Introduction

The publication of research findings is a central part of research. Peer review is seen as an indicator of quality, as it signals that the research findings have been evaluated and accepted by the scholarly community. The quantity and quality of publications often affect career opportunities, access to funding, and academic reputation.

Since the 2000s, so-called predatory journals have exploited the “publish or perish” culture in academia for financial gain. At first glance, such journals offer attractive conditions—low submission barriers, guaranteed acceptance, and rapid publication. However, closer examination reveals that they disregard fundamental academic standards: peer review is minimal or non-existent, information on the editorial board is often misleading or fabricated, and fees primarily serve profit generation.

In this course, you will learn how to identify and avoid such predatory journals. Engaging with them can endanger your academic reputation, wastes valuable resources, and undermines the integrity of the scholarly publishing system due to insufficient quality assurance and intransparent processes.

➡️ Let’s get started! Simply click on the next section below to begin the course.