Predatory Publishing

The Sacred Heart Library currently subscribes to the Cabells Journalytics database, which includes access to Cabells' Predatory Reports. This resource can be used to look up journals that have been identified as predatory, with each individual entry detailing all the specific reasons why a journal title has been flagged.

This is the library's primary tool for helping identify predatory publications. But while both very helpful and convenient, it's important for you to keep in mind that this is not a completely comprehensive list. If a journal is not mentioned there, it does not automatically mean that it is not predatory - it's still necessary to keep a critical eye out for red flags. 

You can use these two tools that were specially made to evaluate individual journal titles. 

Beall's List was a list of predatory or possibly predatory open access journals created by Scholarly Communications Librarian Jeffrey Beall of the University of Colorado-Denver. He maintained the list until January 2017, citing pressure from his employer.  

An archived version of Beal's list can be found at this link. Due to its reputation, Beall's List still remains a go-to for many academics who wish to look up suspect journals. However, since it has not been updated since 2017, it should not be relied on if you are is unsure whether they have encountered a predatory publication or not. You should instead use any combination of the other resources listed on this page, and also contact your librarians for assistance as needed.