Differentiating predatory scholarship: best practices in scholarly publication

Area of Science:

• Scholarly publishing
• Open Access (OA) models
• Academic integrity

Background:

• Open access publishing aims to disseminate research widely and foster innovation.
• Both subscription and OA models face challenges, including peer-review coordination and profit motives.
• Exploitation of the OA model has led to the rise of predatory publishers.

Purpose of the Study:

• Define predatory publishing.
• Identify risks and costs associated with predatory publishing.
• Provide best practices for authors to protect themselves.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on predatory publishing.
• Identification of best practices.
• Incorporation of author experiences.

Main Results:

• Predatory publishers exploit the open access model for profit.
• Pharmacy scholars and researchers are increasingly targeted.
• Risks include financial costs and compromised research integrity.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacy researchers and clinicians must recognize predatory publishers and meeting organizers.
• Awareness is critical for selecting legitimate publication venues.
• Knowledge of predatory practices aids in evaluating medical literature for patient care.