The Predatory Paradox: Ethics, Politics, and Practices in Contemporary Scholarly Publishing - cover image

Copyright

Amy Koerber; Jesse C. Starkey; Karin Ardon-Dryer; R. Glenn Cummins; Lyombe Eko; Kerk F. Kee;

Published On

2023-10-24

ISBN

Paperback978-1-80511-134-4
Hardback978-1-80511-135-1
PDF978-1-80511-136-8
HTML978-1-80511-140-5
XML978-1-80511-139-9
EPUB978-1-80511-137-5

Language

  • English

Print Length

282 pages (vi+276)

Dimensions

Paperback156 x 20 x 234 mm(6.14" x 0.79" x 9.21")
Hardback156 x 24 x 234 mm(6.14" x 0.94" x 9.21")

Weight

Paperback540g (19.05oz)
Hardback540g (19.05oz)

Media

Illustrations7

Funding

OCLC Number

1406070085

LCCN

2022361350

THEMA

  • JNFC
  • KJG
  • KN

BIC

  • KNTP
  • LATC
  • KN

BISAC

  • EDU014000
  • BUS008000
  • BUS070000

LCC

  • Z286.S37

Keywords

  • predatory publishing
  • scholarly ethics
  • scholarly politics
  • scholarly practices
  • universities
  • scholarly publishing

The Predatory Paradox

Ethics, Politics, and Practices in Contemporary Scholarly Publishing

In today’s ‘publish or perish’ academic setting, the institutional prizing of quantity over quality has given rise to and perpetuated the dilemma of predatory publishing. Upon a close examination, however, the definition of ‘predatory’ itself becomes slippery, evading neat boxes or lists which might seek to easily define and guard against it. This volume serves to foreground a nuanced representation of this multifaceted issue. In such a rapidly evolving landscape, this book becomes a field guide to its historical, political, and economic aspects, presenting thoughtful interviews, legal analysis and original research. Case studies from both European-American and non-European-American stakeholders emphasize the worldwide nature of the challenge faced by researchers of all levels.

This coauthored book is structured into both textual and supplemental materials. Key takeaways, discussion questions, and complete classroom activities accompanying each chapter provide opportunities for engagement and real-world applications of these concepts.

Crucially relevant to early career researchers and the senior faculty, library scholars, and administrators who mentor and support them, 'The Predatory Paradox: Ethics, Politics, and Practices in Contemporary Scholarly Publishing' offers practical recommendations for navigating the complex and often contradictory advice currently available. University instructors and teaching faculty will also find the reading essential in order to properly prepare both graduate and undergraduate students for the potential pitfalls endemic to scholarly publishing.

Endorsements

This book discusses “predatory publishing” and related phenomena in line with the latest findings - its well-reasoned criticism making this a resource relevant to all those involved in academia. This volume also brings forward well-designed and thoughtful practice-oriented activities to embed the reader's knowledge and enhance reflection.

Loreta Tauginienė

Hanken School of Economics, Finland

Reviews

[...] what Koerber, Starkey and their coauthors have created here is a gen­uinely useful, coherent and clearly written text which will, I hope, become a valuable resource for early career researchers in particular. The book very effectively uses its focus of predatory journals as a window into the ever-shifting world of contemporary scholarly publishing.

David Barker, University of Derby

Publishing Research Quarterly, 2024. doi:10.1007/s12109-024-09984-2

Full Review

Additional Resources

Two online supplements are associated with The Predatory Paradox:


[document]I. “To OS or Not to OS: Challenges and Opportunities of Embracing Open Science in Qualitative Research.” Presentation

“To OS or Not to OS: Challenges and Opportunities of Embracing Open Science in Qualitative Research.” Presentation delivered at Association for Practical and Professional Ethics-Research Integrity Scholars and Educators Pre-Conference Symposium, February 24, 2022. Authors: Amy Koerber, Jesse C. Starkey, Kerk F. Kee, Lyombe Eko, Karin Ardon-Dryer, Robert Glenn Cummins.

[document]II. Table 6.1 (Appendix A, Chapter 6).

Table 6.1 (Appendix A, Chapter 6). Attributes Examined within Online Resources on Predatory Publishing. Author: Robert Glenn Cummins.

Contents

Introduction

(pp. 7–36)
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • Amy Koerber
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • Lyombe Eko
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Lyombe Eko
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Amy Koerber
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • Lyombe Eko
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • Amy Koerber
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • Amy Koerber
  • Lyombe Eko
  • Lyombe Eko
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • Amy Koerber
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Amy Koerber
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • Lyombe Eko
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • Kerk F. Kee
  • Amy Koerber
  • Jesse C. Starkey
  • Karin Ardon-Dryer
  • R. Glenn Cummins
  • Lyombe Eko

Contributors

Amy Koerber

(author)
Professor in Communication Studies at Texas Tech University

Amy Koerber, Ph.D., is Professor in Communication Studies and Associate Dean for Administration & Finance in the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University. Dr. Koerber’s research agenda explores how experts make effective arguments in contexts of health, science, and medicine. Toward this end, she employs multiple research methods, including textual analysis as well as interviews and focus groups. Although her doctoral training is based in classical rhetoric, her current research employs a wide variety of theoretical frameworks, and she is especially interested in scholarly approaches that facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge-making. Dr. Koerber’s last book, From Hysteria to Hormones: A Rhetorical History, was published by Penn State University Press in April 2018 and was awarded the President’s Book Award at Texas Tech University.

Jesse C. Starkey

(author)

Jesse C. Starkey, Ph.D. is an independent grant writer and strategic communication consultant, serving clients in the academic, private, and non-profit sectors who are seeking to make positive social change in their communities. She has a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Sam Houston State University and a Ph.D. in Media and Communication from Texas Tech University. Her experience bridges the academic and industry worlds, and her research examines communication in areas of social change, including scholarly knowledge production, social movements, and mental health. Dr. Starkey served as a research assistant for the STEPP project during her Ph.D. program, assisting with all aspects of the research design, data collection and analysis, and report writing. She continued working with the research team after graduation as an editor and project manager.

Karin Ardon-Dryer

(author)
Assistant Professor in Atmospheric Science at Texas Tech University

Karin Ardon-Dryer, Ph.D., is a faculty member in the Department of Geosciences at the Atmospheric Science Group at Texas Tech University. Before joining TTU she was a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); and later a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of System Biology at Harvard Medical School at Harvard University. Dr. Ardon-Dryer received her Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the Department of Geophysics, Atmospheric and Planetary Science, and the Porter School of Environmental Studies at Tel Aviv University in Israel. Dr. Ardon-Dryer’s main research is on the effect that aerosols (mainly dust particles) have on climate, the environment, and our health. In particular, she takes an interdisciplinary approach and combines field and laboratory work to investigate the interaction between humans and climate (e.g., the impact dust storms have on human health) in the short and long term. As part of her role as Co-PI in the STEPP project, Ardon-Dryer was responsible for the STEM topic as well as the early-career aspects of the project.

R. Glenn Cummins

(author)
Professor in Journalism & Creative Media Industries at Texas Tech University

R. Glenn Cummins, Ph.D., is a professor of Journalism and Creative Media Industries at Texas Tech University. His research interests fall under the umbrella of media psychology and examine audience response to and processing of media as a function of message content, structure, and individual characteristics. His research has employed a variety of novel measurement approaches to studying individual cognitive and emotional processing of media messages, including psychophysiology, eye tracking, continuous response measurement, and more. He formerly served as Associate Dean for Research and Grants in the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech where he helped grow the College’s sponsored research goals and facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations between communication scholars and partners across and beyond the university. He has been part of research teams sponsored by the NSF and USDA.

Lyombe Eko

(author)
Professor in Journalism & Creative Media Industries at Texas Tech University

Lyombe Eko, Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Media & Communication, Texas Tech University. His areas of research and teaching are comparative and international communication studies, as well as comparative information and communication technology law, policy, and ethics, with a focus on Africa, the European Union, the United States, France and the UK. He also studies visual communication, human rights, and freedom of expression. He has published awardwinning books on comparative international communication law and policy. He has also published numerous, widely cited articles in international law review and media studies journals. He has been an associate professor, Director of Graduate Studies, and Director of the African Studies Program at the University of Iowa. He has also taught at the University of Maine, Orono. He earned his Ph.D. in Journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Before his academic career, he was a journalist at Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV), and an editor/translator, at the African Broadcasting Union (URTNA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kerk F. Kee

(author)
Professor in the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University

Kerk F. Kee, Ph.D., is Professor in the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University. His research primarily focuses on information diffusion and innovation adoption in scientific organizations, and secondarily in health communities and pro-environmental societies. Broadly speaking, his research interests lie at the intersection of information dissemination, technology use, and scientific work. Besides the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded research co-authored with colleagues in this book on predatory publishing, he is also working on an NSF project looking at designing an AI-driven platform and chatbot with algorithms to filter COVID-19 related publications based on different levels of evidence (e.g., meta-analyses vs. randomized controlled trials vs. editorials/expert opinions without empirical support), in order to help clinicians and medical professionals screen and rank a large amount of (mis/dis)information on COVID-19, a data deluge problem that became overwhelming during the pandemic. Kee received his Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of Texas at Austin.