Earlier this month, I received an email invitation to join a journal’s editorial board.  At first glance, I was delighted for the opportunity and flattered that someone would think of me for this role.   Then…. on closer examination, red flags started to appear.

The sender’s email address did not reflect the publishing company, the website link was not included, nor the address of the organization.  In addition, the reason that was given for why they wanted me to join the board was because of a paper I co-authored in the Journal of Hospital Librarianship, published in July 2015.  The topic of the paper was the relevance of a library’s physical space, while the journal trying to recruit my services was focused on Integrative Medicine.  I didn’t see any connection between these two subject areas.

I am sure the scenario I just described is not unique to me.  In a previous blog post that I wrote, entitled “So You Want to Publish a Research Paper: Reflections on Predatory Publishers“, I shared concerns about deceptive publishers and how important it is for researchers, whether they are just starting their publishing careers or are seasoned authors, to understand issues regarding unscrupulous publishers. It is unfortunate that these publishers extend their deceitful practices to include requests to join their editorial boards.

The blog post I wrote also included a 10-item checklist for authors to use when they receive an email solicitation or are exploring possible journals to submit their research manuscripts to.  This same list can also be used when one receives a request to join an editorial board.  Note that Beall’s list no longer exists, and should be removed from the checklist. However, you can certainly replace this item with reaching out to the MSK librarians.  They keep on top of predatory publishers and have a large network of information professionals to consult with. Best of all, they can research the legitimacy of the publisher or email invitation on your behalf.

If you ever question a publisher’s email request to submit a manuscript or join an editorial board, remember you can ASK US for help.

Donna Gibson
Director of Library Services