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An Encounter with a Predatory Journal

An Encounter with a Predatory Journal

When I was an undergraduate student at Binghamton University, I submitted two essays for publication to the Journal of Student Research, a journal in Houston run by Mir Alikhan, which publishes high school and college essays. The journal describes itself as an “academic, multidisciplinary, and faculty-reviewed journal devoted to the rapid dissemination of current research published by high school, undergraduate and graduate students”. Not only does the journal charge $200 to publish each essay but they charge $50 for you to submit an essay for consideration which is highly unusual.

While some legitimate journals, known as open-access journals, demand fees in order to publish submissions, they normally only demand fees once a submission is accepted after peer review and do not demand fees just to consider a submission. After all, the purpose of the fees demanded by open-access journals is so that individuals can read articles on these journals without having to subscribe to them. About four months after I submitted the essays, I recieved an email stating that my essays had been accepted for publication and that in the next couple weeks, I would receive further instructions via email. That email never arrived. The journal simply proceeded to publish the essays.

The professor that taught one of the classes in which I wrote the essay emailed the journal specifically asking them not to include them as a co-author. However, once the essays were published, both of the professors were listed as co-authors. My professor subsequently threatened to sue the journal but rather than simply removing their name from the article, the journal then removed both articles entirely. Interestingly enough, the journal never provided me with feedback from its reviewers, implying that the essays never underwent any peer review but were instead, immediately accepted as publishable after payment, an occurrence that is common for predatory journals.

Such predatory journals publish whatever material is sent to them as long as the submission and publication fees are paid. Needless to say, these journals are quite detrimental to academia. The journal originally agreed to offer me a refund but eventually withdrew this offer and even threatened to re-post the articles with a “Retracted: Academic Dishonesty” label if I kept insisting on a refund. I later became aware that the Journal of Student Research has been questioned in the past about the lack of peer review that submissions undergo. The journal responded that no peer review is often necessary because of the quality of the articles. However, closer inspection of the articles shows that many of them are riddled with typos. This would imply that articles are published before they are even proofread by the journal. Furthermore, it doesn’t even seem possible for a journal to determine if the research presented in an article is adequate if the only people screening these articles are the journal’s editors who are not necessarily experts on the given topic.

This unprofessional behavior underscores the importance of caution among college students when dealing with academic journals that demand payment for publishing articles. It serves as a stark reminder of the prevalence of predatory journals within the academic landscape. As students navigate the complex world of scholarly publishing, they should exercise heightened vigilance to discern reputable journals from those with dubious practices. This case serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for students to thoroughly research and critically evaluate the legitimacy of journals before submitting their work or engaging in any financial transactions. It underscores the significance of promoting ethical publishing practices within academic circles and encourages students to prioritize journals that prioritize the integrity of the scholarly process over financial gain. In this environment, staying informed, seeking guidance from academic mentors, and leveraging institutional resources can empower students to make informed decisions and safeguard their academic pursuits from the potential pitfalls associated with predatory journals.

SEE ALSO: How and Why Do College Students Cheat on Assignments?

Bullet Journaling

Seven Effective Bullet Journaling Tips

By Rose Martin

College life can be extremely stressful. Balancing multiple responsibilities, projects, examinations, extracurricular activities, work and social life is an overwhelming experience for most students, often causing them to lose sight of their long-term aspirations. Every student struggles with effective time management and organization amidst the chaotic college schedule, which may contribute to stunting his/her career growth. If you are looking for a simple and effective way to organize your life, bullet journaling can help you manage your tasks and set your priorities right, putting you on the fast track to success.

A neat and organized bullet journal with intricately-designed pages and handwritten notes speaks volumes about your personality. Though bullet journaling isn’t easy, it is a quick and effective technique to get a grip on your life, inspiring you to stay organized, creative and productive.

Here are seven valuable bullet journaling tips that will help you stay organized and manage your time, enabling you to build a bright and successful future.

  1. Determine your objective

Before you dive into bullet journaling, it’s crucial for you find your motivation. Determining your expectations and motives for starting a bullet journal will help you document your life events and goals in an effective manner. Moreover, your primary and secondary objectives will determine the format of the journal, enabling you to include the necessary sections or collections.

For instance, if your primary objective is to organize your college life, your journal must give due importance to your lecture schedule, the study time, the extra classes and the examination schedules. You could have other objectives of starting a journal, namely planning your diet and workout sessions and/or monitoring your savings and expenses.

  1. Focus on the basic elements

The index, the collections, the rapid-logging, and the migration make up the basic structure of a bullet journal.

Index  

The index typically takes the first page of the bullet journal that helps the journalist to organize the various sections or collections, ensuring easy navigation through the journal pages. Make sure you include all the important topics with the corresponding page numbers and leave enough space for sections you might want to include later.

Collections

Every page in the bullet journal is given a topic that serves as a means to organize similar ideas. These topics are referred to as collections which may utilize several pages of the journal. The three main types of collections are –

  1. Future Log – This section is used to note down events and appointments in the future
  2. Monthly Log – This section enables you to organize your month using the calendar page and the task page. The calendar page must have enough space to enter short notes or events that you need to remember.
  • Daily Log – This section helps you manage your daily tasks, events, and notes in order of their occurrence.

Depending on your objectives, collections can also take additional forms, namely meeting notes, shopping lists, expenditures and mind maps.

  • Rapid-Logging: Rapid-logging helps you make entries in the short-form notation using bullets and signifiers. You can use the task (indicated by a dot), the event (indicated by an open circle), or the note bullets (indicated by a dash) throughout the collections to signify whether they are scheduled, changed, or completed.

A few examples of signifiers are a star symbol (*) for priority tasks, an eye for ideas you need to explore, a dollar sign ($) for purchases, and an exclamation mark (!) for a new inspiration.

  • Migration: Migration helps you review your performance and filter out the tasks that haven’t been accomplished. It is typically done at the end of a month when preparing the next month’s log. Evaluate whether the unfinished tasks are still crucial and worth doing and migrate them between collections on a monthly basis.

Further reading: Six Helpful Time-Management Tips for College Students

  1. Use signifiers and doodles creatively

Embellishing your bullet journal with signifiers and doodles will make it look arty and appealing. Signifiers give the bullet points an additional context, enabling you to enter short notes in a creative manner. Elements such as dots, circles, dashes, stars or asterisks, crosses, right and left arrows and exclamation marks help you chart out the daily, weekly, or monthly plan quickly and easily.

  1. Invest in good-quality tools

For bullet journaling, you will require tools such as a notebook, pens, sketch pens, rulers, Washi tapes, and stickers. These tools will determine the life and the attractive appeal of your bullet journal. Moreover, good-quality tools will help you stay committed to the cause, motivating you to use them creatively in your journal.

Invest in archival-quality paper that is acid-free, enabling you to keep your handwritten records safe and fade-proof. Most bullet journalists seem to prefer notebook brands, namely Leuchtturm 1917, Moleskine, Rhodia and Essentials. Pigment and ink pen brands like Sakura Micron, PilotFriXion, Staedtler Triplus Fineliner and Uni-ball Jetstream can help add a touch of color and creativity to your journal.

  1. Don’t go completely off technology

Traditionally, a bullet journal involves penning down your daily activities, events and future goals. However, amidst your demanding schedule, you may miss out on some important events or deadlines. Use digital tools such as Google Calendar, Todoist and Evernote along with your bullet journal to manage your appointments, project deadlines and tasks effectively.

For instance, at the beginning of the month, enter your monthly plan in the Google Calendar and use your bullet journal as a daily tool to compile and monitor the tasks, the events, and the goals by referring to the digital calendar.

Using the best of both worlds (on and offline) will help you organize your life and focus on your professional and personal goals.

  1. Don’t be afraid to experiment with bullet journaling

Bullet journaling is a creative journey in which you constantly need to experiment in order to come up with the most effective organization style that meets your needs. Since you are new to this process you may be tempted to follow the various formats available online. Regardless of whether you try the original Ryder Carroll style or other contemporary ideas, remember to experiment and be open to change. Retain what’s working for you and get rid of formats that are not helping you achieve your objectives.

  1. Get inspired, but avoid comparison

The internet is full of inspiration with millions of Instagram and Pinterest users posting gorgeous bullet journal pages. It’s ok to refer to them for a few creative ideas, however, avoid comparing your journal with others. Every person has a specific objective for maintaining their bullet journal and the format will change accordingly.

Comparing yourself with others will disappoint you and stop you from trying new things. Your bullet journal is unique to you and must meet your requirements. For instance, if you like to express everything using symbols and doodles, nothing should stop you. Similarly, if you prefer scribbling your goals instead of using symbols, go ahead and do it.

College life is all about planning and organizing tasks, managing time effectively and setting objectives that help you realize your purpose in life. Use the above-mentioned bullet journaling tips to take control of your life and build a bright career.

Rose Martin is an editor at Book Siren. Book Siren helps readers learn about various book publications and authors. Rose likes to travel with friends and family. Her main interests are music, reading novels and fitness. Reach out to Rose at martinrrrose@gmail.com.