https://www.scimagojr.com/journalsearch.php?q=21100199831&tip=sid&clean=0

In recent years, academic publishing has become a top strategic priority for many higher education institutions around the world. For instance, many universities are striving for excellence in research and dissemination of knowledge by encouraging their faculty and research students to publish in top-tier research journals in their respective fields of specialty. In the fields of applied linguistics (AL) and TESOL, as in other fields of study, the main considerations advanced for publishing in top-tier research-oriented journals (ROJs) include (a) contributing to the body of knowledge in the field by expanding the knowledge base and adding to the literature, (b) increasing existing knowledge, and (c) creating an impact on the field (see, e.g., Casanave & Vandrick, 2003; Matsuda, 2015). While this is a legitimate strategic goal for many higher education institutions, no doubt, exclusive focus on full-length articles (FLAs) that are data-driven or state-of-the-art review articles in top-tier ROJs constitutes a real challenge, in particular for graduate students and early career researchers (henceforth, novice researchers) (Matsuda, 2003). This challenge might force novice researchers, knowingly or unknowingly, to seek to publish in predatory journals or in publications with commercial rather than professional publishers. Predatory journals may appear respectable from their titles, which is an easy way to lure novice researchers. For instance, a quick search in Cabells Scholarly Analytics for Predatory Reports on predatory publishers and journals will show the magnitude of the spread of these rogue journals and publishers into virtually every discipline and domain of study. (For more information on these publishers and journals, see Cabells Scholarly Analytics for Predatory Reports on predatory publishers and journals, https://www2.cabells.com/.)