Trends in Questionable Journal Publishing: A Year in Review

Abstract

It’s been a busy year in the world of questionable scholarly journal publishers. Major players included Jeffrey Beall and his ongoing and ever-increasing “predatory publisher” list, a large number of new Open Access journals, a widely cited Science investigative report into the quality of peer review in OA journals, the announcement of DOAJ’s improved standards and a new “DOAJ Seal,” and a call for more involvement from the OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association). In response to this growing area of debate and concern within scholarly communications, academic libraries and librarians are increasing their knowledge and support for faculty who are navigating the choppy and unknown waters of journal and publisher assessment. We will discuss the ramifications surrounding the various events from the past year and propose strategies for going forward, both at an institutional level and beyond.