Trusted Resources
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ):
- What is DOAJ?
- DOAJ is a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high-quality, open-access, peer-reviewed journals. It aims to increase the visibility and ease of use of open-access scientific and scholarly journals.
- How to Use DOAJ:
- Use the DOAJ search function to find reputable open-access journals in your field. Journals listed in DOAJ must adhere to strict quality and transparency standards.
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE):
- What is COPE?
- COPE provides advice to editors and publishers on all aspects of publication ethics. It offers guidelines on best practices for ethical publishing and maintains a list of member journals that comply with these standards.
- How to Use COPE:
- Check if a journal is a member of COPE, as this indicates that it adheres to high ethical standards. COPE also provides flowcharts and resources for dealing with ethical issues in publishing.
Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA):
- What is OASPA?
- OASPA represents the interests of open-access journal publishers globally. It promotes best practices and standards for open-access publishing and maintains a list of reputable publishers.
- How to Use OASPA:
- Look for journals and publishers that are members of OASPA. Membership indicates a commitment to high standards in open-access publishing.
Tools and Checklists
Think. Check. Submit.:
- What is Think. Check. Submit.?
- Think. Check. Submit. is a cross-industry initiative that provides a simple checklist researchers can use to assess the credibility of a journal or publisher.
- How to Use It:
- Follow the checklist to ensure that the journal you are considering is reputable. The checklist includes steps such as verifying the journal’s editorial board, checking if the journal is indexed, and ensuring that fees are transparent.
Ulrichsweb:
- What is Ulrichsweb?
- Ulrichsweb is an authoritative source of information on academic and scholarly journals. It includes details about whether a journal is peer-reviewed, indexed, and what databases it is listed in.
- How to Use It:
- Use Ulrichsweb to check if a journal is peer-reviewed and to find other essential details, such as the journal’s publisher and indexing information.
Journal Citation Reports (JCR):
- What is JCR?
- JCR, published by Clarivate Analytics, provides information on journal impact factors and other citation metrics. It helps researchers identify leading journals in various disciplines.
- How to Use It:
- Use JCR to find the impact factor of a journal and assess its influence in the field. Higher impact factors generally indicate more reputable journals.