Some publishers – particularly those with many open access journals supported by article processing charges – have experienced enormous growth in the number of submissions from researchers, which suggests that they are meeting needs of the community and providing good value. But some institutions have told scientists that research in journals from certain publishers will no longer “count” for assessment. Such policies suggest that these may be “predatory” journals that do not perform the basic functions of academic journals. The publishers dispute this, as do many authors whose work appears in these titles. Many authors believe that choosing where to publishing their findings is part of their academic freedom. Blacklisting publishers with hundreds of journals may be too blunt an instrument for research assessment and inconsistent with DORA. Are there cases where such bans might be valid or useful to the community?
This event will be held as an online round-table discussion followed by a moderated Q & A session.