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Journal Verification Checklist for Researchers
A one-page checklist for checking an unfamiliar journal before you submit a manuscript, sign a publication agreement or pay an APC.
Prepared by the Beallslists.com editorial review team · Reviewed:
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The PDF is designed for authors, librarians, supervisors and research offices. It does not assign a “predatory score”; it helps you document evidence and identify unresolved conflicts.
The 15 checks
A. Confirm the journal’s identity
- Title: Is the journal name exact and not easily confused with another established title?
- ISSN: Does the print/electronic ISSN match an authoritative serial record?
- Publisher and website: Do the publisher identity and official domain match independent records?
B. Verify indexing and metrics
- PubMed / MEDLINE / PMC: If claimed, verify the exact NLM status rather than relying on a logo.
- Scopus / Web of Science: Check the official source record, current status and coverage years.
- Journal metrics: Record the exact metric name, provider and year. A generic “impact factor” is not automatically the Clarivate Journal Impact Factor.
C. Check editorial safeguards
- Editorial board: Can several editors be independently verified through institutions, ORCID or recent publications?
- Peer review: Is the review model described clearly, with realistic decision-making and no guaranteed acceptance?
- Recent articles: Do recent papers fit the stated scope and show normal scholarly editing and citation practices?
D. Understand the business terms
- APCs and fees: Are all mandatory charges visible before submission?
- Withdrawal / refund terms: Are author obligations and penalties clear before you submit?
- Copyright and license: Do you know who owns the article and how it can be reused or deposited?
E. Review integrity and authenticity
- Ethics and corrections: Are authorship, conflicts, complaints, corrections and retractions addressed?
- Archiving and preservation: Is there a clear plan for long-term access if the journal stops publishing?
- Invitation / domain check: If you received an email, do sender and reply-to domains match the authentic journal website?
How to interpret the checklist
Do not turn the 15 items into an arbitrary numerical score. One serious identity conflict, false indexing claim or hidden financial term may be more important than several positive website features.
- Evidence is consistent: continue with subject fit, institutional rules and normal manuscript-selection considerations.
- Important items are unclear: ask precise questions and verify the answers independently.
- Serious conflicts are found: do not submit, sign or pay until they are resolved.
- Possible impersonation: stop and identify the authentic journal website before sharing manuscript or payment information.
Where to verify important claims
| Claim | Recommended source |
|---|---|
| Journal identity / ISSN | ISSN Portal |
| PubMed / MEDLINE / PMC | NLM Catalog |
| Scopus | Scopus Sources |
| Web of Science | Clarivate Master Journal List |
| Open-access journal directory | DOAJ |
| DOI / publisher metadata | Crossref Metadata Search |
Why these checks matter
The checklist follows a simple principle: verify the claim at the source best placed to confirm it. NLM’s Catalog contains detailed indexing information for journals in PubMed and other NCBI databases, while the joint transparency principles from COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME emphasize clear journal identity, peer review, editorial boards, author fees, copyright, licensing, archiving and ethics policies.
For a guided workflow that records your findings, use the free Journal Checker.
For libraries and research offices
You may link to this page or share the PDF with researchers. If you adapt the checklist for an institutional guide, preserve the distinction between objective verification and categorical labeling, and direct users to current official database records.