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Predatory Publishing : Warning Signs

This guide is intended to raise the awareness of EdUHK authors on predatory journals and how to avoid falling into their traps.

Warning signs of predatory publishing refer to indicators that researchers should be vigilant about when evaluating potential publishers or journals to avoid falling victim to unethical practices. Here are some examples of some common warning signs of predatory publishing:

Sample Website

Academic and Scientific Publishing

Journal with no ISSN:


International Journal of English Language, Literature and Translation Studies

Misleading claims to be indexed in prestigious databases, promoting with metrics or so-called impact factors such as SJIF, International Citation Impact Factor, which are not accepted by the academic world:


“Rapid publication” which takes only 3-5 working days:

Sample Email: Seeking Precious Publication

Source: Adopted from Predatory Publishing: Protecting Yourself (Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library)

Sample Email: Need Only 2 Articles!

Source: Adopted from Predatory Publishing: Protecting Yourself (Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library)