Predatory Publishing

If you're unsure about a journal, keep in mind that reputable publishers usually have some of the following characteristics: 

• The journal is affiliated with or was established by a scholarly or academic institution or organization.
• Possess a verifiable ISSN number
• Articles have verifiable DOIs.
• The journal has an impact factor.
• The journal is listed in legitimate indexing services or databases.
• The journal's scope is well defined and clearly written on it's website.
• The editors and the editorial board consist of recognized experts in the field.
• The peer-review process is rigorous and clearly explained on website.
• The fee structure is clearly explained and is easily found on the website.
• The copyright and usage rights are clearly stated (e.g. Creative Commons License CC By license)
• If it is an open access publication, the journal is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
  • Note: Some questionable journals also appear in directories such as DOAJ, so this should not be your only criteria when evaluating journals.
• The publisher is a member of Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA).
• The contact information is clearly provided.