Identify the Predatory Authors

Authors who engage in predatory practices often exhibit certain characteristics that can serve as warning signs. Here's a list:

• Lack of Integrity: Predatory authors may lack ethical integrity and may be willing to manipulate data, plagiarize, or engage in other unethical behavior to get published.
• Desperation for Publication: They may have a strong desire or pressure to publish quickly or frequently, often due to career advancement goals or academic pressures.
• Inadequate Understanding of Academic Publishing Standards: Predatory authors may have limited understanding of academic publishing standards, including proper citation practices, research ethics, and the importance of rigorous peer review.
• Unwillingness to Invest Time or Effort in Quality Research: They may prioritize quantity over quality and may be unwilling to invest the time and effort required for conducting thorough research and producing high-quality manuscripts.
• Focus on Quantity of Publications: Predatory authors may prioritize publishing as many papers as possible, often in low-quality or questionable journals, to boost their publication record without regard for the impact or validity of their work.
• Engagement in Pay-to-Publish Schemes: Predatory authors may be willing to pay exorbitant fees to predatory journals or conferences in exchange for publication, often without proper peer review or editorial oversight.
• Resistance to Feedback or Criticism: They may react defensively or dismissively to feedback or criticism of their work, particularly if it exposes ethical or methodological flaws.
• Lack of Academic or Research Integrity Training: Predatory authors may have limited exposure to or training in academic integrity, research ethics, and publication standards, leaving them vulnerable to engaging in unethical practices.
• Tendency to Cut Corners: They may cut corners or take shortcuts in their research or writing process, such as neglecting proper literature review, skipping data validation steps, or rushing through manuscript preparation.
• Involvement in Citation Cartels or Manipulative Practices: Predatory authors may engage in citation cartels or manipulative citation practices to artificially boost the citation count of their papers or manipulate journal metrics.
• Resistance to Change or Improvement: They may be resistant to adopting new publishing practices or embracing transparency and openness in research, preferring to stick to traditional or exploitative publishing models.
• Reluctant to Share Digital Identifies:Predatory authors are often reluctant to share their digital identifiers, such as ORCID IDs, to avoid scrutiny and maintain anonymity.

Identifying and addressing these characteristics can help mitigate the spread of predatory publishing practices and promote a culture of integrity, transparency, and excellence in academic research and publishing.