University students' knowledge of potentially predatory journals: A focus group analysis

Abstract

In our previous study on potentially predatory journal (PPJ) use by undergraduate students, we found that 0.34 % of their journal citations were from PPJ. We could not determine where students found them, or if they knew they used them, and no similar study has been published. In three focus groups we asked twelve students about their research habits, how they choose articles for their papers, and their knowledge about peer review, Open Access (OA), and PPJ. An analysis of their bibliographies showed that none of them used PPJ in their assignments. Using a mixed methods approach and classical content analysis, we found that they search library-linked databases and Google Scholar, use critical thinking skills to choose articles, place importance on peer review, know little about OA and less about PPJ, and expect quality control for information accessed through the library.