni Re, Arifah Abul Kadir, Graziana Gambino, Cristina Vercelli*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

In recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of predatory journals has increased significantly. Predatory journals exploit the “open-access model” by engaging in deceptive practices such as charging high publication fees without providing the expected quality and performing insufficient or no peer review. Such behaviors undermine the integrity of scientific research and can result in researchers having trouble identifying reputable publication opportunities, particularly early-career researchers who struggle to understand and establish the correct criteria for publication in reputable journals. Publishing in journals that do not fully cover the criteria for scientific publication is also an ethical issue. This review aimed to describe the characteristics of predatory journals, differentiate between reliable and predatory journals, investigate the reasons that lead researchers to publish in predatory journals, evaluate the negative impact of predatory publications on the scientific community, and explore future perspectives. The authors also provide some considerations for researchers (particularly early-career researchers) when selecting journals for publication, explaining the role of metrics, databases, and artificial intelligence in manuscript preparation, with a specific focus on and relevance to publication in veterinary medicine.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)239-251
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Volume47
Issue number4
Early online date23 Apr 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

  • legitimate journals
  • predatory journals
  • research
  • scientific integrity
  • veterinary medicine

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