The Authority File Round-Up: May 2024

Last month's series explored predatory journal tactics and how publishers approach the Sustainable Development Goals.

Posted on June 11, 2024 in Blog

How can researchers remain vigilant against suspicious journals and publishers? Experts from the scholarly analytics service Cabells provided an overview of predatory publishing in our first series and recommended ways to safeguard research integrity. Our guests shared the details of Cabells’ Predatory Reports and examined tactics predatory journals employ to snare unsuspecting researchers. The speakers further underscored vulnerable aspects of the scholarly communications workflow and how librarians can help combat misinformation.

Our second series looked at how publishers can support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our guest underlined the mission of the SDG Publishers Compact, also highlighting Springer Nature’s publishing practices and internal programs centered on the goals. Our speaker further stressed the importance of inclusive science and amplifying the voices of researchers in the Global South. Looking toward the future, our guest examined industry and research progress thus far and what the next stage of the SDGs will entail.

Here’s a quick round-up of the episodes, in case you missed them. We hope you find the conversations useful, educational, and thought-provoking. Thanks for listening!

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May’s Series

First up, four experts from Cabells chatted about predatory publishing. Our guests explained who’s at risk and the motives of predatory publishers, along with ways a fraudulent journal may appear legitimate. The speakers offered advice to avoid these potentially problematic journals and detailed open access’s influence on predatory practices. They also described the various criteria Cabells uses to identify predatory journals and the importance of taking an evidence-based approach. Brought to you by Cabells.

Listen to episode one: Defining Predatory Journals and What’s at Stake
Listen to episode two: Predatory Journal Tactics and Scholarly Communication Pain Points
Listen to episode three: Predatory Publishing Red Flags and Cabells’s Evaluative Criteria
Listen to episode four: Preventative Measures against Predatory Publishing and Potential New Threats

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Next, Ritu Dhand, Chief Scientific Officer at Springer Nature, joined the program to discuss Springer Nature’s approach to the SDGs. Ritu shared how the publisher increased staff buy-in for the goals through training and recognition efforts, along with the scale at which Springer Nature supports the goals editorially. She also mentioned ways to make SDG content more accessible and the need for diverse editorial boards and peer reviewers. Ritu closed by advocating for open source taxonomies to help publishers filter their SDG content at source. Brought to you by Springer Nature.

Listen to episode one: Springer Nature’s Adoption and Scale of the SDGs
Listen to episode two: Springer Nature’s Editorial and Publication Strategies for the SDGs
Listen to episode three: Supporting the Global South and Inclusive Science
Listen to episode four: SDG Progress and Driving Employee Engagement

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What’s Coming Up in June

This month’s series centers on the open research landscape and ways publishers can aid libraries with the move to OA. Jamie Hutchins, Director of Open Research, Americas for Taylor & Francis Group, underscores the challenges of author charges and differences in funding for HSS and STEM publishing. As he stresses, it’s important to customize agreements based on an institution’s needs. Jamie also provides an update on Pledge to Open and the value of taking a collective approach to OA. Listen to the first episode.

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You can find more episodes on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening! See you next month.

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