Scientific Research Publishing: A Critical Look at an Open Access Publisher

In the evolving landscape of academic publishing, open access journals have become increasingly prevalent, aiming to disseminate research more widely. However, this growth has also led to concerns about quality control and the rise of publishers accused of prioritizing profit over scholarly rigor. Scientific Research Publishing (SCIRP) is one such company that has drawn scrutiny within the academic community.

What is Scientific Research Publishing?

Founded in 2007, Scientific Research Publishing (SCIRP) operates a large portfolio of open access journals covering a diverse range of disciplines, including science, technology, business, and medicine. As of December 2014, the publisher offered 244 English-language journals [1]. SCIRP’s business model relies on article processing charges (APCs), where authors pay a fee to publish their work.

Concerns About Peer Review and Journal Quality

Several sources have identified SCIRP as a predatory publisher, meaning it engages in practices that exploit the open access publishing system for financial gain without providing genuine scholarly value [1]. These practices include aggressive email solicitations for submissions, a lack of transparency in peer review processes, and the publication of articles with questionable scientific merit.

In 2014, the editorial board of one of SCIRP’s journals, Advances in Anthropology, resigned en masse, with the outgoing editor-in-chief stating that the publisher was “only about making money” [1].

SCIRP’s Journal Portfolio

SCIRP publishes a vast number of journals, including Atmospheric and Climate Sciences (ACS) [4]. The publisher’s website lists a comprehensive index of its journals, categorized by subject area [4]. The company states that its journals are fully open access, allowing for reuse of published content under Creative Commons licenses (CC BY or CC BY-NC) [4].

Open Access Types

According to its website, SCIRP publishes fee-based open access journals (Gold OA). Payments are incurred per article published. Authors are permitted to archive their work (Green OA). Preprint, postprint, and the publisher’s PDF version may be used [1].

Is SCIRP a Reputable Publisher?

The academic community remains divided on SCIRP’s legitimacy. While it provides a platform for researchers to publish their work, the concerns regarding its peer review processes and potential prioritization of profit over quality raise significant questions. Researchers considering submitting to SCIRP journals should carefully evaluate the potential risks and benefits.