Journals that will soon lose indexing in Scopus part 8
Introduction
Hello, dear colleagues!
This is Vasily Malets, director. Article Academy and the author of the column "Contenders for removal from Scopus"! Last year our column became very popular among scientists of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2025, you'll find six in-depth articles about journals that are on the verge of being excluded from Scopus. And we begin the first issue this year with an analysis of five such journals.
Let me remind you that we have table of contenders, where you can find all the journals I've written about before and their current status.
You can view the table here:
This time we will consider five magazines, which risk losing indexation in Scopus:
1. Lifestyle and Sdg's review;
The first magazine on our list was in Scopus thanks to its unique theme – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
However, immediately after switching on Scopus he began actively sending out announcements about the possibility of early publication. At the same time, the journal used an interesting trick: after accepting articles, it required authors to add a mention of SDGs in the title and abstract so that the articles formally correspond to the stated topic.
Magazine characteristics:
- Q0 from the right;
- Accepted into Scopus in 2024.
Main violations:
- Increase in the number of publications per year. 300 for 2024 and already more than 300 as of January for 2025.
- Publishing everything in a row with the trick of adding to the name SDG's.
Number of Ukrainians who have published in this magazine: More than 115 Ukrainian scientists
Current status:
The journal is actively indexed, but it is a matter of time before it is checked by the Radar system and subsequently by the CSAB council.
Probability of exclusion from Scopus: 100%
Probability of de-indexing (removal from the Scopus database) of articles:
- 50% – for 2025;
- 20% for 2024.
2. Journal of Management World
This journal was included in Scopus in 2023, and published quality articles in December and throughout 2024. However, it has not yet been reviewed CSAB and, it seems, decided to accept all articles without discrimination in the face of possible exclusion.
Magazine characteristics:
- Q4 – psychology;
- Adopted in December 2023;
Main violations: In my expert opinion, when the journal was accepted into Scopus, it was given a year to improve the quality of the publication, and that is probably why a re-check was introduced:
- Large number of self-citations - more than 50%
- Large number of published articles for 2025.
Probability of exclusion from Scopus: 100%;
Probability of de-indexing (removal from the Scopus database) of articles: 0% – indexed articles will not be removed from the database when the journal is excluded.
Current status:
The journal is under review by the CSAB and will soon be removed from Scopus. All non-indexed articles will not be indexed with a probability of 100%
3. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health
It was a quality journal that strictly followed peer review rules and limited the number of publications. However, in the fall of 2024, it abruptly changed course and began publishing large numbers of articles for money, which significantly affected its reputation and scientific value.
Magazine characteristics:
- Q4 – public health;
- Indexed in Scopus since 2019
Main violations:
- A sharp increase in the number of published articles.
- Lack of peer review;
- A large number of published issues and special issues.
Probability of exclusion from Scopus: 100%.
Probability of de-indexing (removal from the Scopus database) of articles: 10% - indexed articles will likely not be removed from the database when the journal is excluded, but all published articles that are not indexed will not be indexed.
Current status:
The journal is under review by the CSAB board and will soon be removed from Scopus. All non-indexed articles will not be indexed with a probability of 100%.
4. Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis
The journal was accepted into Scopusin 2009. During this time, he strictly followed the rules and published no more than 40 articles per year. However, in 2024, the situation changed dramatically.
This may be due to a desire to make a profit, or the journal was sold. In 2024, it published more than 500 articles, which is significantly more than its previous figures.
Magazine characteristics:
- Q4 – Mathematics;
- Indexed in Scopus since 2009.
Main violations:
- A sharp increase in the number of published articles;
- Lack of peer review;
- A large number of published issues and special issues;
Probability of exclusion from Scopus: 100%
Probability of de-indexing (removal from the Scopus database) of articles: 70%
Current status:
The journal is under review by the CSAB board and will soon be removed from Scopus. All non-indexed articles will not be indexed with a probability of 100%.
5. Journal of Medical Toxicology and Legal Medicine
It is a fairly old journal, publishing articles since 1998. In 2018, it was indexed in Scopus and throughout this time maintained the appropriate level of quality of publications.
However, in 2024 the magazine was sold, and the new owners decided to use its status primarily for commercial gain, which significantly affected the quality of the published materials.
Magazine characteristics:
- Q3 – Pathology and forensic medicine;
- Indexed in Scopus since 2018.
Main violations:
- A sharp increase in the number of published articles;
- Lack of peer review
- A large number of published issues and special issues.
Probability of exclusion from Scopus: 100%
Probability of de-indexing (removal from the Scopus database) of articles: 0%
Current status:
The journal is under review by the CSAB and will be removed from Scopus soon. Indexed articles will not be removed, but all non-indexed articles will not be indexed with a probability of 100%,
Conclusions
Today I have analyzed five scientific publications in detail and described the problems of each of them. I hope this information will help you save time, money and nerves.
I understand that the possibility of quick publication may seem very attractive, but it is important to always consider the possible consequences. Unfortunately, there are situations when the journal in which you published an article initially met all the requirements, but later began to violate scientific standards. No one is immune from this. However, do not be upset - this is a valuable experience.
Carefully analyze the publication before submitting materials, check their reputation to avoid losses. And if you need professional help in choosing a journal or publishing a scientific article, Article Academy will be happy to help you.
Sincerely,
Vasily Malets - Director of the Academy of Articles
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