Job Discussion Forums

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

In May I submitted an article for consideration to one online journal (will not disclose the name at the moment). I haven't heard from them until today, so I dropped them a line. Their answer came minutes later.

What surprised me was that my article was being revised, edited and formatted and I would need to pay for this service when they decide to publish it. They said they would want to publish it. Also, they wanted to know if I need scholarship to help with this fee.

I am dumbfound. Since when authors must pay for being published? I know there exist certain magazines that publish for a fee but this is an education based online journal.

I need your advice.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject:

Dera Kootvela,
Sounds like a scam to me - vanity press sort of deal. Anytime anyone asks you for money to publish something you created, well, that's when you say, "Bye-bye."

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

I also thought so. Editors are paid to do their job by the journal itself. Formatting...what's wrong with that? I submitted a standard article with typical fonts, a HTML doesn't need much formatting for a text (I checked). Also, this fee was not mentioned on their website as related to submitting an article. I hate such surprises.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:13 pm Post subject:

Dear Kootvela,
Also, what was that about their asking if you needed a "scholarship" to help pay the fee? Good heavens, just how much are they asking? And "scholarship" seems (to me) rather an odd word to use in such a context.

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

This is their reply to my statement that I will have to look for another publisher.

"The financial condition for publishing your article will not change, as the journal needs to meet the expenses for its regular publication. [JOURNAL NAME] is a freely accessible journal, and receives around 360,000 hits from around the world and is accessed around 75 countries. Readers do not pay for accessing the journal. Articles published in it are indexed in the widely well-known database EBSCOHost, which makes it accessible in many university libraries. Subsidy paid by authors for the publication of their works is in practice even in well established publishing houses. "

They want to know it soon because the issue is in August. Why just they couldn't inform me earlier because now I feel pushed to pay. It's not professional and I will refuse. The fee itself is small but it's a matter of principle now. I'm complicated, I know Smile

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Subsidy paid by authors for the publication of their works is in practice even in well established publishing houses.

I really don't think this is true...I haven't been in contact with publishers long-term, but over the past 12 months while I have been in such contact, haven't heard this.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Give them a polite thank you, and take your well-researched professional work to a professional publisher. Nobody should have to pay to get their papers published.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Vanity Publishing arrives in Academia ! Do not pay up. You can find another journal that will publish it.

Hoosier Dada · Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 11

Yeah, don't pay, and submit another article about the benefits of corporal punishment, the use of alcohol to facilitate small group discussions, or some such.

Seriously, it would be fun to see what you could pay to have published.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

It's actually quite common to pay the academic journal. The demand that a certain number of published articles be produced by academics each year in order to get grants, subsidies or tenure means that the author often needs to have the work published (though nobody will read it).

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

I checked their website and it does say about a fee at the bottom of the page, no wonder I haven't noticed. But I don't feel it's right to make authors pay the costs for the work of editors. I will consider the fee after I get the sample of what they did to my article.

Kootvela · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 513 Location: Lithuania

They're very quick with their replies. It must be time difference and while it's evening here it's working hours there. They refuse to let me see their 'edited and formatted' version, thus confirming my suspicion that no actual work was done and all they wanted was some cash. Oh, well, maybe I should start publishing my own articles on my own website?

thelmadatter · Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:47 pm Post subject: MexTESOL

Forget those guys... the MexTESOL Journal worked with me extensively to revise and edit my first attempt at a journal article... with no fee.

You might want to consider submitting an article to them as they are a class act.

Mpho · Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Posts: 58

China is a little different in the publishing world, at least according to my former English Dept manager. I too have a textbook I want to publish. He explained the ropes to me like this. In China you pay to have things published. Everyone greases the wheel. This is one reason you do not see too many scholarly journals in China, unless the university publishes them at their expense.

Simply, you pay to get it edited, translated, if necessary, English or language checked for spelling, grammar, content etc.

However, e-books many times are a scam.

Mpho

MO39 · Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:04 am Post subject: Re: MexTESOL