Hello, dear colleagues!
This is Vasily Malets, director. Academy of Articles and the author of the column Scopus Departure ContendersLast year, our column became very popular among scientists in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2025, you'll find six in-depth articles about journals that are on the verge of being excluded from ScopusWe begin this year's first issue with an analysis of five such journals.
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 employed 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 on the right;
- Accepted into Scopus in 2024.
Main violations:
- Increase in the number of publications per year. 300 in 2024 and already over 300 as of January 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 only a matter of time before it is reviewed by the Radar system and subsequently by the CSAB board.
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 high-quality articles in December and throughout 2024. However, it is currently undergoing review. 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 this is probably why they introduced a re-check:
- A 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 currently under review by the CSAB board and will soon be removed from Scopus. All unindexed articles will be excluded from indexing with a probability of 100%.
3. South Eastern European Journal of Public Health
It was a high-quality journal that strictly adhered to peer-review guidelines and limited the number of publications. However, in the fall of 2024, it abruptly changed course and began publishing large numbers of articles for a fee, significantly impacting 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 currently under review by the CSAB board and will soon be removed from Scopus. All unindexed articles will be excluded from indexing with a probability of 100%.
4. Communications on Applied Nonlinear Analysis
The journal was accepted in Scopusin 2009. During this time, he strictly adhered to the rules and published no more than 40 articles per year. However, in 2024, the situation changed dramatically.
This may have been due to a desire for profit, or the journal may have been sold. In 2024, it published over 500 articles, significantly exceeding its previous output.
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 currently under review by the CSAB board and will soon be removed from Scopus. All unindexed articles will be excluded from indexing with a probability of 100%.
5. Journal of Medical Toxicology and Legal Medicine
This is a fairly old journal, publishing articles since 1998. In 2018, it was indexed in Scopus and throughout this time maintained an appropriate level of quality of publications.
However, in 2024, the journal was sold, and the new owners decided to use its status primarily for commercial gain, which significantly impacted 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 currently under review by the CSAB and will soon be removed from Scopus. Indexed articles will not be removed, but all non-indexed articles will not be indexed with a probability of 100%.
Conclusions:
Today, I've analyzed five scientific publications in detail and outlined the problems with each. I hope this information will help you save time, money, and stress.
I understand that the opportunity for rapid publication can be very tempting, but it's important to always consider the potential consequences. Unfortunately, there are situations where the journal you published your article in initially met all the requirements but subsequently began to violate scientific standards. No one is immune from this. However, don't be discouraged—it's a valuable experience.
Carefully analyze the publication before submitting materials, check their reputation to avoid losses. And if you need professional assistance in choosing a journal or publishing a scientific article, Academy of Articles will be happy to help you.
Sincerely,
Vasily Malets, Director of the Academy of Articles
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