Beall's legacy in the battle against predatory publishers

Abstract

AbstractBetween 2009 and 2012, Jeffrey Beall published four articles which analysed 18 publishers (17 of which he identified as predatory). He also introduced the term predatory in the context of scientific publishing. In 2012, he started Beall's List, which maintained a list of predatory publishers and journals. This became a valuable resource for those who wanted to know if a journal was legitimate, although others were very critical of the list. This article considers what he wrote and the list he developed and the criticisms that have been levelled against Beall's list. Beall's legacy can be considered to ensure that the problems of fraudulent or inappropriate publishing practices are highlighted and that the scientific community remains aware of the problem. Unfortunately, his legacy has not led to an eradication of predatory journals, and the problem appears to have become worse in the past decade. Although there is opportunity to build on his legacy, there have been few practical moves, and this article suggests that there is an opportunity for clearer, more universally accepted guidelines and approval criteria for quality journals.