Fake academic journal business is booming, says study

Science : The rise in fee-based open-access publishing has led to an ever-increasing number of so-called predatory publishers, known for their questionable marketing and peer-review practices. According to a recent study , as of September 2014, there were at least 1030 such publishers putting out a total of 11 873 journals. From a random sampling of those journals, the researchers estimate that as many as 420 000 articles got published in 2014, earning the publishers some $75 million. Because most of the publishers and article authors were found to be based in developing Asian countries, such as India, the researchers conclude that the problems caused by predatory publishers are limited and regional. The influence of major research funders and policymakers in developed countries should provide more opportunities for authors in developing ones to publish in higher-quality journals, which will eventually drive predatory publishers out of business.