Why is Predatory publication harmful for scholarly publication?

Predatory publishing is now rapidly growing and becoming a global challenge to scientific communities. Predatory publications pose a danger that could undermine the quality, integrity, and reliability of published scientific research works. They harm the career of those authors who published on them [1].

Predatory publishing poses a significant threat not only to individuals but also to the integrity of the scientific community and the credibility of scholarly literature. These unscrupulous journals offer content that lacks proper vetting, resulting in subpar quality and unreliable information. Furthermore, citations to articles from predatory journals, which occasionally find their way into reputable publications, run the risk of disseminating misinformation to readers, thereby compromising the reliability of scholarly discourse.

“Predatory publishing” refers to conditions under which gold open-access academic publishers claim to conduct peer review and charge for their publishing services but do not, in fact, actually perform such reviews [2].

One of the primary objectives of publishing is to bolster the author’s reputation and amplify the visibility of their work, thereby garnering recognition for their contributions. However, engaging with predatory publishers seldom achieves these goals and can, in fact, lead to enduring damage. Even if the research itself is meticulously conducted, its association with subpar or erroneous work diminishes its value. Falling prey to predatory publishing not only fails to enhance one’s standing but can also impede future opportunities for dissemination. Victims often find it exceedingly challenging to retract a submission from predatory publishers, and in some cases, manuscripts are published without the author’s consent, rendering them unviable for publication elsewhere.

Predatory journals pose a global threat to science. Young scientists and scholars are easy victims of the predatory publications. Predatory publications reduce the accuracy, reliability, and validity of the scientific works published. The predatory publications are worthless, just a waste of time, resources, money, and efforts. Predatory publications undermine the value of legitimate publications [3].

Predatory publishing is detrimental to scholarly publication for several reasons:

1. Quality Compromise: Predatory journals often lack rigorous peer review processes. They accept articles without proper scrutiny, leading to the publication of low-quality or even pseudoscientific content. This compromises the overall quality of scholarly literature.
2. Misleading Researchers: Authors who submit their work to predatory journals may believe they are contributing to reputable research. However, these journals exploit researchers by charging exorbitant fees for publication without providing genuine peer review or editorial services.
3. Erosion of Trust: When predatory journals flood the academic landscape, it becomes challenging for readers, researchers, and policymakers to distinguish between legitimate and questionable publications. This erosion of trust undermines the credibility of scientific knowledge.
4. Career Implications: Researchers who unwittingly publish in predatory journals risk damaging their academic reputation. Promotion committees, funding agencies, and employers may question the validity of work published in such venues.
5. Financial Exploitation: Predatory publishers profit from authors’ desperation to publish. They charge hefty fees for open-access publication, often without delivering the promised visibility or impact.

Predatory publishing is a major threat to contemporary publishing, as it offers ‘to unaware scientist’s’, a quick open-access publication against fees without peer-review procedures.. Lack of peer-review leads to unethical practices, as plagiarism, publication of unscientific falsified data, and even unsafe clinical practices [4].

In summary, predatory publishing harms the scholarly community by compromising research quality, misleading authors, and eroding trust. Vigilance and awareness are essential to combat this menace.

References

1. Shrestha, J. (2020). Authors beware! Publishing in predatory journals is harmful. Journal of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 3(2), 1-8.
2. Eve, M., & Priego, E. (2017). Who is actually harmed by predatory publishers?. tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique. Open Access Journal for a Global Sustainable Information Society, 15(2), 755-770.
3. Shrestha, J., Subedi, S., & Timsina, K. P. (2020). Predatory publishing: A threat to the credibility of science. Nepal Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 3(1), 7-14.
4. Rupp, M., Anastasopoulou, L., Wintermeyer, E., Malhaan, D., El Khassawna, T., & Heiss, C. (2019). Predatory journals: a major threat in orthopaedic research. International orthopaedics, 43, 509-517.