Assessing journals

Why journal assessment matters

Not all journals are created equal. While many uphold rigorous peer review and ethical publishing standards, others fall short—or worse, intentionally mislead authors. Publishing in an inappropriate journal can damage your credibility and limit the visibility of your work.

Learning how to assess a journal is a critical skill. It helps ensure your research is published in a venue that is reputable, discoverable, and aligned with your goals.

Tools to help you assess

• Think. Check. Submit. 
  This simple tool walks you through a checklist of questions about peer review, editorial boards, indexing, and transparency. It helps authors determine if a journal is trustworthy and appropriate for their work.
• Hijacked Journal Checker 
  This tool helps you identify fraudulent journals that mimic legitimate titles to mislead authors. Search by journal name or browse known hijacked journals.
• Need help assessing a journal? 
  The library offers journal assessment support. Email askthelibrary@nosm.ca with a link to the journal homepage, and we’ll provide guidance.

Understanding undesirable journals

Not all problematic journals are predatory. Some are simply lower quality, while others actively deceive authors. Here’s how to tell the difference:

Low-quality journals

These may not meet the standards expected in academic publishing. This could be due to limited infrastructure, lack of experience, or weak editorial practices.

Common signs include:

• Inadequate peer review
• Poor editorial practices
• Inactive editorial boards

Predatory journals

Predatory journals engage in deliberate and fraudulent practices that mimic legitimate scholarly publishing solely for profit. They collect article processing charges without providing credible publication services.

Common signs include:

• No peer review or fake peer review
• Fake editorial board members
• Use of fake or meaningless impact metrics
• Claims of indexing that can't be verified
• Hijacking names and websites of legitimate journals

5 tips to avoid undesirable journals

1. Be skeptical of unsolicited invitations
   Be cautious about emails inviting you to submit papers, join editorial boards, or attend conferences—especially if they seem generic or unrelated to your field.
2. Review recent issues
   Look at several articles from the journal. Assess writing quality, research depth, and whether the content aligns with the journal’s stated aims and scope.
3. Use trusted tools
   Evaluate journals with tools like Think. Check. Submit. and the Hijacked Journal Checker.
4. Verify metrics
   Be wary of unfamiliar or made-up impact metrics. If a journal claims to have a Journal Impact Factor, confirm it through Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports.
5. Still unsure? Ask us.
   If you're not sure about a journal, email askthelibrary@nosm.ca with the journal’s website. We're happy to help you assess it.

More Resources

• How to assess a journal (A.K.A. How not to publish in an undesirable journal)
  A one-page guide that outlines how to assess a journal and protect yourself from undesirable journals.

• Think. Check. Attend.
  A checklist for avoiding predatory conferences.

•   Combatting Predatory Academic Journals and Conferences 
  A 2022 report offering a nuanced evaluation of what predatory journals and conferences are and how they operate.