In short: A predatory journal takes your publication fee but skips the genuine peer review, editorial oversight and ethical safeguards a real journal provides. Before you submit, run the journal through the 12-point checklist below — and if several boxes stay unticked, submit elsewhere.
What is a predatory journal?
A predatory journal is one that charges authors to publish but does not deliver the services that fee is supposed to pay for: rigorous peer review, real editorial oversight, and adherence to publication ethics. Publishing in one can waste your money, damage your reputation, and — because the work is not properly vetted — weaken the scholarly record.
Importantly, "predatory" is not the same as "open access." Open access simply means articles are free to read, funded by article processing charges rather than subscriptions. That is a legitimate, mainstream model. The problem is the absence of real review and ethics, which can occur in any publishing model.
The 12-point checklist
Work through these before submitting. No single point is decisive, but a pattern of red flags is.
1. Peer review is clearly described
A legitimate journal explains its review model (for example, single- or double-blind) and workflow. Vague or missing peer-review information — or a promise of "guaranteed acceptance" — is a serious warning sign.
2. The editorial board is real and verifiable
Look up several board members. Are they genuine researchers at real institutions? Do their profiles or ORCID records mention the journal? Predatory titles often list scholars without consent, or invent names.
3. Indexing claims can be verified
Be sceptical of database logos on the homepage. Verify independently: search the journal in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Scopus or PubMed directly. A logo is not proof of indexing.
4. Articles have working DOIs
Reputable journals register a Crossref DOI for each article. Pick a published article and check that its DOI resolves at doi.org. Missing DOIs, or DOIs that do not resolve, are a red flag.
5. Fees are transparent and stated up front
Any publication charge should be clear before you submit. Hidden fees, or a bill that appears only after acceptance, are classic predatory tactics. Legitimate publishers also state their waiver and refund terms.
6. Contact details and a real address
Look for a verifiable postal address and a professional contact email (not only a generic web form or a free email account). Fake or missing location information is a warning sign.
7. A focused, coherent scope
Journals that claim to cover almost every field at once — or whose scope does not match their title — are often more interested in volume than quality.
8. A professional, functional website
Frequent spelling and grammar errors, broken links, distorted logos, or an amateurish site can signal a lack of genuine editorial investment.
9. No aggressive, flattering solicitation
Unsolicited emails with excessive flattery, urging you to submit quickly or to join an editorial board you never applied for, are hallmark predatory behaviour.
10. A registered ISSN
Legitimate journals have an ISSN you can verify in the ISSN Portal. An ISSN alone does not prove quality, but its absence is a concern.
11. Clear ethics and correction policies
Trustworthy journals publish policies on publication ethics, plagiarism screening, and corrections and retractions, typically aligned with the COPE Core Practices. Predatory journals rarely have — or follow — such policies.
12. A stated preservation and licensing approach
Look for a clear licence (such as a Creative Commons licence) and a statement on how the content is kept accessible over time. Silence on rights and preservation suggests a lack of long-term commitment.
How to verify a journal in five minutes
- Think. Check. Submit. — a free checklist tool at thinkchecksubmit.org.
- DOAJ — search the journal at doaj.org to see whether it meets open-access best-practice criteria.
- doi.org — check that a sample article's DOI resolves.
- ISSN Portal — confirm the ISSN.
- COPE — see whether the publisher references recognised ethics standards.
Green flags to look for
Positive signs include: a described peer-review process; a verifiable editorial board; Crossref-registered DOIs; transparent fees and waivers; clear ethics, corrections and licensing policies; and honest framing of indexing status (a new but legitimate journal will say it is working toward indexing rather than claiming it falsely).
Key takeaways
- Predatory journals charge fees but skip genuine peer review and ethics.
- Open access is legitimate; predatory behaviour is about missing review and ethics, not the model.
- Verify peer review, the editorial board, indexing, DOIs, fees and ethics before submitting.
- Use Think. Check. Submit., DOAJ and doi.org to check independently.