Predatory publishing refers to unethical and fraudulent business practices in the academic publishing industry. Providers of this “predatory” business model charge authors open-access publication fees without adhering to academic standards and without providing the usual publishing services. The same applies to conferences that appear to be academic in nature (“predatory conferences”). 

A defining characteristic is that key components of the academic process are either not provided at all or are provided inadequately. The focus is on collecting publication or conference fees, not on the content or its academic quality assurance.

This affects journal articles, book chapters, books, conferences, and conference proceedings. Regardless of the format, reliable quality assurance is a fundamental component of scholarly work, so predatory publishing and conferences must be avoided at all costs.  

For more information, typical characteristics of predatory publishing/conferences, and tips on how to spot unscrupulous offers, please visit our details page on the topic.