Хижацькі журнали як загроза для науки, наукової комунікації та авторської репутації
Predatory Journals as a Threat to Science, Scientific Communication, and Author's Reputation

Summary/Abstract: In the study, the features of predatory journals are highlighted; the threats from them for science, scientific communication and authors have been identified. Methodology. To find out the reasons for which authors are published in predatory journals, we have selected 30 journals from various fields of knowledge included in the Bill`s list. Then, 200 articles, published in these journals, were selected by the method of simple random selection using the random number generator. The authors of the articles were sent a Google form for the survey. As a result, responses from 148 respondents were received and processed. Due to the analytical method, the invitations to publication received by the author of this article during the period from September 2018 to February 2019 were investigated, and thus the signs of predatory journals were summarized: multidisciplinarity of the journal, urgent publication of the article, distribution of spam messages, no review, publication of articles without any changes, discounts system for repeat publications, errors on the site of the journal, sending a review together with the article, the discrepancy of the editorial board with the subject matter of the articles, the lack of quotations of articles included to international scientometric databases. Results. The poll revealed reasons for publishing in the predatory journals: pressure of leadership, uncertainty, low level of English, low level of financial support, ignorance of research methodology, as well as the prejudice of the reputable journals to the scientific results achieved by scientists from certain countries. The proliferation of predatory journals is a significant threat to science, scientific communication, and authors. Such journals discredit scientific knowledge, because lack of evaluation can lead to conscious violation of the rules of academic integrity, including plagiarism, data tampering and image manipulation, and therefore to promote the dissemination of pseudo-science, unjustified theories. These publications exist mostly due to the low scientific level of publication and destroy the reputation of the authors and institutions in which they work. To factors that influence why some Ukrainian scientists choose the predatory journals for publication of articles, are normative-legal and material-technical.

• Details
• Contents