There are many options for getting published, but with choice comes added responsibilities for the author. Finding the journal that meets your needs can be challenging.
The first thing to understand is that there are two general publication models.
Learn about them to better guide your selection of where you want to publish your work.
- Open Access vs Traditional Publishing: What Are the Differences
- Making the Choice: Open Access vs. Traditional Journals
- Pros and Cons of Open Access vs Traditional Publishing
Predatory or Deceptive Publishing
When looking for a journal to publish your work, be careful to avoid predatory or deceptive publishers.
First, start by looking at an article or two from the list below to introduce yourself to what we are talking about. They are all open access with free full text.
Clemons M, de Costa E Silva M, Joy AA, Cobey KD, Mazzarello S, Stober C, Hutton B. Predatory Invitations from Journals: More Than Just a Nuisance? Oncologist. 2017 Feb;22(2):236-240. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2016-0371. Epub 2017 Feb 10. PMID: 28188258; PMCID: PMC5330713.
Beall J. Best practices for scholarly authors in the age of predatory journals. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2016 Feb;98(2):77-9. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2016.0056. PMID: 26829665; PMCID: PMC5210492.
Christopher MM, Young KM. Awareness of "Predatory" Open-Access Journals among Prospective Veterinary and Medical Authors Attending Scientific Writing Workshops. Front Vet Sci. 2015 Aug 13;2:22. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2015.00022. PMID: 26664951; PMCID: PMC4672203.
Masten Y, Ashcraft A. Due diligence in the open-access explosion era: choosing a reputable journal for publication. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2017 Nov 15;364(21):fnx206. doi: 10.1093/femsle/fnx206. PMID: 29040536; PMCID: PMC5812519.
Hoffecker L, Hastings-Tolsma M, Vincent D, Zuniga H. Selecting An Open Access Journal for Publication: Be Cautious. Online J Issues Nurs. 2015 Dec 4;21(1):8. doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol21No01PPT03. PMID: 27853285.
Hansoti B, Langdorf MI, Murphy LS. Discriminating Between Legitimate and Predatory Open Access Journals: Report from the International Federation for Emergency Medicine Research Committee. West J Emerg Med. 2016 Sep;17(5):497-507. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2016.7.30328. Epub 2016 Aug 8. PMID: 27625710; PMCID: PMC5017830.
Shamseer L, Moher D, Maduekwe O, Turner L, Barbour V, Burch R, Clark J, Galipeau J, Roberts J, Shea BJ. Potential predatory and legitimate biomedical journals: can you tell the difference? A cross-sectional comparison. BMC Med. 2017 Mar 16;15(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s12916-017-0785-9. PMID: 28298236; PMCID: PMC5353955.
Beall J. What I learned from predatory publishers. Biochem Med (Zagreb). 2017 Jun 15;27(2):273-278. doi: 10.11613/BM.2017.029. PMID: 28694718; PMCID: PMC5493177.
Ferris LE, Winker MA. Ethical issues in publishing in predatory journals. Biochem Med (Zagreb). 2017 Jun 15;27(2):279-284. doi: 10.11613/BM.2017.030. Erratum in: Biochem Med (Zagreb). 2017 Oct 15;27(3):031201. PMID: 28694719; PMCID: PMC5493173.
Masten, Yondell & Ashcraft, Alyce. (2016). The Dark Side of Dissemination: Traditional and Open Access Versus Predatory Journals. Nursing Education Perspectives. 37. 275-277. 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000064.
Gasparyan AY, Nurmashev B, Voronov AA, Gerasimov AN, Koroleva AM, Kitas GD. The Pressure to Publish More and the Scope of Predatory Publishing Activities. J Korean Med Sci. 2016 Dec;31(12):1874-1878. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.12.1874. PMID: 27822923; PMCID: PMC5102848.
Ravindran V, Misra DP, Negi VS. Letter to the Editor: Predatory Practices and How to Circumvent Them: a Viewpoint from India. J Korean Med Sci. 2017 Jan;32(1):160-161. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2017.32.1.160. PMID: 27914147; PMCID: PMC5143290.
Kebede M, Schmaus-Klughammer AE, Tekle BT. Manuscript Submission Invitations from 'Predatory Journals': What Should Authors Do? J Korean Med Sci. 2017 May;32(5):709-712. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2017.32.5.709. PMID: 28378541; PMCID: PMC5383600.
Masic I. Predatory Publishing - Experience with OMICS International. Med Arch. 2017 Oct;71(5):304-307. doi: 10.5455/medarh.2017.71.304-307. PMID: 29284894; PMCID: PMC5723186.
Shen, C., Björk, BC. ‘Predatory’ open access: a longitudinal study of article volumes and market characteristics. BMC Med 13, 230 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0469-2
Tennant JP, Waldner F, Jacques DC, Masuzzo P, Collister LB, Hartgerink CH. The academic, economic and societal impacts of Open Access: an evidence-based review. F1000Res. 2016 Apr 11;5:632. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.8460.3. PMID: 27158456; PMCID: PMC4837983.
Webinar
Videos - Predatory Publishing - Research Guides at George Washington University (gwu.edu)
Website
- List of Predatory publishers - 2022 » Open access journals (openacessjournal.com)
- Choosing the right journal for your article. Jenkins, M. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy!. 15(1):23-25, January/February 2017. No abstract available. (Contact the Medical Library for a copy of an article
Author Guidelines
Once you select a journal, look at the Author's Guidelines for that particular title.
Generally, there is an identifiable link on the homepage of the journal.
These guidelines will tell you how to prepare your manuscript for submission and the steps involved
