Clone or Mirror Journals ?

Clone journals, often referred to as mirror or replica journals, are works that resemble authentic scientific journals by using their names, logos, editorial boards, and even their website designs. These clone publications, however, are dishonest and don't adhere to the required ethical and intellectual norms. Without offering enough peer review or quality control, they seek to lure researchers into submitting publications and paying publishing fees

Although it might be difficult to distinguish between clone journals, there are certain characteristics that could indicate their fraud:

Website Design and Quality: Websites for clone journals sometimes have formatting issues, broken links, and grammatical problems. Additionally, they can be lacking crucial knowledge on the journal's scope, editing procedures, or publication policies.

Editorial Board Members: Verify the editorial board members' identities and affiliations as indicated on the journal's website. Without their knowledge or approval, well-known researchers or experts may be included in clone journals. Verify the board members' participation by separately contacting them and cross-checking their affiliations.

Lack of Rigorous Peer Review: Even though clone journals may make this claim, their peer review is frequently ineffective or nonexistent. Genuine journals adhere to a strict peer-review procedure to guarantee the caliber and reliability of published publications.

Excessive Publication Fees: Numerous times, clone journals demand expensive publishing fees without offering sufficient editorial assistance or services. To decide whether the journal's fees are appropriate, compare them to those of other respected journals in your field of expertise.

Inclusion in Blacklists: Numerous organizations keep databases or blacklists of known clone or predatory journals. To determine if the questioned journal is included, look through these resources.

Avoid publishing in clone journals at all costs since they lack credibility and risk damaging your reputation as a researcher. Before submitting your work, always do a thorough investigation and confirm the legitimacy and reputation of the journal. Select renowned, well-established publishers with strict peer review procedures and open publication policies. Getting advice and essential information about selecting reputable journals can also come from talking to coworkers, mentors, or respected authorities in your industry.