A critical discussion of scientific journals’ calls for papers: Uses, excesses, and editorial risks

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54167/rei.v3i1.1911

Keywords:

calls for papers, editors, scientific journals, special issues, scientific quality, editorial integrity, editorial policies, editorial practices, scientific publishing, predatory journals

Abstract

A call for papers is an open invitation for researchers to submit their work to a journal or professional event. In this article, focused on the calls for papers issued by scientific journals, I present a critical analysis of their use, identifying the risks derived from their excessive or inappropriate application, which may compromise the integrity and credibility of scientific publishing. I examine their characteristics, usefulness and relevance as a research topic, their acceptable uses, and provide a review of their positive and negative aspects. Positive aspects include attracting recognized authors; promoting emerging topics; increasing editorial dynamism and journal visibility; boosting the number of articles received and published; supporting researchers in enhancing their academic profiles; and the value of the thematic compilation with geographic diversity. Conversely, negative aspects include potential associations with predatory journals, concerns over excessively rapid review and publication processes, difficulties in assessing quality, lack of transparency, limited evidence of effectiveness, attraction of paper mills, a rise in irrelevant submissions, and inflation and collusion in special issues.

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Author Biography

  • Juan D. Machin-Mastromatteo, Autonomous University of Chihuahua

    Es profesor de tiempo completo e investigador en la Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua en México y es miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigadoras e Investigadores (SNII Nivel II) de la Secretaria de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación (México). Posee un doctorado en Ciencias de la Información y Comunicación (Tallinn University, Estonia), una maestría en Bibliotecas Digitales y Aprendizaje (Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Noruega; Tallinn University; y Parma University, Italia) y una licenciatura en Bibliotecología (Universidad Central de Venezuela). Labora como Profesor-Investigador de Tiempo Completo en la UACH desde 2017 en los programas académicos de Maestría en Innovación Educativa y Doctorado en Educación, Artes y Humanidades. Miembro del Cuerpo Académico Consolidado de ‘Estudios de la Información’ (CA-UACH-088), sus líneas de investigación se relacionan con la evaluación de la producción y comunicación científica; gestión del conocimiento y la innovación; e identificación y desarrollo de la cultura informacional.

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Published

2025-06-21

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025): enero-junio

Section

School of Editors

How to Cite

A critical discussion of scientific journals’ calls for papers: Uses, excesses, and editorial risks. (2025). Revista Estudios de la Información, 3(1), 94-104. https://doi.org/10.54167/rei.v3i1.1911
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