Predatory publishing

Thousands of budding researchers and academics are unwitting victims of predatory publishers. After authors pay upfront, they receive little of what the publishers promise them. And many more desperate doctoral candidates and academics trying to earn tenure willingly turn to these shady publishing options because the competition for prestigious positions is intensifying. Universities often look the other way, and academic rigor suffers.

After teaching for several years in a small university, Mukesh was eager to have his finance theory published in an academic journal. He hoped to boost his chances of moving to a prestigious university and a more rewarding career. He knew that Ph.D. teaching jobs were hard to come by and so was publishing in leading academic journals.

Mukesh received a flattering email from an academic publisher, The Journal of Finance and Economics saying he could have his theory published in the journal for $495. The publication promised him the services of industry-respected reviewers; an editorial staff; Google, Scopus and Web of Science indexing; reference validation; and much more. For an additional $1,500, the journal’s academic conference would invite Mukesh to present his paper with influential researchers in his field. Mukesh submitted his paper with a check for $1,995. He was overjoyed about the promise of finally being published in a respected journal and presenting to a conference of peers.

However, Mukesh faced a major problem. The Journal of Economics and Finance is an esteemed Springer publication. The similar-sounding Journal of Finance and Economics, is a less-than-legitimate journal — one of many thousands in the predatory publishing industry.