Who is Jeffrey Beall?

Who is Jeffrey Beall?

Introduction Before the term “predatory journal” was a staple of every academic editor’s vocabulary, before university librarians whispered warnings about shady publishers charging authors for fake peer review, there was Jeffrey Beall. A quiet academic librarian from the University of Colorado Denver, Beall launched a blog that would shake the foundations of scholarly publishing. It … Read more

Springer Nature and the Open Access Deal with BTAA: A Turning Point or Another Step in a Long Game?

Springer Nature and the open access deal with BTAA

Introduction Springer Nature and the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) announced a landmark agreement: an unlimited open access publishing deal that enables researchers from BTAA institutions to publish an unlimited number of open access articles in Springer Nature journals. This arrangement is a significant shift in the evolving landscape of academic publishing. But what does … Read more

The Unpaid Labor of Academic Publishing

The unpaid labor of academic publishing

Introduction Academic publishing is a multi-billion-dollar industry—valued at almost $30 billion globally—propped up by a curious economic paradox: the majority of its labor force works for free. Peer reviewers, editors, and even authors provide their services without direct compensation, supporting publishing conglomerates that report profit margins rivaling those of tech giants. How did this industry, … Read more

Who Benefits from Academic Publishing’s Billion-Dollar Industry?

Academic publishing's billion-dollar industry - Featured image

Introduction Academic publishing is not a sleepy, dusty corner of the knowledge economy. It is a billion-dollar business—a goldmine carved out of university budgets, taxpayer money, and the unpaid labor of scholars. In 2024, the global academic publishing market was valued at nearly $30 billion, showing no sign of slowing down. So here’s the question … Read more

What are Overlay Journals and Why Should We Care?

What are overlay journals - Featured

Introduction What are overlay journals? Overlay journals are a disruptive concept that emerged from the academic publishing ecosystem in the last two decades. Born from the open-access revolution and nurtured by the preprint culture, overlay journals flip traditional publishing on its head. They don’t host articles; instead, they curate, review, and certify research that already … Read more