Trustworthy and Quality Journals: A Multi-stakeholder Perspective

Abstract

In today’s rapidly evolving academic landscape, defining reliable characteristics of quality and integrity and distinguishing between reputable and unreliable journals has become increasingly challenging. With the proliferation of questionable journals and publishers, researchers are at risk of unknowingly publishing in venues that lack academic rigor or ethical standards. This session will discuss resources and organizations dedicated to safeguarding scholarly publishing and offer strategies to assess the credibility of journals in different disciplines while avoiding exploitative practices, based on the publishing industry standards and regulatory bodies.

This session will be structured in four individual presentations followed by a Q&A and debate with the audience and the online participants.

1) Academic Journals in Temporarily Occupied Territories: The Ukrainian Case and a Worldwide ChallengeIryna Izarova, Ukraine

In this presentation, I will highlight the threat posed to academic publishing by journals operating under dubious circumstances in temporarily occupied territories. Drawing on the Ukrainian experience, I will examine how occupants appropriate Ukrainian academic journals, infringe on legitimate titles, archives, misuse ISSNs, and jeopardise scholarly credibility by disseminating manipulated or biased information.These challenges go far beyond Ukraine, as similar cases have been observed globally. By discussing possible legal remedies, broader ethical implications, and measures for protecting academic integrity, I hope to encourage international dialogue on how editors and publishers can address the unique risks of publishing in conflict-affected regions.

2) DOAJ’s role to support quality and trust in scholarly publishingJoanna Ball, Denmark

The Directory of Open Access Journals is a unique and extensive index of diverse peer-reviewed open access journals covering all disciplines, geographies and languages. Its rigorous selection criteria are a global gold standard for open access journal publishing, trusted across the community. This session will explore how DOAJ’s criteria, review processes, and initiatives to enhance publishing standards build trust in quality open access journals, and give examples of how libraries integrate DOAJ into their workflows and services: to provide access to trusted open access content, to advise on publication venues, and to implement open access policies.

3) Learning the art of open access publishing in a time of ambiguity – Think.Check.Submit. as a teaching toolSofie Wennström, Sweden

In a time of many publishing offers, it is essential to find reliable guidance about trustworthy publishers. This presentation aims to describe how Think.Check.Submit can be used as a tool for learning more about best publishing practices and as well as a quality benchmark for journals.

4) Building Trust in Scholarly Communication: A Librarian’s Perspective from BangladeshShaharima Parvin, Bangladesh

The information landscape has been transforming due to the emergence of digital technologies and overloaded information. This transformation has necessitated a re-examination of trustworthiness and credibility in scholarly communication within the digital realm. This presentation will explore the role of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in Bangladesh for promoting transparency, integrity, and accessibility in the practice of academic publishing. It will also discuss the effects of misinformation, predatory journals, or other factors that restrict open access which would influence the reliability and quality of the scholarly outputs.

Furthermore, this presentation will highlight strategies adopted by academic libraries in Bangladesh towards combating misinformation among faculty and students, promoting journal publishing ethics, and enhancing scholarly communication through institutional repositories and open science initiatives. Librarians can play a pivotal role in building a more reliable and inclusive global knowledge ecosystem by strengthening research support systems and encouraging collaboration.