Some journals may have all the trappings of a reputable publication, but really just seek to turn a profit from unsuspecting academics.
The University of Toronto's Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation worked with U of T Libraries on a checklist that helps researchers spot these deceptive publishers before it's too late.
The resource, published under a creative commons license so it could be shared widely, was recently endorsed by Canada's Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research, which put it on its website and translated it into French.
The secretariat acts on behalf of Canada's three federal research funding agencies - the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - and is dedicated to promoting good research practices.
"This resource will go a long way in guiding not only the U of T research community, but the Canadian research community as a whole," said Karen Wallace, a senior adviser at the secretariat.
Deceptive or "predatory" journals are a problem for academia, says Lorraine Ferris, U of T's associate vice-president of research and oversight compliance. They undermine the quality of published science because their content often isn't peer-reviewed, and they keep important work out of legitimate journals where it can have a larger impact, she explains.
To make matters worse, researchers may later unwittingly cite an illegitimate journal and spread unverified or false information, she says.
"It's like this vicious circle that we have to stop," she says.
Some deceptive publishers persuade researchers to submit an article by guaranteeing to accept it - for a price ranging in the hundreds or thousands of dollars.
