In the previous articles, we specifically discussed “how to identify a predatory journal?”
Here, we want to review what will happen if an author publishes a predatory journal. Is it that important that it affects their academic career?
As you know, predatory journals exploit authors’ desire for publication by accepting their manuscripts for a fee, regardless of their quality, without providing essential services like peer review and editing.
In this guidance, we are also helping you to remove your article from a predatory journal.
How Does Publishing in Predatory Journals Affect an Author’s Career?
Predatory journals, appearing as legitimate academic journals, entice scholars with promises of rapid and simple publication.
Nevertheless, these shady journals frequently lack rigorous peer review, editorial control, and ethical publication processes, raising worries about the research’s reliability.
In the following section, you can find the consequences of publishing in these types of journals.
What happens to your work if you publish in a fake journal?
Firstly,
Publishing in predatory journals may be harmful to both researchers and also the scientific community as a whole.
For instance, these publications may communicate faulty or fraudulent material, especially in STEM subjects, possibly confusing other researchers and expanding scientific misleading information.
Secondly,
Predatory journals manipulate the public image of the publication process, leading to the lead relief that publishing in a prestigious journal is difficult and time-consuming.
This misleading perception can be passed on to pupils and peers, contributing to disinformation about the publishing industry.
Thirdly;
Another major issue is the loss of copyright ownership. Predatory journals sometimes demand writers to sign too wide copyright agreements, giving up ownership of their work and making it difficult to submit their manuscripts to other, more prestigious journals.
Finally;
Publishing in predatory publications carries money losses and significant reputational and intellectual property liabilities. Researchers frequently pay publication expenses, and if they cannot remove their work owing to the predatory journal’s policies, they may be forced to bear these costs permanently, further depleting their resources.
Yes, these are the most important outcomes of publishing in predatory journals. But what if an author falls into a trap and offers his work to such fake publications?
First, you need to know how to avoid fake publications.
How To Avoid Predatory Journals & Publish in Real Ones?
It is critical to act cautiously when picking publishing journals to protect your research and reputation. Reputable journals commit to strict editorial standards, promote ethical publication procedures, and allow open access to their peer review process.
Scientists and authors may contribute to developing knowledge while maintaining the integrity of scientific discourse by avoiding predatory journals and choosing reputable academic publications.
Consider that an author has fallen into these predatory journals trap, and published his/her work in fake journals. What can they do? Is there any possibility of withdrawal?
How To Withdraw an Article from a Predatory Journal?
We want to go step by step and tell you how to stop the publishing process when you find out that a journal is not prestigious and it is fake:
1. Before signing a copyright contract
It can be so great if you find out that the journal is predatory before signing any contract. So, if the journal accepts your manuscript, please do not sign any agreement.
Even writing to that journal to withdraw the accepted manuscript will increase the chance of success.
2. While signing a publishing agreement or paying a publishing fee?
If you have signed a publication contract or paid a publication fee, you may have given the legal ownership of your work to the predatory publisher. Promptly contact the fake journal’s editor and adamantly request that your work not be published and that all rights be restored.
You have to refuse to enter into any further agreements with the publisher. Safeguard copies of all your communications with the journal.
3. The article has been published in the Predatory Journal! Are there any ways for withdrawal?
Suppose your research has been published in a predatory journal. In that case, you can fix the situation by contacting the journal’s editorial office and requesting the removal of your work from their website.
While there’s no guarantee of a positive outcome, there have been reports of predatory journals complying with such requests.
However, the journal might demand a withdrawal fee, but you can persist in demanding that your article be retracted without any additional charges.
Read More: How to make a research paper longer?
The Final Note
As you develop in your academic career, you will be able to distinguish the predatory journals from the prestigious ones.
Now that you know what happens if you publish in a predatory journal, you should avoid them to prevent harm.
If you have questions about how to withdraw an article from the predatory journal, ask us in the comments.
