Predatory journals and the breakdown of research cultures

Abstract

Like human cultures, research cultures are passed down from one generation of scholars to the next. The advent of predatory journals and conferences is damaging existing research cultures. Predatory publishers and conferences carry out a fake or incomplete peer review that allows low-quality, un-vetted research to become a part of the scholarly record. This article examines predatory publishers and conferences within the framework of the five functions of scholarly communication. Academic institutions need to revise their evaluation policies based on the new realities predatory journals and conferences have created.