Reliability of Open Access publishers

The Open Access-model is sometimes used by publishers and journals that charge an article or book processing charges for open access publication without offering editorial support, so-called predatory publishers. These publishers ask for a high amount in the APC or BPC without providing editorial services or peer review. Therefore, the APC or BPC is not indicative of the quality of a journal or book. There are plenty good Open Access journals or books that do not charge publication fees.

How do I know if a journal or publisher is genuine and/or credible? Check the following:

Is the publisher member of one of the organisations listed below?

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) 
• International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM)
• Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSPnet)
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

Does the publisher have a policy on Open Access publishing or self-archiving? Sherpa Romeo is an online platform that provides information for each journal on which version of your article may be made Open Access, the duration of embargo periods and copyright policies. Each journal indexed has carefully been evaluated. On Sherpa Romeo, you discover the conditions for publishing your article in the Hanze UAS repository Pure.

How do I know if a journal or book is reliable?

• Always consult the Directory of Open Access Journals or the Directory of Open Access Books prior to the submission of your manuscript.
• Does the journal organise a transparant peer review process? If the process is not transparant, try to reach them for more information.
• Do you know someone from the editorial board? Contact him or her and ask if they are indeed editors of this journal. If you do not know them, google their names for more background information.
• Do you recognize one of the authors that recently published in the journal? Contact him or her and ask for their evaluation of the peer review process.
• Take a look at the tips and guidelines described in this guide on Predatory and Questionable Publishing Practices: How to Recognise and Avoid Them
• If in doubt, please contact the Information specialists Research at the Hanze Library.

Quality Open Access Market

Quality Open Access Market (QOAM) is an association of organisations and publishers that marks the integrity and quality of the publishing service of Open Access journals.

SciRev

SciRev is a platform that enables researchers to share their experience with the scientific review process and help select efficient journals for submitting your manuscripts.

Think Check Submit offers a variety of tools and resources to help researchers identify trusted journals, to promote their integrity, and to build trust in credible research and publications.