Before deciding to publish in a new OA journal, consider the following criteria:
Is the journal included in the Directory of Open Access Journals? Journals indexed in DOAJ after March 2014 (noted with a green check mark or "DOAJ Seal"), underwent a more stringent review process than journals indexed prior to that date.
ThinkCheckSubmit - This tool, produced with the support of a coalition from across scholarly communications in response to discussions about deceptive publishing, walks you through the process of evaluating journals.
The journal is indexed in an established and reputable database such as MEDLINE or Web of Knowledge.
Examine the journal's website for such information as affiliation with a university or professional organization, editorial board credentials, or acceptance rates. If you have doubts, contact members of the editorial board or article authors.
Publishing fees and copyright ownership are clearly indicated. For more information about your rights as an author, see the Know your copyrights tab.
