The simplest way to learn about predatory journals and their tricks of the trade is to look at the burgeoning number of articles on the topic. Since 2020, there have been over 2,000 research articles published that mention ‘predatory publishing,' with the rate increasing over time. Indeed, as you can see from the graph below, aside from the spike in … Continue reading Reviewing the literature on predatory publishing
What’s in a name?
Imagine you wake up one morning with a set of unusual symptoms. Nothing to worry about, you think, but you had better check online just to make sure. Once you scroll through a few plausible-sounding, non-serious possibilities, your eyes alight on an illness you have never heard of before. But it sounds serious – really serious. You click on the link … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Research? It’s a social enterprise
How do you choose the right journal? Some people might suggest this is an art rather than a science, only possible with years of publishing experience or a wide network of contacts of those at the top of a given field. Others might suggest that you can plan and execute a publication with near certainty, using data to proceed to a positive outcome. The truth, as with all … Continue reading Research? It’s a social enterprise
Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
A little-examined consequence of the predatory publishing phenomenon is the damage done to legitimate publishers that got swept up in it – not because they were truly predatory, but because they were listed alongside journals that were. Beall’s List, the well-intentioned and perhaps the most famous predatory publisher and journal list, has long been shuttered. … Continue reading Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
Hijack!
A question Cabells is often asked about the coverage of journals in its database products is, ‘How do you find out about them?’ This is not an easy question to answer, as there are so many reasons for a journal to come to our attention, for good or bad – editor recommendation, new launch, author … Continue reading Hijack!
Out of time
This week, hundreds of librarians, publishers, and vendors have congregated in the UK city of Glasgow to attend the annual UK Serials Group (UKSG). A fixture on the scholarly communications events circuit for many years, there was a clear sense this year that things are under strain, and a once vibrant industry is going through … Continue reading Out of time
Cabells launches white paper on optimizing journal decision-making at UKSG
BEAUMONT, TX: Cabells – a US-based information services company – has launched a white paper (available for download below) providing insights to researchers, librarians, and aligned professionals on how its Journalytics platform can optimize crucial decision-making. Working from prior research underlining the importance of decision-making when it comes to choosing the right journal for a … Continue reading Cabells launches white paper on optimizing journal decision-making at UKSG
Finding your compass
When US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld uttered his now-famous speech about what we know and don’t know in the early 2000s, it is fair to say there was a good deal of mockery. Not only did it sound extremely odd, it also didn’t seem to make sense initially. What on earth are ‘known unknowns’ … Continue reading Finding your compass
What’s in a name?
In 2016, an online poll was set up in the UK to name a new, multi-million-pound research vessel. Many good suggestions were made, but once ‘Boaty McBoatface’ was suggested online, it started to garner huge support and eventually won a third of all the votes cast. Embarassed, the UK government decided to call it the … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Is the Article *Really* Dead?
I was fortunate to attend the annual Charleston Conference last week, and in addition to the lovely weather and beautiful surroundings of South Carolina in early November, I was able to enjoy a vibrant and serious-minded event against a backdrop of unprecedented challenges. While there was an overall mood of deep concern for librarianship, there … Continue reading Is the Article *Really* Dead?