How to Avoid Predatory Publishers and Conferences

The aim of this checklist is to assist you in being able to identify and avoid bogus or low-quality conference venues when considering where to present your research.

A non-reputable or deceptive conference operates a scam by setting up fake conference websites designed to trick authors into believing that they are submitting their work to a legitimate and established conference in the field. They provide misleading information about their conference to potential authors and attendees. Attendance at a non-reputable or deceptive conference can damage your research career and the reputation of the university and waste precious time and money.

The following list has been adapted from the Think. Check. Attend. checklist.

Selection

• Is this conference right for your research?
• Are you submitting your abstract to a trusted conference?
• How can you be sure the conference you are considering is the right conference to attend and present your research?

Organizers and Sponsors

• Are you aware of the society or the association organizing this conference?
• Can you easily identify the venue of the conference?
• Is it the first time that this conference is being held?
• Have you or your colleagues attended this conference before?
• Is it clear what fees will be charged (conference fee, registration fees, etc) and would these be waived if you are accepted as a speaker?
• Are any of the sponsors involved in the conference?
• Are you aware of any of them, especially with industry-related fields such as Engineering & Bio-medical research?
• Did yo check the conference website? Is all the information (such as the attendance fees, submission date, conference date, editorical committee, program details and venue) presented in a proper way?
• Have you read any paper from this conference proceedings before?

Agenda & Editorial Committee

• Is there clear information about the timeline and the agenda for the conference?
• Do the scope and objectives of the conference fit your field and core interest or not?
• Have you heard of the Keynote speakers?
• Is the Editorial Committee listed on the website?
• Have you heard of the Editorial Committee members before?
• Is the Committee clear about the editorial control over presentations and the type of peer-review it uses?

Conference Proceedings

• Is the Organizing Committee clear about where the proceedings will be published?
• Does the conference make it clear which indexing services it can guarantee the published proceedings and to which indexers will submit proceedings for evaluation?
• Is the publisher of the proceedings a member of a recognized industry initiative such as COPE, DOAJ, OASPA?
• Also refer to the Think. Check. Submit. check list for more details about publishing in the right journal