Check a journal before you submit
Open the journal's site and work through the signs below. Tick the ones that are true of the journal you are considering.
Verify at the official source
Do not trust the indexing claims on the journal's own site. Check directly here:
- DOAJ — the vetted index of open-access journals
- SCImago — look up Q1–Q4 quartiles by field
- Master Journal List — the Web of Science index
- Portal ISSN — check whether the ISSN is genuine
- COPE — whether the publisher states a publication-ethics commitment
This tool checks warning signs; it is not a blacklist. A journal with a few flags may still be legitimate, and the reverse is also true. When in doubt, ask someone who has published in your field — that is the surest check.
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