Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Lambert Academic Journals: OmniScriptum, OmniWaste

Lambert Academic Publishers (LAP) is "an imprint of OmniScriptum." It seeks to publish as many of the "invaluable" "5,000,000 theses [that] are written worldwide in the research industry" that it can get its hands on. According to an article in Slate, with the aid of Amazon.com, it also sells collections of Wikipedia articles as its own books. For additional adverse reports, see
⊡ Warning from Bond University Library about "Your Thesis and the Predatory Publisher"
⊡ Blog reporting use of stock photos as pictures of editors
⊡ Same blogger claiming LAP is "a company based in Mauritius and Eastern Europe" rather than Germany, as advertised
Email
  • From: Dyviah Ramnatsing (d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com)
    Sent: Sep 7, 2017 at 5:42 AM
    To: Kaye D
    Re: Kaye D’s work at the Penn State University
    Dear Kaye D,
    I am Dyviah Ramnatsing from Lambert Academic Publishing. Your work « KINSHIP MATCHING WITH DNA DATABASES (AKA “FAMILIAL SEARCHING”): LEGAL AND ETHICAL ARGUMENTS » from Penn State University would be of interest to an international audience, and that is why I am writing to you. We know it is not conventional for a publisher to pro-actively reach out to authors, but we are not a conventional publisher. ... We are looking for authors in the field you have researched and your work has caught our interest. We are interested to publish it as a printed book. Let me know how this sounds to you and I can get back to you with a detailed brochure.
    Sincere regards,
    Dyviah Ramnatsing
    Editor, e: d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com
    LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing is managed by: OmniScriptum AraPers GmbH, Bahnhofstraße 28, D-66111 Saarbrücken, Germany
    Managing Directors: Dr. Wolfgang Philipp Müller
    Toufic El Hajji
    Benoit Novel, Amtsgericht Saarbrücken · HRA 18918
  • From: Dyviah Ramnatsing [d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com]
    Sent: September 14, 2017, 6:09:35 AM EDT
    Re: Inquiry regarding Kaye D’s work at the Penn State University
    Dear Kaye D,
    I wanted to confirm if you received my previous email about the free-of-charge publishing of your work « KINSHIP MATCHING WITH DNA DATABASES (AKA “FAMILIAL SEARCHING”): LEGAL AND ETHICAL ARGUMENTS » [an obscure 2011 talk that never was reduced to writing]. Just in case you need additional information to decide – here is an overview of what we do and who our authors are - http://brochure.omniscriptum.com/info-lap/0537275001445433253. Please give me a short feedback if you are interested in getting your work published. We would surely be sad to see your work's full potential go un-explored, and you would give us a hard time finding something similar in your field of research, so please take a moment to consider before blindly saying no. Thank you in advance!
    Sincere regards,
    Dyviah Ramnatsing
    Editor
  • From: Dyviah Ramnatsing [d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com]
    Sent: Oct 7 at 6:08 AM
    Dear Kaye D,
    I hope you are doing well! I wanted to ask if you had a look at our brochure? If you have some questions (and I am sure you do because publishing your work is a major achievement), let me know if we can arrange a phone call to discuss further. If publishing your work is not interesting for you, just drop me a short reply.
    Sincere regards,
    Dyviah Ramnatsing
    Editor
    LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing is managed by: OmniScriptum AraPers GmbH, Haroldstraße 14, D-40217 Düsseldorf, Germany, Managing Directors: Dr. Wolfgang Philipp Müller, Toufic El Hajji, Benoit Nove
  • From: Tatiana Melnic [mailto:t.melnic@lap-publishing.com]
    Date: Monday, November 6, 2017 7:10 AM
    Subject: Publication of your book based on "Deadly statistics: quantifying an ‘unacceptable risk’ in capital punishment"
    I am Tatiana Melnic from OmniScriptum Publishing Group. We would be interested to publish a printed book based on your research entitled "Deadly statistics: quantifying an ‘unacceptable risk’ in capital punishment". In brief, OmniScriptum is dedicated to scientific works written in English. Our books are distributed worldwide through well known shops such as Amazon, Morebooks, Barnes & Nobles. In addition, we bear all costs related to the production, marketing and distribution of our books. David H. Kaye, would you agree to receive more information? I am looking forward to your reply.
    Sincere regards,
    Tatiana Melnic
    Editor, e: t.melnic@lap-publishing.com
  • From: Tatiana Melnic [mailto:t.melnic@lap-publishing.com]
    Date: Monday, November 13, 2017 9:36 AM
    Subject: "Deadly statistics: quantifying an ‘unacceptable risk’ in capital punishment"
    One week ago I sent you an email regarding the free-of-charge publication of your work. Are you interested in pursuing this opportunity? The topic of your research is of current interest to us and we will be glad to consider publishing it in book format. For more details about our Publishing House, feel free to access our website, Facebook page and the following e-brochure: http://brochure.omniscriptum.com/info-lap/0537275001445433253
    Thank you!
    Sincere regards,
    Tatiana Melnic
    Editor
    e: t.melnic@lap-publishing.com
    LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, is managed by: OmniScriptum AraPers GmbH, Haroldstraße 14, D-40217 Düsseldorf, Germany Managing Directors: Dr. Wolfgang Philipp Müller, Toufic El Hajji, Benoit Novel Amtsgericht Düsseldorf · HRB 81623
  • From: Dyviah Ramnatsing [d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com]
    Date: Tue 9/18/2018 6:29 AM
    Subject: David Kaye’s work at the Arizona State University
    I am Dyviah Ramnatsing from Lambert Academic Publishing. Our attention has been caught by your research «Forensic Statistics: Intelligence, Evidence, and Law». We would be interested in publications on this topic with you. In case you have other unpublished research works (thesis, monograph) in this field, would you be interested to publish it with us?
    Here is what we offer you: - free of charge publishing - simplified and fast publishing process - worldwide sales of your work - no commitments - you and only you remain the copyright holder of your work - access to eco-friendly Print-on-Demand technology
    Would you agree to receive more information?
    I am looking forward to your reply.
    Sincere regards,
    Dyviah Ramnatsing
    Editor
    e: d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com
    LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing is in cooperation with: MoreBooks! Marketing SRL, Balti, 4 Industriala street, Moldova, Europe Management: Ina Bordeainu, Registration No. 1011602004108
  • From: Dyviah Ramnatsing [d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com]
    Date: Tue 9/25/2018 9:24 AM
    Subject: Inquiry regarding David Kaye’s work at the Arizona State University
    I wanted to confirm if you received my previous email about the free-of-charge publishing of your work « Forensic Statistics: Intelligence, Evidence, and Law »? Just in case you need additional information to decide – here is an overview of what we do and who our authors are - http://brochure.omniscriptum.com/info-lap/0537275001445433253
    Please give me a short feedback if you are interested in getting your work published. We would surely be sad to see your work's full potential go un-explored, and you would give us a hard time finding something similar in your field of research, so please take a moment to consider before blindly saying no.
    Thank you in advance!
    Sincere regards,
    Dyviah Ramnatsing
    Editor
    e: d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing is in cooperation with: MoreBooks! Marketing SRL Balti, 4 Industriala street, Moldova, Europe Management: Ina Bordeainu Registration No. 1011602004108
  • From: Dyviah Ramnatsing [d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com]
    Date: Thu 10/18/2018 9:57 AM
    Subject: Publishing inquiry for David Kaye’s work - Phone Call Appointment
    I hope you are doing well!
    I wanted to ask if you had a look at our brochure? If you have some questions (and I am sure you do because publishing your work is a major achievement), let me know if we can arrange a phone call to discuss further.
    If publishing your work is not interesting for you, just drop me a short reply.
    Sincere regards,
    Dyviah Ramnatsing
    Editor
    e: d.ramnatsing@lap-publishing.com LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing is in cooperation with: MoreBooks! Marketing SRL Balti, 4 Industriala street, Moldova, Europe Management: Ina Bordeainu Registration No. 1011602004108

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Cambridge Scholars Publishing's putative link to Cambridge is that it was "Founded by former lecturers and researchers from the University of Cambridge." According to the website's description of the 67 advisory board members (9/2/17), exactly one has a current or former connection to the University of Cambridge. (Terri Apter is a Fellow Emerita of Newman College.) The mailing address is in Newcastle. [UPDATE (10/13/18): An email of 12 October 2018 notes that "we remain proud of our roots, and maintain a representative office in Cambridge, the city of our foundation."]

The website states that "We ... do not require any fees be paid to us for publication purposes." Hence, characterizing the business as predatory -- it was on Beall's list of possible predators -- would seem extreme. The quality of the books is debated at Political Science Rumors. A few respondents comment (mostly adversely) on what they have read.

The journals do not look stellar. No editorial boards are listed, although the "editorial advisors" may serve that function. "The International Journal of American Studies is a peer reviewed journal to be launched in spring/summer 2013 ... All manuscripts should be sent electronically to: Irakli Tskhvediani (iraklitskhvediani@yahoo.com; jdpag2012@yahoo.com) by the 30th of April, 2013." The journal is said to be "supported by" the US Embassy in Georgia.This seems to mean that "In 2012 US Department of State and Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, granted him a Federal Assistance Award to set up the publication of a peer-reviewed journal of American Studies." Five years later, the journal is still "awaiting book cover" and has no content.

Addendum (9/30/18) in Defense of Cambridge Scholars

In August 2018, I received an email maintaining that CSP's "presence in your ‘flaky journals’ list seems unwarranted." It came from John Peters, who stated that he was "doing some advisory work with Cambridge Scholars Publishing." I offered Mr. Peters the opportunity to present his views in "a guest posting ... providing further information on the publisher and fully disclosing your relationship to Cambridge Scholars." He submitted the following "comment on behalf of Cambridge Scholars Publishing":
Dear all
    I act as an advisor to Cambridge Scholars Publishing (CSP), and Professor Kaye has kindly invited me to post some information on the publisher. I have spent many years in publishing and on the fringes of academia (mostly with visiting posts); I spent 10 years as Director, then CEO, of Emerald Publishing in the UK; founded GSE Research and acquired Greenleaf Publishing (sustainability and responsible business books and journals), which we sold to Taylor & Francis/Routledge in 2017. I am still associated with T&F, and hold a few other consulting/advisory posts, including CSP, who I first met several years ago. I’m fortunate enough to be able to choose my clients, and not to work for people I don’t care for.
    A couple of preliminary points. Firstly I deeply, deeply dislike predatory journal publishers. They are thieves and con-artists. I am wholly in favour of exposing predatory academic journals which solicit money from academics to publish ‘open access’. My friends at Cabells have done some sterling work there, picking up Jeffrey Beall’s baton, in addition to the good work done by this and other blog sites.
    Secondly, debate is good, and debate about quality, impact, inclusion, diversity etc is vital. So please read this in the spirit in which it is intended; not to shut down debate, but to encourage it.
    Much of the discussion on here is about outbound solicitation of authors to publish books. Of course, all publishers ‘commission’ (that’s what Commissioning Editors do) but that tends to be done very selectively, ie publishers talk to people they have heard of, or who they meet at conferences, or – particularly - who have sold well in the past. CSP’s commissioning works quite differently, and I will try to explain why, and how.
    A few words on the CSP business model. There are no charges to publish. There is no requirement on authors for a buy-back in return for publication. Royalties are accrued to the author from the first sale of a title. Decisions to publish are not taken on likely sales or profitability (which is unusual in a commercial publisher). The commercial risk to publish rests entirely with CSP. Some titles succeed, some do not, but the business model is predicated on the portfolio succeeding in aggregate.
    This is interesting, and quite liberating, in terms of publishing philosophy. From a publisher’s point of view (as opposed to an academic’s) ‘quality’ in a title is a proxy for likely commercial success. Publishers like to pick winners. That means they tend to navigate away from marginal interest, unheralded authors and second-tier institutions. CSP’s approach reverses that, because it isn’t predicated on a few big-sellers carrying the portfolio, but on enough titles selling enough copies to make the thing work as a whole. That means an author who is very niche is as welcome (more or less) as one who is mainstream; an author from Latvia or Laos as welcome as one from USA or UK. Which is why CSP talk about an ‘ecology of knowledge’ – the stirring-in of a diversity of material, ideas and people.
    A business model like CSP’s allows for the net to be cast wider, which means that solicitation moves away from pre-selection of ‘winners’. It isn’t reliant on a few big-sellers to drag the rest over the line. CSP’s invitations to publish are generally drawn from a combination of repeat and referred authors, plus desk research into who is researching or has previously published. All mailers have a clear unsubscribe/opt-out option.
    And regarding some of the comments about ‘robots’ or ‘spam-bots’, I can assure you that the people on the end of the mailers are real people, who will reply cheerfully and politely if you contact them; will generally be upset if you are rude, abusive or obscene (yes, sadly, that does occasionally happen); and will take you off a mail-list if you ask them to.
    Many people in both publishing and research think the traditional system is not completely fit for purpose. There are any number of innovative models, from Faculty of 1000 in London to Social Science Research Network (now part of Reed Elsevier) in New York State, to self-publication with Lulu.com. CSP publish hardback books and ebooks with a relatively short turnaround time, by asking lots of people, both likely and unlikely, to submit proposals, and publishing many (though not all) of proposals received, at their own commercial risk.
    I welcome those innovations. We need, in my view, to encourage different voices in the corpus of knowledge. The status quo should be challenged. We also should, I believe, encourage smaller, independent, non-traditional publishers who operate outside the confines of multinational industries and giant corporations. Bio-diversity works better than mono-culture in most spheres of life, and that includes scholarly research and publishing. There is room for all sorts.
    Finally, the name. Cambridge Scholars Publishing were founded in 2002 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, in Cambridge. The business relocated to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northern England, when the then Managing Director took a faculty post at the University of Durham. The current CSP operates from a converted early 1900s public library in quite a deprived area, Walker, in Newcastle, where employment, and particularly ‘knowledge work’ is not easy to find. They also maintain a contact address in Cambridge, with a view to, at some stage, opening an editorial office there. CSP have opened representative offices in Berlin, Barcelona and are about to do so in Hangzhou, China. There is no association, official or otherwise, made or implied with the University of Cambridge or Cambridge University Press.
    Thanks for reading. True to my comments about debate and discourse I should probably offer the opportunity to contact me directly with questions or comments, so please feel free to do so: jvpeters@btconnect.com.
In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that Mr. Peters is paid for his advice to CSP and posted -- anonymously (8/8/18) -- a comment expressing puzzlement over the criticism of CSP. The comments submitted to this blog range from praise for CSP, to skepticism, to harsh criticism. Only a few seem to be based on experience with CSP. Click on "comments" at the bottom of the page to see them.


Email

Soliciting for Almost Anything
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Sent: June 10, 2019, at 12:13 PM
    Subject: INVITATION TO SUBMIT A BOOK PROPOSAL, AND A SPECIAL CALL FOR OUR NEW CHINA BELT AND ROAD BOOK SERIES
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now inviting book proposals in all our academic and scholarly research fields. We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal for a book or edited collection.
    With more than 800 titles due to publish this year, and sales in more than 120 countries worldwide, Cambridge Scholars Publishing is one of the world’s leading scholarly publishers. We publish in all major fields of academic research and practice, in Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Health Sciences. Our latest Newsletter has lots of information about Cambridge Scholars, including our home base at the Lady Stephenson Library, how we commission and select our titles, our unique ‘Print on Time’ system, and the chance to meet some of our publishing team.
    In addition to this call for proposals, we are pleased to announce a special call for proposals on any topics associated with China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. The ‘Belt and Road’ initiative (yi dai yi lu, “One Belt One Road”) is a ‘21st century Silk Road’, connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, and reaching to Latin America, championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. It is expected to exceed $1 trillion in construction and contracts alone, though it consists of much more than construction.
    The Belt and Road Book Series will be the first dedicated book series outside Asia to focus on this initiative. Its scope includes, but is not limited to ... .
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing aims to put our authors first in everything we do. We offer a fast, fair and friendly proposal review. Our titles are all published in handsome hardback, as well as eBook formats. We distribute worldwide via our international network of booksellers including Amazon, Ebsco/GOBI, ProQuest and Ingram. A title published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing is never out of stock or unavailable, thanks to our unique Print on Time global distribution system. We offer an escalating royalty payment—the more we sell, the higher the royalty rate, from the first copy sold. We make no charge for publication.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing was founded in 2001 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, and relocated to the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle upon Tyne a few years later. Though not connected to Cambridge University in any way, we remain proud of our roots, and maintain a representative office in Cambridge, the city of our foundation, as well as regional representative offices in Barcelona, Berlin, and Hangzhou, China. ...
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor ...
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publishes in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; and Hangzhou, China. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727
Soliciting in Decision Science
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Sent: Aug 31, 2017, at 9:03 AM
    Subject: Decision Science Books
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    Firstly, please excuse this unsolicited email. I’m sure that like me you receive too many as it is and so I’ll keep it brief. I was recently appointed as Commissioning Researcher for Cambridge Scholars Publishing (see below) with a brief to expand the subject areas in which we publish books. As such I am in the process of developing collections within the decision sciences. As I believe you already have some experience of academic and scientific writing, I wondered whether you would consider us as your publisher should you decide to put ‘pen to paper’ and write a book at some point in the future?
    We are also developing Editorial Advisory Groups to help ensure that we only publish high quality texts. If this is something that you would like to learn more about, please do let me know.
    As I promised, I have kept this message short, but would be delighted to talk or correspond more if you feel you would like to explore possibilities.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Researcher
    About Cambridge Scholars Publishing:
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing (CSP) is an independent academic publisher, founded in 2001 by former lecturers and researchers from the University of Cambridge who felt existing publishing companies took too long to publish academic books, monographs, conference proceedings and textbooks.
    CSP has its own printing facility, now publishes 750+ titles each year in both electronic and print formats and is committed to providing a forward-thinking publishing service that champions original thinking, whilst ensuring we put our authors at the heart of everything we do. Our back list catalogue contains approximately 7,500 titles.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727
    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this message do not necessarily represent those of Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd. The contents of this message are intended for the addressee only. They are confidential and may contain private information. Cambridge Scholars Publishing is not responsible for any damages resulting from the unauthorised use, forwarding or disclosure of this message, and will not be held liable for damages or loss caused by any viruses.
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens=cambridgescholars.com@mmail1.co.uk]; on behalf of; Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Wed 3/28/2018 9:36 AM (and at 9:51 AM)
    Subject: Publishing Enquiry - Decision Sciences
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are pleased to invite you to consider submitting a proposal to publish a monograph or edited collection in the area of Decision Sciences. As part of our wider expansion as a publisher, we are now accepting book proposals in the categories of Life Sciences, Health Sciences and Physical Sciences, as well as our traditional base in Humanities and Social Sciences.
    We offer:
    • Fast, fair and friendly proposal review.
    • A handsome hardback printed book, as well as eBook formats.
    • Worldwide distribution via our international network of booksellers including Amazon, Blackwell, Baker & Taylor, YBP and Ingram.
    • Our titles are always in stock, with our unique, in-house Print on Time global distribution system.
    • An escalating royalty payment from the first copy sold – the more we sell, the higher the royalty rate.
    • We never charge a fee for publication.
    We work hard to give our authors a great publishing experience. We know we succeed most of the time because our authors tell us so, and because, in many cases, we have authors who have written two, three or more titles with us. But here are some things you may not know about us:
    • Our books have been endorsed by Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney and “The world’s leading public intellectual” Professor Noam Chomsky of MIT, amongst many others.
    • We are always pleased to hear from first-time authors, but nearly 60 per cent of our monograph authors are full professors or associate professors.
    • In the past few years, we have published authors from 110 different countries. About 33% of our authors are based in the USA and the UK.
    • We are advised and guided by more than 1400 advisory board members across more than 250 different disciplines.
    You can find lots of information on our website ... where you can download a Book Proposal Form and review our Author Promises. Alternatively, contact me and I will be pleased to send a proposal form to you.. And we are always glad to add to our Editorial Advisory Board network across our publishing fields, including Decision Sciences. If this is something that you would like to learn more about, or apply to join, please do let me know. You can also find more details regarding this on our website.
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    ... Email: adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com, Social Media: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Blog
    About Cambridge Scholars Publishing (www.cambridgescholars.com): Cambridge Scholars Publishing (CSP) is an independent academic publisher, founded in 2001 by former lecturers and researchers from the University of Cambridge who felt existing publishing companies took too long to publish academic books, monographs, conference proceedings and textbooks. CSP has its own printing facility, now publishes 750+ titles each year in both electronic and print formats and is committed to providing a forward-thinking publishing service that champions original thinking, whilst ensuring we put our authors at the heart of everything we do. Our back list catalogue contains approximately 7,500 titles.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing - Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727 Registered Address: Lady Stephenson Library, Welbeck Road, NE6 2PA
Soliciting in Life Sciences, Health Sciences and Physical Sciences
  • Sent: Feb 27, 2018, at 8:52 AM
    From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Subject: Further expansion for Cambridge Scholars
    Dear Dr. Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now accepting book proposals in the categories of Life Sciences, Health Sciences and Physical Sciences, as well as our traditional base in Humanities and Social Sciences. This is part of our wider expansion as a publisher, which includes the recruitment of subject-based Editorial Advisory Boards, and the opening of new representative offices in Berlin and Barcelona, to add to our UK operational offices.
    We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal to publish a monograph or edited collection in the area of Decision Sciences.
    We offer a fair, friendly and fast proposal review. ,,,
    You can find lots of information on our website ... . Alternatively, contact me directly ... .
    We are also developing Editorial Advisory Boards across our publishing fields, including Decision Sciences. If this is something that you would like to learn more about, or apply to join, please do let me know. You can find more details regarding this on our website.
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    Email: adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com, Cambridge Scholars Publishing - Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727 Registered Address: Lady Stephenson Library, Welbeck Road, NE6 2PA
Soliciting in Social Sciences and Humanities
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens=cambridgescholars.com@mmail1.co.uk]; on behalf of; Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Wed 6/13/2018 11:18 AM
    Subject: Invitation to submit a book proposal in Social Sciences and Humanities
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now accepting book proposals in Social Sciences and Humanities. To help guide our work, we have established more than 90 subject-based Editorial Advisory Boards in Social Sciences ... . We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal to publish a monograph or edited collection. ... We work hard to give our authors a great publishing experience. We know we succeed most of the time because our authors tell us so ... .
    With over 7,500 publications, we are always adding new titles to the field of Social Sciences. ... [W]e are currently offering a time limited discount of 35% on all of our titles, which will expire at the end of June. ... I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publishes in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany, and Barcelona, Spain. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727 ... Registered Address: Lady Stephenson Library, Welbeck Road, NE6 2PA
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens=cambridgescholars.com@mmail1.co.uk]; on behalf of; Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Mon 7/30/2018 9:15 AM (and again 11:17 AM)
    Subject: Invitation to submit a book proposal in Social Sciences and Humanities
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now inviting book proposals in Social Sciences and Humanities.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing dates from 2001, when a group of graduates from Cambridge University decided to come together to start a publishing firm, intending to offer a different type of publication opportunity to a wide range of scholars, not just those from elite institutions. Over the years, we have grown and expanded, resulting in the restoration of our operational HQ, the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle.
    This year, we opened regional representative offices in Barcelona and Berlin, and we will soon be opening our first offices in Asia, based at the historic Zhejiang Gongshang University in Hangzhou, China.
    We would like to invite you to consider submitting a proposal to publish a monograph or edited collection. ... We offer a fast, fair and friendly proposal review. ... .
    To help guide our work, we have established over 100 subject-based Editorial Advisory Boards in Social Sciences and Humanities ... .
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor ...
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Oct 12, 2018, at 12:15 PM, Nov. 29, 2018, at 8:45 AM
    Subject: Invitation to submit a book proposal
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now accepting book proposals in Humanities and Social Sciences, and we would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal to publish a monograph or edited collection.
    With more than 750 titles due to be released this year, and sales in more than 120 countries worldwide, Cambridge Scholars Publishing is one of the world’s leading academic publishers. We publish in all major fields of scholarly research and practice, namely Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Health Sciences. You can find more information on our website ... .
    We put our authors first in everything we do. We offer a fast, fair and friendly proposal review, and we aim to use this as part of the process to encourage and improve. Our titles are all published in handsome hardback, as well as eBook formats. We distribute worldwide via our international network of booksellers including Amazon, Blackwell, Baker & Taylor, YBP and Ingram. A title published with Cambridge Scholars Publishing will never be out of stock, with our unique Print on Time global distribution system. We offer an escalating royalty payment—the more we sell, the higher the royalty rate, from the first copy sold. We make no charge for publication.
    To help guide our work, we have established more than 100 advisory boards in Social Sciences, and more than 300 Advisory Boards across all our areas of publication. We are always pleased to consider additions to our Editorial Advisory Boards. If you would like to learn more, or apply to join one, please let me know.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing was founded in 2001 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, and relocated to the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle upon Tyne a few years later.
    Though not connected to Cambridge University in any way, we remain proud of our roots, and maintain a representative office in Cambridge, the city of our foundation. This year, we also opened regional representative offices in Barcelona, Berlin, and Hangzhou, China.
    Please visit our website, where you can download a Book Proposal Form, and find out more information about our Advisory Boards.
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publishes in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany, and Barcelona, Spain. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2019, 11:33:04 AM EDT
    Subject: INVITATION TO SUBMIT A BOOK PROPOSAL
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now accepting book proposals in Humanities and Social Sciences, and we would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal to publish a book or edited collection.
    With more than 800 titles due to publish this year, and sales in more than 120 countries worldwide, Cambridge Scholars Publishing is one of the world’s leading scholarly publishers. We publish in all major fields of academic research and practice, namely Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Health Sciences. Our latest Newsletter has lots of information about Cambridge Scholars, including our home base at the Lady Stephenson Library, how we commission and select our titles, our unique ‘Print on Time’ system, and the chance to meet some of our publishing team.
    We put our authors first in everything we do. Cambridge Scholars Publishing offer a fast, fair, and friendly proposal review. Our titles are all published in handsome hardback, as well as eBook formats. We distribute worldwide via our international network of booksellers including Amazon, Ebsco/GOBI, ProQuest and Ingram. A title published with Cambridge Scholars Publishing will never be out of stock or unavailable, thanks to our unique Print on Time global distribution system. We offer an escalating royalty payment—the more we sell, the higher the royalty rate, from the first copy sold. We make no charge for publication.
    To help guide our work, we have established more than 450 Advisory Boards across all our areas of publication. We are always pleased to consider additions to our Editorial Advisory Boards. If you would like to learn more, or apply to join one, please let me know.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing was founded in 2001 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, and relocated to the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle upon Tyne a few years later.
    Though not connected to Cambridge University in any way, we remain proud of our roots, and maintain a representative office in Cambridge, the city of our foundation. This year, we also opened regional representative offices in Barcelona, Berlin, and Hangzhou, China. ...
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor ...
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publishes in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; and Hangzhou, China. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727 Cambridge Scholars Publishing - Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727 Registered Address: Lady Stephenson Library, Welbeck Road, NE6 2PA
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Oct 5 at 6:11 PM ET
    Subject: Invitation to submit a book proposal
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now inviting book proposals to add to our Humanities and Social Sciences portfolio. We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal for a book or edited collection. ... With more than 800 titles being released this year, and sales in more than 120 countries worldwide, Cambridge Scholars Publishing are one of the world’s leading scholarly publishers. ...
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing aim to put our authors first in everything we do. We promise: ... If you would be interested in being considered to join one of ou Editorial Advisory Boards in Humanities and Social Sciences, you can find more details, and an application form, here. I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor ...
Soliciting in Social Sciences
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Feb. 15, 2019, 4:26:11 PM EST
    Subject: Invitation to submit a book proposal in Social Sciences
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now accepting book proposals in the field of Social Sciences. In 2018, we published more than 700 new titles—the most in our history. We established vibrant new portfolios in Life, Physical and Health Sciences, and continued to develop our established Humanities and Social Sciences portfolio, guided by more than 450 subject-based Editorial Advisory Boards.
    We hope you will consider publishing a monograph or edited collection with us. ... We work hard to give our authors a great publishing experience. We know we succeed most of the time because our authors tell us so, and because, in many cases, we have authors who have published two, three or more titles with us. We promise our authors:
    A fast, fair and friendly proposal review;
    Worldwide distribution to libraries and academics via our international network of booksellers including Amazon, Blackwell, GOBI/Ebsco, Proquest and Ingram—we sell in more than 120 countries worldwide;
    Publication in handsome hardback, as well as eBook formats;
    An escalating royalty payment—the more titles we sell, the higher the royalty rate, with royalties earned from the first copy sold;
    Print copies never out of stock, with our unique Print on Time global distribution system;
    Each title treated on its merits, and we specialise in interesting and niche research areas;
    No publication charges.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing was founded in 2001 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, and relocated to the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle upon Tyne a few years later. Though not connected to Cambridge University in any way, we remain proud of our roots, and maintain an address in Cambridge, the city of our foundation. Last year, we also opened regional representative offices in Barcelona, Berlin, and Hangzhou, China.
    Please visit our website ... I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publishes in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany, and Barcelona, Spain. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727
Soliciting in Library and Information Science
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Wed 4 Sept 2019 7:17 PM and Sat 7 Sept 2019 11:54 AM
    Subject: INVITATION TO SUBMIT A BOOK PROPOSAL
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now inviting book proposals to add to our Humanities and Social Sciences portfolio. We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal for a book or edited collection. To do so, please click here.
    With more than 800 titles due to publish this year, and sales in more than 120 countries worldwide, Cambridge Scholars Publishing is one of the world’s leading scholarly publishers. We publish in all major fields of academic research and practice, in Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Health Sciences. Our latest Newsletter features the in-depth story behind one of our books; the fascinating history of Sir William Haskell Stephenson, who commissioned our historic library head offices, and Lady Eliza Bond Stephenson, the inspiration behind the building (with a side excursion to James Bond, via the Dewey Decimal System!); plus the chance to meet two more of our publishing team.
    To celebrate our focus on libraries, we are pleased to announce a special call for proposals on any topics associated with Library and Information Science (LIS).
    Information is increasingly abundant in today’s environment. However, with this abundance comes increasing difficulty to distinguish the real from the fake, opinion from fact, and truth from propaganda. This makes the role of the custodian and curator of information increasingly vital.
    We would like to invite: Proposals for monographs on any issue related to LIS, including adapted PhD theses; Proposals for edited collections, including collections deriving from conference proceedings;
    Proposals for chapters.
    In addition, we are delighted to announce the launch of a specialist Editorial Advisory Board devoted to LIS, and would like to invite applications to this.
    To propose a book or edited collection in Library and Information Science, please click here ... . To propose or submit a chapter, please reply to this message with a chapter abstract; To apply to join the new LIS Advisory Board, please click here ... .
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing aims to put our authors first in everything we do. We offer a fast, fair and friendly proposal review. Our titles are all published in handsome hardback, as well as eBook formats. We distribute worldwide via our international network of booksellers including Amazon, Ebsco/GOBI, ProQuest and Ingram. A title published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing is never out of stock or unavailable, thanks to our unique Print on Time global distribution system. We offer an escalating royalty payment—the more we sell, the higher the royalty rate, from the first copy sold. We make no charge for publication.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing was founded in 2001 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, and relocated to the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle upon Tyne a few years later.
    Though not connected to Cambridge University in any way, we remain proud of our roots, and maintain a representative office in Cambridge, the city of our foundation, as well as regional representative offices in Barcelona, Berlin, and Hangzhou, China.
    To submit a proposal, please follow the links above. Alternatively, reply to this email, and I can tell you more about what we do. I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publishes in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany, and Barcelona, Spain. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd is registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727
Soliciting in Business, Management, Economics and Finance
  • From: Adam Rummens [adam.rummens@cambridgescholars.com]
    Date: Nov 13, 2019, at 6:38 AM
    Subject: Invitation to submit a book proposal (plus a special call)
    Dear Dr Kaye,
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing are now inviting book proposals in the Humanities and Social Sciences. We would be pleased if you would consider submitting a proposal for a book or edited collection. We are delighted to continue to support long-form research dissemination in the Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as our other fields of academic and scholarly publishing, through the publication of monographs and edited collections. This is, and will remain, our core focus in the years ahead.
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing have grown to be one of the world’s leading scholarly book publishers. We produce books in all major fields of academic research and practice, in Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Health Sciences. Our latest Newsletter features the in-depth story behind one of our books; the fascinating history of Sir William Haskell Stephenson, who commissioned our historic library head offices, and Lady Eliza Bond Stephenson, the inspiration behind the building (with a side excursion to James Bond, via the Dewey Decimal System); plus the chance to meet two more of our publishing team.
    In addition to this Humanities and Social Sciences call, we are pleased to announce a special call for proposals on any topics in the field of Business, Management, Economics and Finance. Every kind of organisation benefits from good leadership and management – from businesses to charities; from schools to governments; and from research labs to performing arts centres. In recent months, many of our authors and Editorial Advisors have suggested that we develop a focused imprint of books in Business, Management, Economics and Finance (BMEF). This is one of the fastest-growing and most vibrant areas of global research and education, with an estimated 13,000 business schools worldwide. We will always listen carefully to ideas from our author and advisor community.
    Look out for more initiatives like this in 2020, our 20th year in publishing. ← Thanks for the warning.
    Linked to the call for proposals in BMEF, we will also be pleased to review applications to be an Editorial Advisor in fields associated with these disciplines. You can see information about our Advisory Boards here. ...
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing aim to put our authors at the heart of everything we do. ... Cambridge Scholars Publishing were founded in 2001 by University of Cambridge alumni and faculty, and relocated to the historic Lady Stephenson Library in Newcastle upon Tyne a few years later. Though not connected to Cambridge University in any way, we remain proud of our roots, and maintain a representative office in Cambridge ...
    To submit a scholarly book proposal in the Humanities and Social Sciences, or a proposal to the new Business, Management, Economics and Finance collection, please visit our website, ... . Alternatively, you can reply to this email for more information. I look forward to hearing from you.
    Kind regards,
    Adam Rummens
    Commissioning Editor
    Cambridge Scholars Publishing publish in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. Established in 2001, our operational headquarters are in the historic Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, with representative offices in Berlin, Germany; Barcelona, Spain; and Hangzhou, China. We maintain an office in the city of our foundation, Cambridge, UK. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd are registered in England. Reg. No: 4333775; VAT No: 108280727

Friday, September 1, 2017

Are Drug Companies Supporting Predatory Journals and Conferences?

An article in Bloomberg Businessweek,,August 29, 2017, and reprinted in the September 4, 2017, issue of Bloomberg BNA’s Expert Evidence Report (a resource for lawyers) includes a detailed exposé of the pharmaceutical industry’s participation in flaky medical journals and conferences. It focuses on OMICS International, which threatened a librarian who called it “predatory,” with a billion dollar lawsuit. (An example of the articles OMICS publishes is here.) Excerpts from the BNA report follow, but the article is worth reading in full.
... Omics [claims] 1,000 open-access journal titles that post 50,000 articles annually in fields including medicine, technology, and engineering. It has also built a robust conference division that will hold about 3,000 events worldwide this year. ... Professors and researchers have identified [its CEO and founder, Srinubabu] Gedela as the progenitor of a fraudulent empire that's eroding public trust in scientific inquiry. He denies it all, continuing to extend his global reach from Hyderabad. And he has received help from an unexpected source: the pharmaceutical industry, which regularly publishes in the company's journals and attends its conferences, bringing Omics both credibility and the funds to grow.

... The National Institutes of Health ... banned Omic's journals from indexing in PubMed Central, one of the world's primary databases for medical research, given “serious concerns” about its practices. In 2013, HHS accused Omics of trademark infringement and using the names of employees at the NIH and PubMed Central “in an erroneous and/or misleading manner.” ...
According to financial documents filed with the Indian government, Omics's fiscal 2016 revenue was $11.6 million and profit about $1.2 million. ...

The online journals featured on the Omics home page are rife with grammar glitches and low-resolution headshots. Despite such obvious red flags, Bloomberg Businessweek found that researchers at major pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, and Merck, submit to Omics journals and participate in their conferences. Pfizer, the biggest U.S. drugmaker, has published at least 23 articles since 2011, including two since the FTC's lawsuit [accusing OMICS of fraud].

Pfizer wouldn't respond to study-specific questions and declined interview requests. “Our priority is to publish Pfizer-sponsored clinical research in a transparent, accurate, and fair manner,” spokesman Steven Danehy wrote in an email. “We are concerned by the allegations brought forward by the FTC and await the outcome of the investigation.”

AstraZeneca Plc, the second-biggest drugmaker in the U.S., has published at least five articles in Omics journals since 2011 ... When contacted by Bloomberg Businessweek, spokeswoman Abigail Bozarth said AstraZeneca has asked staff to no longer publish in “identified predatory journals,” yet declined to say when that policy change was made. ...

Drugmakers have fueled Omics's rise by also sponsoring and attending conferences, which Gedela says generate 60 percent of Omics's revenue. In a meeting room at the company, photographs taken at conferences, beginning in 2010, show the names of Novartis, Axis Clinicals, and Agilent Technologies as sponsors on screens behind speakers. Drugmaker employees often lead workshops at the events ... Agilent, Axis, and Merck didn't respond to requests for comment. Eli Lilly declined to discuss its involvement with the conferences. Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff declined to comment specifically on Omics, saying his company reviews quality of agenda and “legitimacy of the organization” when conferences seek its sponsorship. GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne says the company allows authors to pick their own journals, though in-house experts suggest reputable publications when asked. Omics conferences “were not on our radar as problematic,” she says, adding: “It's not always easy to spot questionable outlets. Staff training in this area is ongoing.”
Any claim that it is not easy to spot OMICS conferences as “problematic” is preposterous. Five minutes of Googling would do it. Any suggestion that these companies need to await the outcome of an FTC complaint to determine that OMICS (or other publications) are not appropriate venues for publishing their research is silly. The websites of (and the spam from) many of these journals give lip service to peer review and quality editing, but they are filled with obvious warning signs that belie these protestations.

Of course, big pharma is hardly the only source of revenue for OMICS, BIT Group Global, and the flotilla of other flaky publishers and conference organizers. Universities need policies that discourage their faculty from padding CVs with membership on the editorial boards of certain journals; from resorting to publishing in these journals; and from dallying in Dalian.