Beware of predatory journals

The Open Access system is abused by an explosively increasing number of so-called predatory journals/publishers, now hundreds of them in the medical field. These only-for-high-profit, predatory journals charge authors publication fees (sometimes excessive) for rapid electronic publication but offer no editorial support and often no or shoddy peer review, which facilitates the rapid publication of submitted manuscripts these journals brag about; manuscripts are published as soon as the APC has been paid. The objectionable business of these predatory journals also soils the concept of Open Access. Thus, unfortunately, many tend to generalize regarding Open Access journals and consider them all inferior—a regrettable misunderstanding.

The predatory journals are not indexed in the major bibliographic databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science or Scopus; the articles can then, perhaps in many cases fortunately, not be traced. As a serious author you should not publish in these journals, as it will be harmful to you; publications in such journals usually do not count for doctoral theses or grant applications. Instead, choose respected and highly cited journals with Open Access, like Acta Orthopaedica, for publishing of your important research!

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