Frequently asked questions

General questions

  • What is the JPPS framework?
    The Journal Publishing Practices and Standards (JPPS) framework provides detailed assessment criteria for the quality of publishing practices of Southern journals and is initially being used to assess the journals hosted on Journals Online (JOL) platforms.
    Journals assessed against the JPPS criteria are given one of six levels: inactive title; new title; no stars; one star; two stars; and three stars. The assigned JPPS levels serve a dual purpose. For readers, they provide assurance that the journals meet an internationally recognized set of criteria at a particular level. For journal editors, the detailed feedback from the JPPS assessment helps them identify ways to improve their publishing practices and standards with a view to achieving a higher level at the next assessment.
    Although it is an assessment through which journals are awarded one of six levels, the JPPS assessment is not intended to catch Southern journals out but to help them improve. The exercise highlights to them the areas of publishing standards and practices that they still need to work on and gives them the opportunity for regular review.
    More information about the JPPS, in English, French and Spanish, is available on the website: www.journalquality.info.
  • Who runs JPPS?
    The JPPS framework has been established and is managed by African Journals Online (AJOL) and INASP as part of the Journals Online (JOL) project. For more information about the partners, click here.
  • How is JPPS funded?
    The development of the JPPS Framework was supported by Sida and DFID. We are currently exploring ongoing funding options. If you are interested in supporting or finding out more, please contact admin@journalquality.info.
  • What are the JPPS criteria based on?
    The JPPS criteria are based on internally accepted standards of publishing good practice and excellence. They also build on the basic criteria that was already in place for many years for journals to be included on the Journals Online (JOL) platforms. To see the criteria and more about how it was developed, visit: journalquality.info/en/jpps-criteria.
  • Who does the JPPS assessments?
    In the interests of consistency and impartiality, the initial assessments for all actively publishing journals in each JOL are conducted by an expert in developing country publishing who is based in the UK. The assessments are carried out on behalf of INASP and AJOL.
  • Is the JPPS framework internationally recognized?
    JPPS is a new initiative launched in 2017 by two long-established partners with long experience supporting Southern journals. The framework is already being used to assess journals in countries across Africa, south Asia and Latin America that are covered by JOL platforms.
  • I have found a journal that displays a JPPS badge, but it is not listed on the journalquality.info website. Is it legitimate? Can other organizations assign JPPS stars?
    Official JPPS levels are only provided by AJOL and INASP. If in doubt about a JPPS claim, please check the journal’s listing via the JPPS webpage (www.journalquality.info) or an official JOL site (see www.inasp.info/en/work/journals-online for links to current JOLs).

Questions from journals

  • How can my journal get a JPPS badge?
    All journals on INASP JOLs and AJOL are being assessed as part of the JPPS process. JPPS is currently only being applied to JOLs journals If you are based in one of the current JOL countries and interested in being included on the relevant JOL, contact the JOL manager (see www.inasp.info/en/work/journals-online for links to current JOLs). If you are based in country that does not have a JOL and interested in discussing options, contact INASP (info@inasp.info).
  • Why has my journal been assigned this JPPS level?
    An overview of the criteria for each level is provided here: www.journalquality.info/en/jpps-criteria. In addition, as part of the assessment process, all journals are sent a detailed report about how they meet the criteria. Please refer to this report for details of which criteria have been met and which still need to be worked on.
    INASP and AJOL provide a range of resources to support journals in improving their publishing processes.
  • When can my journal apply to be re-assessed for a higher JPPS level?
    Journal editors can apply for reassessment against the JPPS framework six months to a year after original assessment. However, they must be able to provide evidence of improvement in the areas that were identified as requiring work.

Questions from authors

  • As an author, do I get any benefit from having my article published in a journal with a one-, two- or three-star JPPS rating?
    Yes, publishing in a journal with a JPPS star level provides peace of mind. Readers can see that the journal is implementing independently confirmed and assessed publishing standards.
  • Why was my article was rejected by a one-star journal but accepted by a two-star journal?
    JPPS levels give information about the quality of journals’ publishing processes but not about the scope of a journal. Decisions about inclusion of papers is taken by journal editorial teams based both on the quality of the research and on the relevance to the readership of the journal.
  • My article was published in a journal that is ‘Inactive’; what does that mean for me?
    Journals all over the world cease publishing each year for a range of reasons. The fact that a journal is inactive does not invalidate the research it includes. On the JOLs platforms, inactive journals are kept as part of scholarly record and the papers within those journals remain discoverable and citable in the same way as the other papers on the platforms.
  • My article was published in a journal that is not compliant with basic JPPS criteria; what does that mean for me?
    JPPS assesses the quality of journals’ publishing processes and standards, not the quality of the research published in those journals. Not meeting basic criteria generally means that journals have not supplied the assessors with enough information to give them a star rating. If in doubt about any aspect of the publishing process, do check with the journal.

Questions from readers

  • If an article is published by a one-star journal, does that make it lower-quality research than an article in a two- or three-star journal?
    No, JPPS levels give information about the quality of journals’ publishing processes but not about the scope of a journal. Decisions about inclusion of papers is taken by journal editorial teams based both on the quality of the research and on the relevance to the readership of the journal so the article may have been rejected for a range of reasons.
  • I want to reference an article from a new journal; is that a problem?
    No, it is good to support new journals. All journals assigned ‘New journal’ status currently meet the basic criteria for one-star journals but they are still too new to demonstrate this compliance over two years.
  • I want to reference an article from a journal that is ‘Inactive’; is that a problem?
    No, the fact that a journal is inactive does not invalidate the research it includes. On the JOLs platforms, inactive journals are kept as part of scholarly record and the papers within those journals remain discoverable and citable in the same way as the other papers on the platforms.
  • Should I avoid referencing an article from a journal that does not meet basic JPPS criteria?
    Whether you reference a journal should depend on the quality of the article. JPPS assesses the quality of journals’ publishing processes and standards, not the quality of the research published in those journals. Not meeting basic criteria generally means that journals have not supplied the assessors with enough information to give them a star rating. If in doubt about any aspect of the publishing process, do check with the journal.