Scopus Predatory Journals: 10 Red Flags You Must Watch For

P ublishing in a Scopus-indexed journal in this day and age is indeed a huge hurdle for the aspiring new researcher and PhD scholar. Behind the rise in demand exists the evil: those opportunist journals claiming to be Scopus-indexed. Dreadfully, these counterfeit and cheap journals not only waste time and resources of researchers but also risk sullying academic integrity. When selecting a Scopus journal, researchers should be aware of the following ten warning signs: 1. Unverified Journal Claims Use the official Scopus Source List to confirm it if a journal claims to be Scopus-indexed. A lot of predatory journals lie or use out-of-date indexing certificates. Check it out for yourself instead of taking their word for it. 2. No Peer Review or Extremely Fast Review Genuine Scopus journals take weeks or months to complete a rigorous peer-review process. If a journal accepts your paper within 48 hours, that’s a big red flag. A proper review takes time and effort. 3. Suspiciously High Accep...