There are a number of tools to help determine the standing and influence of an academic journal. These tools can be used when selecting who to publish with. It's important to note that no one tool can be used as a definitive measure.

Journal Ranking Tools

• Journal Citation Reports (paid product)
• SJR (SCImago)
• Google Scholar 
  • View the top 20 health and medical sciences journal rankings or use the subcategories drop-down menu to view the top 20 journals in each medical specialty.

Recommended resources:

Understanding Journal Impact

What is predatory publishing?

“Predatory journals and publishers are entities that prioritize self-interest at the expense of scholarship and are characterized by false or misleading information, deviation from best editorial and publication practices, a lack of transparency, and/or the use of aggressive and indiscriminate solicitation practices." (Grudniewicz et al., 2019, p. 211)

Predatory publishing and open access

The rise in predatory journals is linked to the growth of open access (OA) publishing, but many high-quality OA journals and publishers prioritize thorough peer review, editing, and checks. Predatory journals can even be found within reputable publishing houses. It's crucial to assess the context, policies, and peer review services of a journal to determine its legitimacy.

Open Access

Predatory conferences

Predatory meetings, conferences, and awards follow a similar model to predatory publishing, featuring poor or no peer review, high submission fees, and acceptance of almost all papers. They may falsely claim connections to legitimate publications and involve researchers without their consent.

Tools & resources:

• Think. Check. Submit. 
• Retraction Watch
• Predatory Publishing A-Z Elements

What is peer review?

Peer review is the process of evaluating research articles before publication to assess their quality and study design. After submission, the journal’s editorial board invites experts to review the paper. Review criteria and guidelines are provided to ensure a thorough evaluation of validity, significance, and originality. To minimise bias, reviewer feedback is anonymous. Authors receive feedback and an editorial decision—either "acceptance," "conditional acceptance" (after major revisions), or "rejection." The number of allowed re-submissions depends on the journal's policies.

Benefits of peer review

• Ensures the validity of research and prevents the publication of misleading or falsified works.
• Provides valuable feedback so that researchers can revise and improve their work based on analysis by experts in the field
• Serves as an independent check, as an second eye apart from the editor group, to minimise bias or misconduct.

What is open peer review?

Open peer review is a process where the identities of both the authors and reviewers are made public. In addition to traditional peer review, the review comments and feedback are often shared openly, allowing for greater transparency, accountability, and discussion. This approach aims to enhance the quality and trustworthiness of the review process by providing more visibility into how research is evaluated.

F1000 Research is an example of an open peer review publisher.

F1000 Research

Predatory publishers and peer review

Predatory publishers often skip peer review or offer minimal checks. It’s crucial to verify if their peer review policy is clear and accessible before submitting work. These publishers prioritise financial gain, resulting in short peer review turnaround times, poor quality reports, and may request payment for expedited reviews.