Inquiry Form about "Predatory Journals"
It is very difficult to determine whether a journal (or publisher) is a "Predatory Journal" (or "Predatory Pulisher"), and it is important to make a comprehensive judgment based on a variety of information sources. If you have even the slightest doubt about the journal to which you are submitting your paper, please do not submit it, but rather make a comprehensive review and judgment based on a variety of information sources. We accept questions and information about Predatory Journals.
- Question: If you have any doubts about your decision when considering where to submit your work, please do not hesitate to ask. We will research and respond with information that will help you make a decision.
- Reporting: If you find anything suspicious in the submission or peer review process, please let us know. We will accumulate cases and use them as a reference for our work.
The content of your questions and reports will be compiled in a form that removes personal information and will be used to support your research. We appreciate your cooperation.
Please visit our website "Caution Regarding Predatory Journals". It will show you detailed information and educational leaflet.
Check Before Submission & Peer Review
Ask Other Researchers
Ask researchers in the same or similar fields about the journal's reputation and whether involvement with the journal would be beneficial to your research career.
Are there any comments about the journal's quality on social networking sites?
See the Official Website
Google the journal's official website yourself and check it.
Do NOT use a link in invitation email.
Is the period of the peer review too short? Is there anything suspicious about the website logo, such as poor image resolution or a distorted layout?
The website called SciRev enables users to check the total peer review times for individual journals It can be used to get an overall impression of current peer review times.
Reference: The average peer review periods
Total | First response time | |
All | 17 weeks | 13 weeks |
Natural Sciences | 14 weeks | 11 weeks |
Humanities | 22 weeks | 16 weeks |
Huisman, J., Smits, J. Duration and quality of the peer review process: the author's perspective. Scientometrics113, 633–650 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2310-5 Processed Table 1 and 2.
Read Previous Articles
Read previous articles published in the journal.
Do they match the scope of coverage stated on the official website?
Does the quality of the articles indicate a journal worthy of publishing your own research?
Check the Editor's Profile
Are the editors listed on the official website researchers that you have heard of, or researchers in the field that you want to contribute to?
Does the editor's own official website (e.g. the website of their university) clearly state that he/she is an editor of the journal?
If the inquiry form doesn't work well, please contact to below.
Email: pj at mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp *Replace at with @