From: "Jim O'Donnell" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2015 07:14:45 -0700 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/10/01/study-finds-huge-increase-articles-published-predatory-journals The debate over the relative numbers and the application of the 'predatory' label will continue, of course, but two things seem clear: (1) when the bills are paid by parties interested in increasing the number of articles published and lowering the quality, the system will inevitably produce more lower quality articles -- how many is debatable and what to do about it likewise; (2) it's an accident of history that the implementation of that model of publishing comes at a moment when large numbers of new players are entering the market from developing countries looking for places to publish their articles, but this accident increases the new pressure on the system. My point is to suggest that finger-pointing and cluck-clucking and exhortations to virtuous behavior are probably irrelevant. Real and important facts are changing in the way we do scientific publishing and we should recognize those and plan systemically for ways to mitigate a problem that will not be wished away. How can we better insulate peer review from the financial incentives that press for easier acceptance of more? Jim O'Donnell ASU