Study of the Causes and Consequences of Cloned Journal Publications

Cloned journals develop a mirror image of reputed journals and attract more articles than predatory journals. Journal of Positive School Psychology (JPSP) is one such Scopus indexed journal that has been cloned and used as a case study for this article. JPSP (cloned journal) has published over 3,000 articles in its last four issues (2nd to 5th) of 2022. Volume 6 No.2 (2022) is of 6,302 pages, Volume 6 No.3 (2022) is of 10,210 pages, Volume 6 No.4 (2022) is of 11,881 pages, and Volume 6 No.5 (2022) is of 4,335 pages. While the Society of Psychology and Education publishes the genuine JPSP journal, its cloned version is published by ASR Research India. We surveyed cloned JPSP authors worldwide, 512 to be precise, to investigate the causes and consequences of cloned journal publications. Pressure to publish articles in Scopus indexed journals, quick publication, ease in publication, and difficulty detecting a cloned journal, are some of the multiple causes that have led authors to publish in the cloned journals. It was interesting to note that despite the JPSP authors knowing that they have published in a cloned journal and its consequences, they wish to take the publication forward and earn academic credits. Suggestions have been offered to curb such publications.