PREDATORY JOURNALS

Predatory Journals – A Major Risk to Online Scholarly Communication and Open Access Publishing

One of the greatest threats to online scientific communication, publishing, and open access dissemination is posed by predatory (or parasitic) journals. International literature uses various terms for these publications, but the most common is “predatory journal.”

The research support staff of the University Library are available to help assess whether a particular journal exhibits predatory characteristics. If you have any questions regarding predatory journals, feel free to contact us at our service email: open.access@lib.uni-obuda.hu

In many cases, it is difficult to clearly determine whether a journal is truly scientific and open access, or a deceptive platform designed to exploit researchers—mainly for financial gain.

These journals primarily target early-career researchers, who may not yet be familiar with the reputable journals in their field. However, due to the rapid increase in online publications and the often well-designed appearance of such journal websites, even experienced researchers may fall victim to them.

When evaluating a journal, there are certain warning signs that may indicate it is predatory. The presence of just one of these signs does not automatically classify a journal as predatory, but the more signs are present, the stronger the suspicion becomes.

Key Characteristics of Predatory Journals:

• The journal is not indexed in any recognized scientific database.
• The website lacks information about the editorial board.
• The website provides no contact details or physical address for the editorial office.
• The editor-in-chief, editorial board, and section editors have no verifiable academic record.
• The journal title includes misleading or questionable terminology.
• There is no transparent description of the publication process.
• The promised publication timeframe is unrealistically short, ruling out proper peer review.

For guidance in evaluating suspicious journals or selecting reputable open access outlets, please contact the University Library’s research support team.