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Predatory Publishing

predatory conferences

What are Predatory Conferences?

Predatory conferences share many of the characteristics of predatory journals. They charge high registration fees (sometimes exceeding $1000) and they seek to make a profit by delivering a product that does not have rigorous scholarly standards.

OMICS group, BIT Congress, and Conference Series Ltd. have all been accused of taking advantage of scholars by advertising misleading conference offerings (Pai and Franco; Federal Trade Commision). In order to attract a large potential base of scholars, these for-profit conferences may advertise speakers who have not agreed to speak or have unusually broad topics.

Tips for Identifying Predatory Conferences

When considering conferences, consider the following to determine the reputation and credibility of conferences and their organizers:

  • Is it associated with an academic association or professional society?
  • Has the conference been run for several years? Is there a publication or proceedings associated with previous conferences?
  • Do any of your colleagues attend the conference?
  • Is it easy to contact conference organizers? 

You can also look out for the following signs which indicate that a conference is more likely to be predatory:

  • You are receiving aggressive emails inviting you to attend or asking you to be an invited speaker.
  • The conference has a broad theme and is the 1st Annual XXXX.
  • The conference is not associated with a professional society.

Additional Resources