How to write and publish a scientific paper - Barbara Gastel, Robert A. Day 2022

A word of caution
How to present a paper orally
Conference communications

If you receive an unsolicited invitation to speak at a conference that you have not have heard of, check into the matter carefully rather than automatically accepting. In recent years, what are known as predatory conferences have arisen. These are not valid scientific conferences, but rather scams to take people’s money. The organizers invite prospective attendees, obtain their advance registration fees, and then either hold a conference with little scientific substance or hold no conference at all.

One clue that a conference might be predatory is if you are invited to speak at a conference that is outside your field. Other possible clues include an invitation that emphasizes the beautiful location rather than the conference content, lists fees that are much higher than usual, or has many grammatical errors and misspellings. If you are early in your career, perhaps consult a mentor or senior colleague to help determine whether a conference is valid. Also, online searching can help identify conference organizers that credible sources, such as academic librarians, have deemed questionable.