Page 64 - Global Focus, Issue 2, 2018

EFMD Global Focus_Iss.2 Vol.12
www.globalfocusmagazine.com

The key ingredients to the Blacklist are behaviour. After the violations were categorised
accountability, objectivity and transparency. Only each category was given a range of scores.
a rigorously managed transparent and unbiased The violations in each category were then
process can produce an effective and lasting tool analysed against other violations in that same
for analysing and identifying deceptive journals. category and each was given a score based on how
The Blacklist was built using a soon to be patented serious it was compared to the other violations in
methodology predicated on defining and the category. This scoring system was designed
recognising specific behavioural characteristics specifically to ensure that legitimate journals that
common to fraudulent journals. The first step in are new, from developing countries or are simply
the process was to research standard practices of low quality are not classified as “predatory” and
reputable journals by examining the top journals in included in the Blacklist.
the Whitelist along with other criteria and standards. The first category includes behaviours that
Journals included on Beall’s list were then directly indicate deception and are weighted
analysed, in particular those with specific findings heavily as a result. A few examples of these severe
communicated by Beall. Each journal was reviewed violations our investigations have turned up are:
as if they were applying for the Whitelist, prompting • The same articles appear in more than
a close examination of all policies, practices and one journal
published articles as well as reviews and feedback • Journal/publisher claims to be non-profit
from the community posted online about the when it is for-profit
journal or publisher. This process produced a list • Owner/editor of the journal falsely claims
of recurring practices that were directly against academic positions or qualifications
the acceptable standards confirmed by research • No editor or editorial board listed on the
as well as certain criteria used by Beall and trends journal’s website
that were consistently present in dishonest journals • Editorial board members included without
that were reviewed. their permission or knowledge, do not exist
After close examination by the Blacklist team, all or are deceased
subjective items on the list were removed, resulting • Falsely claims indexing in databases
in a list of 65 behavioural indicators. Violations were (especially DOAJ, JCR and Cabells)
then placed in four categories based on level of The second category includes those
severity and how directly they related to deceptive behaviours that tend to coincide with deception
62