Predatory Publishing Red Flags and Cabells’s Evaluative Criteria

The Authority File

In the third episode of our four-part series on predatory publishing, our guests share key steps of the evaluative process for Cabells Predatory Reports. As Yasmeen Zubair, Journals Manager at Cabells, explains, the 74 criteria help identify a journal’s intent to deceive and are updated according to input from scholars, social media chatter, and emerging trends. In addition, Ruth Bailey, Journal Auditor at Cabells, walks through problematic publishing red flags, such as a lack of plagiarism policies on a journal’s website, quick turnaround times without the appropriate number of staff, and inconsistent publishing schedules. Last, Yasmeen and Ruth share how Cabells’s holistic, evidence-based approach avoids automation and the exploitative—though not necessarily predatory—publishing practices they keep an eye on to stay up to date on the industry.

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