There are tens of reputed indexes, but in the world of open-access publishing, one index is unique, and it stands out. DOAJ is the single most important index that you must be looking for if you plan to publish your manuscript in an open-access journal. Whether you are looking for arts and humanities journals or medical journals, try to make sure that the journal is DOAJ-indexed.

In this article, we will explore why DOAJ is perhaps the most important index in many ways. It would be even right to say that DOAJ is a better indicator of the journal’s quality than some of the most reputed journal indexes like SCOPUS or Web of Science.

What are DOAJ Indexed Journals?

Of course, there are many indexes. However, DOAJ is among the most reputed and reliable. It is among indexes that have strict journal inclusion criteria. This ensures that any journal included in the DOAJ indexes meets the highest editorial standards set forth for open-access journals. This is, of course, an index of open-access journals only.

This is a neutral index, which means an indexing system not controlled by some publishers, unlike SCOPU or Web of Science. Another thing that sets it apart is that it is solely for open-access journals. Thus, this index plays an important role in popularizing open-access journals improving their quality and discoverability.

Below is the short history of the DOAJ index:

• Founding (2003): The DOAJ was launched in 2003 as a community-driven service to promote the discovery of open-access journals. Lund University Libraries played a crucial role in its establishment.
• Early Growth (2003-2012): In its early years, the DOAJ focused on building its database and increasing the number of journals listed. It also established criteria for inclusion to ensure that only reputable, peer-reviewed, and open-access journals were included.
• Rapid Expansion (2012-2014): The DOAJ underwent significant Expansion during this period, both in terms of the number of journals indexed and the adoption of new technologies. The organization also introduced a new set of criteria to improve the quality of the journals listed.
• Partnerships and Recognition (2015-2018): The DOAJ formed partnerships with other organizations, including the ISSN International Centre and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These collaborations strengthened the directory’s standing in the scholarly publishing community.
• Continuous improvement (2019-2022): The DOAJ continued to refine its processes and criteria, aiming to provide accurate and up-to-date information about open access journals. It also engaged in efforts to increase transparency and accountability in the scholarly publishing ecosystem.

DOAJ does not just play an important role in ensuring the high editorial quality of open access journals. It is also playing a vital role in disseminating knowledge. At the time of writing this article, there were already more than 9 million research articles indexed in DOAJ. This means that more than 9 million articles are readily and freely available to the research community. Thus, the role of DOAJ in supporting researchers or innovation cannot be underestimated.

How does DAJ compare with SCOPUS or Web of Science? Or why and how DOAJ is better than SCOPUS or Web of Science?

As DOAJ has emerged as one of the most reputed indexes for scholarly journals, people often ask how DOAJ differs from Scopus or Web of Science.

To keep things short, there are two significant differences between DOAJ and indexes like Scopus or Web of Science. Though Scopus and Web of Science have higher reputations in the academic world, but they suffer from a few significant flaws. This is due to the difference in DOAJ’s DNA and that of Scopus or Web of Science.

Firstly, unlike Scopus or Web of Science, which index both open access and commercial journals, DOAJ is solely for open access journals. It means that DOAJ plays an important role in knowledge dissemination and its democratization. For example, accessing or reading full articles from some of the reputed journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science may cost hundreds of US dollars, thus making them inaccessible for many researchers.

Secondly, DOAJ is independent of the publishing industry, unlike Scopus or Web of Science. This difference is highly critical. Remember that both Scopus and Web of Science are indexes run by two of the largest academic publishers in the world (Elsevier and Calvairate).

Well, it means that any journal published by these two publishers readily makes its way to these reputed journals. This creates uneven grounds in academic publishing. Just imagine playing a football match with a team that has all the power to decide what is right and wrong and a referee who is a member of one of the teams you are playing with. Well, as one can imagine, the team that has all the power to decide what is right and wrong and owns a referee will always win. Thus, it is little surprise that these two publishers control more than 70% or more of the publishing market in Europe.

So, though Scopus and Web of Science dominate academic publishing as they are the most reputed and recognized indexes, they also have their downsides. Of course, both these indexes are good in the way that they play a very important role in ensuring the quality of academic publishing.

DOAJ vs PubMed & other popular Indexes for Academic Journals

DOAJ, Scopus, and Web of Science are among the most reputed indexes of academic journals. However, there are many more. Those looking to get their research articles published must consider other factors, too.

For example, every journal just provides unique identifiers to all the published articles or DOI, and Crossref is among the reputed providers of it. European Institute of Knowledge and Innovation (EIKI LTD.) is a full member of the organization.

There are many other indexes that are highly reputed, and many of them are for specific subjects. For example, one such index is PubMed. PubMed, as the name suggests, is for medical or health-related journals only. It is a project of the US government, making it a highly reputable source of information and also a reputable index for medical or health-related journals.

Similarly, there are other highly reputed indexes for other subjects, like ERIC for teaching and education journals. Another example is Philindex, which is for philosophy and anthropology journals.

Therefore, it is also vital to have a look at these specialized indexes. Many of these indexes are either funded by some government institutions or non-profit organizations. Hence, these indexes are highly reliable sources of information, and any journal that is indexed by these indexes can be trusted for its quality.

How does DOAJ ensure publication quality?

The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) employs a set of criteria and a rigorous review process to ensure the quality of publications listed in its directory. Here are some key elements of how DOAJ ensures publication quality:

1. Inclusion Criteria: DOAJ has specific inclusion criteria that journals must meet to be considered for inclusion in the directory. These criteria cover various aspects, including the peer-review process, the openness of access, editorial quality, and ethical publishing practices.
2. Open Access Requirement: One of the fundamental criteria for inclusion in DOAJ is that journals must provide immediate and unrestricted open access to their content. Journals must not have embargoes on content, and full-text articles should be freely available online.
3. Peer Review: Journals listed in DOAJ are typically required to have a robust and transparent peer-review process. This involves the evaluation of submitted manuscripts by independent experts in the field to ensure the quality and validity of the research.
4. Editorial Quality: DOAJ evaluates the editorial processes of journals, including the qualifications and expertise of the editorial board. The goal is to ensure that the journal maintains high editorial standards and follows ethical publishing practices.
5. Transparency: DOAJ values transparency in the publication process. Journals are required to provide clear information about their editorial processes, including the composition of the editorial board, the peer-review process, and any fees associated with publication.
6. Sustainability and Accessibility: Journals listed in DOAJ are encouraged to demonstrate long-term sustainability plans to ensure continued open access. This includes having a clear business model, financial transparency, and a commitment to accessibility for a global audience.
7. Regular Review and Reapplication: Journals listed in DOAJ are subject to regular reviews. This process involves reevaluation of journals to ensure they continue to meet the DOAJ criteria. Journals that do not meet the criteria may be removed from the directory.
8. Community Involvement: DOAJ actively seeks input and feedback from the scholarly community, publishers, and other stakeholders. This collaborative approach helps refine the criteria and ensures that the directory remains a reliable resource for open-access scholarly publications.
9. Continuous Improvement: DOAJ is committed to continuous improvement and adaptation to the evolving landscape of scholarly publishing. The organization regularly updates its criteria and processes to address new challenges and opportunities in the field of open access.

By implementing these measures, DOAJ aims to maintain a high standard of quality for the journals included in its directory. This not only benefits researchers by providing a trustworthy source of open access journals but also contributes to the promotion of ethical and sustainable publishing practices within the scholarly community.

DOAJ is a beacon of neutrality & freedom in scholarly publication

To conclude, DOAJ is one of the indexes that really stands out from all other indexes. It is one of the most trusted and reputed indexes for open access journals. Moreover, it covers a wide variety of subjects, from arts, humanities, and technical sciences to medicine. Just any open-access journal, irrespective of the subject, can apply for DOAJ indexing, of course, if it meets the inclusion criteria, follows all the guidelines for open-access journals, and has the right editorial practices in place. Unlike Scopus or Web of Science, it does not belong to any publisher, making it a neutral index, which further adds to its relevance and trustworthiness.