The odyssey of scholarly publishing among scholars from developing countries

1. Introduction

Discussions surrounding scholarly publishing are currently gaining traction. Various analogies are being made on whether scholarly publications, especially the ones that are geared towards the culmination of studies or the infamous aphorism “publish or perish,” should still be practiced. This has been fueled by the significant increase in cloned journals and predatory publishing. During a recent lecture, my co-author and I were invited by the Penn Libraries at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, to present our paper in a lecture Circus forum. The lecture Circus was an innovative approach that the Penn Libraries conducted to bring aboard several speakers across the globe to present and discuss contemporary academic issues in an interdisciplinary discourse (Blake, 2023). Our invitation was based on our research paper titled “Predatory Publishing: A Catalyst of Misinformation and Disinformation among Academicians and Learners in Developing Countries” Otike et al. (2022). Throughout our presentation, we operated under the assumption that scholars, particularly those pursuing doctoral degrees, were grappling with difficulties in choosing suitable journals for publishing their work. This perception justified our selection of the research presentation title and topic. However, as the presentation unfolded, it became evident that predatory publishing is just one aspect of broader challenges faced by academicians and scholars. From the various presentations made in the Lecture Circus forum, we concluded that the topic revolving around scholarly publishing needs urgent and amicable solutions to navigate the challenges effectively and ensure a sustainable and seamless publishing process is restored.

2. Scholarly publishing

Scholarly publishing. What is scholarly publishing? It is usually considered a difficult and frustrating path for most academicians (Al-Yaseen, 2021; Bozkurt et al., 2021). This statement has an illusory truth effect as a result of being reiterated. Scholarly publishing is the process of the dissemination of academic or research works done by researchers, academicians, or students through journals, books, book reviews, and conferences. It is a process that involves the sharing of new knowledge, research findings, and critical analyses within the academic community and beyond. Therefore, the information being shared should be accurate and precise since it will be used and cited by future researchers in other research works. The purpose of academic publishing is, thus, to sustain the world’s knowledge and to help update it constantly to avoid redundancies. Think, for instance, about the impact of information disorder being consumed by scientists or medical practitioners. Such information not only poses a threat to upcoming discoveries but also carries the risk of adversely corrupting the minds of young learners (Otike et al., 2022). It is because of this development that scholarly publishing must go through a rigorous process so that concepts being shared are right, findings being revealed are accurate, and discoveries being made are genuine and safe for humans and the ecosystem.

Most scholars and academicians from the developing world consider reputable journals prejudiced toward publishing their research findings and manuscripts. This was attested by Bol et al. (2023) in their paper titled “How to address the geographical bias in academic publishing.” Bureaucracy and the prolonged publishing process are also considered a hindrance and time waste (Otike et al., 2022). In other studies, Nwankwo et al. (2021) observed that most high-impact journals reject works originating from developing countries because they do not perceive significant benefits from publishing them in their journals. All this, coupled with other factors such as high (Article Processing Charge) APC, cultural, and unique research content, have been linked to the justification why predatory publishing and clone journals are predominantly increasing and favored in developing countries as compared to the developed ones (Demir, 2018; Balehegn, 2017). However, from our previous studies and experience as authors, reviewers, and researchers from developing countries, we can see that there are more issues that affect scholars from developing countries than those stated above. With globalization and the proliferation of advanced technology, numerous high-impact and quality journals and publishing firms publish research output that transverse a wide spectrum of subject areas and disciplines across the globe. Moreover, in some instances, journals also have invitation calls for paper submissions attracting specific continents, countries, subjects, scopes, etc. Despite all these efforts, most scholars from developing countries find themselves trapped in cloned and predatory publishing.

3. Tackling the main issue for scholarly publishing

Research papers are considered the outcome of a thorough meticulous process that is meant to guarantee quality and accuracy of what is being published. Therefore, it is important for scholars to be vigilant about the submission process and requirements of most journals. Submission of scholarly work needs a thorough scrutiny of a journal before one decides to submit. A good number of scholars get discouraged immediately when their works get rejected. However, a rejected paper does not necessarily imply that a scholarly work was substandard. In this section, we will discuss some of the fundamental reasons why the rejection rate of scholarly works seems to be so high, especially from the journals that are considered to have a high impact. This Discussion is limited and based on the author’s personal experience of the cases known among Doctoral students from developing countries.

1.

Scope of the journal: It is important to establish the scope of one’s scholarly work and relate it to a specific journal. According to Fried and Wechsler (2001), they mentioned that even though there are no laid-out approaches to selecting a journal, it is advisable that journal selection precede manuscript writing. It is important for scholars to be able to relate their research works with the scope of journals to which they intend to submit their works. Besides multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary journals, most journals target research output from a particular subject, study, scope, and research field. Statistics show that most rejected papers are normally related to the authors’ failure to recognize the research scope of the journal. In cases where the authors are not able to relate the exact scope of their works with the journal, then it would be advisable for them to submit their scholarly works to either a multidisciplinary journal or an interdisciplinary journal. According to Choi and Pak (2006), multidisciplinary research covers a wide range of diverse academic disciplines and subjects within a single publication, while interdisciplinary research integrates content and perspectives from multiple academic disciplines to address complex topics and foster collaboration across fields. Journal Citation Report (2023) lists some of the notable high-impact multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary journals as Nature ISSN 14764687, Science ISSN 10959203, The Innovation ISSN 26666758, Sciences Advances ISSN 23752548, Research ISSN 26395274, Scientific African ISSN 24682276, etc. However, it should be noted that scholarly works published in specialized or single-discipline journals attract more traction and citations than in multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary journals.

2.

Audience of the paper: The targeted audience is equally important. Walsh and Devine (2014) observed that establishing the intended audience will determine the type of journal in which researchers can decide to publish their works. For instance, publishing in an indexed journal will enable one’s work to reach a wider audience. Albarran and Scholes (2005) allude that the content of a manuscript should be able to appeal to the intended audience. Scholars should be able to identify the intended audience of their scholarly works when researching and submitting them in cases where the works target an international audience; then, a more general journal can be considered. For instance, when one has a scholarly work covering African History, it would be more appropriate to submit the work to journals that are African specific, for instance, journals like History in Africa (ISSN 03615413), Journal of African History (ISSN 14695138), African History (ISSN 2211145X), Sources for African History (ISSN 15708721), etc., would be more appropriate rather than submitting scholarly works to journals that cover history in general. This example can also be factored into specific fields. For instance, research on aspects that relate to phonology, syntax, and semantics in linguistics are more relevant to be submitted to a linguistic journal rather than a journal that covers language as a general subject.

3.

Journal article type range: In scholarly works, there are various journal article types, and different journals accept different types of articles, which apparently most scholars are not familiar with. The range of journal articles varies with journals both by name and description. For instance, some of the journal article types available are Book Reviews, Research Papers, Policy/Opinion, Short Communication, Letters to the editor, Original Articles, Technical Notes, Discussions, Data Notes, Research Notes, Reports, etc. The journal article type has specific formats in which information and research outputs are presented and conveyed. Therefore, scholars need to be well-versed in the specific research topic area they are working on and the journal article type that is favorable for their research works. For instance, Fig. 1. Shows an example of the range of article types accepted by various journals.

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Figure 1.

Journal article types for submissions: Source: Researchers.

Figure 1. Shows some of the common journal article types accepted by journals, which are 1) Editorial, 2) Comment, 3) Research Article, 3) Brief Report, 4) Book Review, 5) Industry Update, 6) Case Study, 7) Opinion, 8) News, 9) Commentary, and Meeting Report. In other studies, Murziqin et al. (2020) categorize journal article types into two types: research articles, which are based on research reports from conducted research, and conceptual articles, which are articles developed from an author’s ideas and thoughts. The Journal Article Types vary from one journal to another.

4.

Originality and significance issues: The significance of a scholarly work is to generate new knowledge toward the academic and intellectual discourse within a particular field of study. Therefore, most journals are interested in the originality of a research output. Albarran and Scholes (2005) observe that the originality of a manuscript will determine its readership and ultimately shape the decision of whether a manuscript can be accepted or rejected. Stewart (2008) suggests that authors should make an effort to be creative in their writing. While acknowledging that creativity can be challenging, he encourages authors to embrace it. Scholars should be able to demonstrate the unique aspect of their research work and its impact on developing new knowledge. Originality in research signifies creating new ideas, methodologies, or findings that extend beyond existing knowledge, demonstrating a fresh perspective or approach to a particular problem or question. It distinguishes the research from previous work and contributes to the advancement of understanding in its field. Significance, on the other hand, highlights the importance or relevance of the research within its broader context, emphasizing its potential impact on theory, practice, policy, or society. Significant research addresses important questions, fills gaps in knowledge, or offers solutions to pressing issues, ensuring that resources are directed towards endeavors that can lead to meaningful advancements or positive change. Together, originality and significance form critical criteria for evaluating the quality and impact of research endeavors. As such, a scholar must be able to clearly demonstrate the originality and significance of their works lest they get rejected.

5.

Other general areas: Apart from the scope, audience, originality, and journal article type, there are other areas that scholars need to focus on when researching, writing, and submitting research work. These areas may not necessarily be used to reject or determine the suitability of a scholarly work, but they can influence the final decision. For instance, when a journal has received an overwhelming submission of manuscripts and wants to reduce the number, it can base its elimination on smaller aspects to aid it in the process. They are as follows. 1) If the language used is not clear and precise. Editors and reviewers have limited time. As such, any frustrations encountered while reading a scholarly work may influence their decisions. Remember, most reviewers are not paid to review scholarly works; therefore, any frustration encountered may discourage them from reviewing one’s work. Furthermore, blind reviewers are unknown to the author; hence, they have nothing to lose. Jha (2014) notes that it is important to use simple and concise words to enable readers to understand concepts easily. Also of the essence is the use of active voice 2) Formatting style and referencing. Although this one is never factored under the reviewing process, a well-formatted work that conforms with the journal requirement will arouse the editor and reviewers’ interest in one’s work 3) Thorough literature review process. According to Albarran and Scholes (2005), in-depth literature justifies the rationale of a study and also determines its conclusion and the final outcome; therefore, there is a need to conduct a thorough literature review. A well-cited work ignites the reviewer’s interest. For instance, in subject areas that are not classified as classical (Anthropology, history, literature, philosophy, music, art history, etc), always ensure that one cites the most recently published articles. 4) Ethical issues should also be observed. Currently, with the proliferation of advanced technology and the entrance of numerous AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the industry, ethical issues related to academics are on the rise (Stahl & Eke, 2024). 5) Last but not least, avoid the use of jargon and only use the literature that is relevant to the study. It is the critical analysis and synthesis of relevant literature that truly distinguishes scholarly research. Therefore, there is a need to be as precise as possible.

4. Remedial action for scholarly publishing in developing countries

Scholarly publishing may seem a frustrating process, especially when one experiences an unending decline and rejection of works submitted for publication. It not only demotivates one’s publishing enthusiasm but also gives one a sense of rejection from journals. So what should be done as remedial action? The following aspects can be considered as critical actions that should be taken to encourage professional scholarly publishing:

1.

Scholarly publishing to be taught: As mentioned earlier, most institutions of higher learning never teach scholars publishing skills. Therefore, this paper emphasizes that it is important for scholarly publishing to be taught as an introductory course at institutions of higher learning. Such a course can involve a practicable research process leading to the eventual publication of a scholarly work by the scholars. In most developing countries, scholarly publishing is usually done by the learners through trial and error as such, the art of scholarly publishing becomes a frustrating journey. Recently, it has been observed that most reputable journals advertise online webinars to educate scholars, especially from developing countries. However, despite this being a good move, the impact is usually minimal as it is difficult for them to reach a wide audience. Teaching scholarly publishing is significant since it will ensure sustainability as the learners will be able to share their experiences with future scholars. In such courses, all the basics that relate to scholarly publishing can be discussed and taught, such as the importance of thorough proofreading, research methodology, originality and significance of scholarly works, ethical considerations, clarity and organization, etc.

2.

Ingrain the culture of publishing for information dissemination: Scholarly publishing should be inculcated in learners and researchers as an avenue of sharing and dissemination of information and not necessarily as a means of completing studies or seeking promotion and gaining monetary raise. The issue behind the saying “publish or perish” should be discouraged. In Çakir et al.’s (2024) study, it was noted that the pressure of “publish or perish” led scholars to work like robots, solely concentrating on research avenues and methods deemed lucrative. For instance, the authors highlighted that within the realm of educational administration in Turkey, there was a predominant emphasis on journal publications and collaborative research, leading many scholars to avoid participation in conferences, congresses, and the authorship of book chapters. In a research titled “Black Articles Matter: Exploring Relative Deprivation and Implicit Bias in Library and Information Science Research Publications of Africa and Other Continents.” Nwankwo et al. (2021) expressed concern that most authors in Africa publish in High-impact journals so that they can be promoted or receive international recognition. Therefore, if the culture of scholarly publishing is encouraged, there is the likelihood of discouraging predatory publishing and limiting the use of clone journals. As a result of these developments, scholarly publishing will have a definite meaning of sharing research output and new knowledge.

3.

Encourage Collaborative Scholarly research work: Collaborative research is paramount in the contemporary landscape of scientific inquiry, offering a myriad of benefits that transcend the limitations of individual efforts. By harnessing the collective expertise, diverse perspectives, and shared resources of multidisciplinary teams, collaborative research accelerates innovation, fosters creativity, and enhances the impact of scholarly endeavors. Demeritt (2005) opines that a collaborative approach facilitates synthesizing ideas, methodologies, and technology across disparate fields, leading to breakthrough discoveries and transformative advancements. Moreover, collaborative research promotes global cooperation, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practices on an international scale. Through collaborations, researchers can address complex challenges effectively, leverage complementary strengths, and achieve outcomes greater than the sum of their parts. As researchers, we all have specialties in different fields. Therefore, collaborative scholarly work enables one to build and share experiences with others. For instance, in quantitative research, the expertise of a statistical prowess researcher can come in handy. From addressing pressing societal issues to driving translational research efforts, collaborative endeavors are indispensable in driving progress and fostering interdisciplinary dialogue.

4.

Rejection as part of the Academic Publishing Process: As discussed in the introduction of the previous section, the rejection of research papers (no matter their type) can discourage researchers and scholars. The importance of rejection is that it gives another perspective to the research article that the researcher might not have thought of previously or that was ignored for any reason. The rejection of the study paper can lead to better enhancing it and modifying it to fit either the same journals or meet the requirements of another one. The importance of the process of rejection is to seek positive feedback. Nevertheless, it should be noted that not all peer-review comments and feedback should be adopted by the researcher; reviewers’ suggestions are opinions that the scholar may or may not accept if proper justifications are available.

5. Conclusion

The mushrooming of predatory publishing and clone journals is currently posing a stumbling block between generating new knowledge, sharing information, and absorbing accurate findings. Therefore, the significance of publishing scholarly works in reputable journals should be emphasized, especially in developing countries where access to high-quality research is often limited. The struggle of doctoral students and scholars, in general, should be tackled by academic training to provide adequate knowledge to students in higher education at the beginning of their learning journey. Therefore, it is assumed that this paper will be of significant value to current and future researchers in their scholarly pursuits to assist them in their academic journey and enable them to establish the culture of scholarly publishing for information dissemination and not monetary value.