While most journals and publishers strive for excellence in writing, research, and peer review, some may invoke predatory practices to take your money, your research, or both. Predatory journals and publishers "are driven by self-interest, usually financial, at the expense of scholarship" (Grudniewicz et al, 2019). Use the following resources to assess journals and publishers to ensure you're submitting to a quality journal.
You may also want to consider what your assignment, tenure and promotion, or other guidelines say about where to publish in addition to the information below.
If you're unsure about whether or not a journal is quality or if you'd like assistance evaluating a journal or publisher, ask a librarian.
The following principles give you a frame by which to evaluate journals and publishers. These principles, titled Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, are maintained by a cohort of academic and scholarly publication associations.
Language from COPE DOAJ OASPA WAME. Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing - English. https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.12. 2022 COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, WAME.
Take agency in your scholarly journey by evaluating journals before you submit your work. One tool, Think. Check. Submit. is a great resource by which to evaluate journals and publishers. This initiative, led by a group of scholarly associations, gives you a checklist to make sure you think about all aspects of a journal, like its peer review process, how transparent their fee structure and licensing is, and more.