In my everyday work-life, I have to protect my colleagues from predators. Predatory publishers. Parasites, might be a better descriptor, because under the guise of “providing opportunity”, some of these organizations steer otherwise clever scholars into self-defeating situations. Sure, a line on a vitae is a fine brass ring to grab, but what if it’s more like fairy gold, a flash that fades away when the sun bears down upon it? For what have you sold your reputation and credibility?
But there may be a larger problem…. a break somewhere in the scholarly community. I came up in a world where you presented ideas at conferences and in poster sessions before you ever tried publishing a research article or review. Friends, colleagues, and strangers all battle-tested your ideas before a publisher ever took notice, or before you ever got round to writing a book proposal.
Did that kind of training stop? Or have the predatory publishers offered a quick route to “getting a journal article” that bled scholars off that route? “Why go through those gatekeepers and hurdles? — Here’s a little niche journal that will let you say whatever you want.”
The reward structure in academia that says “presentations are nice, but publications get you tenure”, falls right into the trap. And who has the standing [or the time] to intervene?
I dislike being the Clue Fairy in these settings; I really do.
Although I’m not the only one who’s been trying. See here for one of the current listing sites: Stop Predatory Journals
Rethorykal Questions 