Scheduled: Thursday, October 23, 2025, 1:00pm-2:30pm, Central time
Medical librarians and other information professionals will learn about predatory publishers and how to identify these types of journals/publishers. The session will provide a brief introduction to the open access movement and how predatory publishing fits into this model. We will talk about the key characteristics of predatory journals and how to identify potential red flags when looking at a publisher’s website. Participants are invited to bring their own examples of questionable journals, and we will provide an opportunity to evaluate examples of journals during the session. We will offer suggested resources for locating reputable open-access journals.
Early-career researchers and those in low-income communities, and/or working in small research groups and hospitals may be particularly vulnerable to predatory publishers, since they may feel pressure to publish but lack institutional support. Members of the public without health sciences backgrounds are at particular risk of being misled by poor-quality research in these journals, making this an area of interest for librarians who work with the public.
Participants will receive a handout with steps to identify predatory journals, a list of suggested publishers, and further readings.
Audience
Medical librarians and other health information professionals who provide research assistance and instruction to faculty members, graduate students, and research assistants.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain open access and ‘predatory publishing’ and why it is a concern.
- Recognize common features of predatory publishers.
- Utilize available tools to evaluate open access journals and publishers.
- Identify high-quality open-access journals and where to find them.
Presenters
Kate Silfen is a liaison librarian to Boston University’s Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Science. She has taught sessions on avoiding predatory publishers for faculty members and graduate students.
A’Llyn Ettien is the Head of Resource Sharing and Discovery at BU’s Alumni Medical Library. She maintains the library’s webpage on predatory publishing and has presented two workshops on the topic to faculty and staff.
Barbara Slover is at Boston University’s Alumni Medical Library and the liaison librarian to the Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS) programs. She regularly teaches students and faculty searching techniques in health sciences databases.
Course Includes
- 4 Lessons
- Course Certificate