====== 🧾 Critical Review — Folia Biologica (Prague) ======

**Journal**: ''Folia Biologica''  
**Publisher**: First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic)  
**ISSN**: 0015-5500  
**Access**: Open Access (CC-BY)  
**Founded**: ~1955  
**Website**: [[https://foliabiologica.lf1.cuni.cz|foliabiologica.lf1.cuni.cz]]

===== 📚 Indexing & Visibility =====

  * Indexed in: Web of Science (SCIE), Scopus, PubMed/MedLine, EMBASE, DOAJ
  * Estimated h-index: ~36–38
  * Recognized in biomedical research and academic libraries

===== 📈 Impact Metrics =====

^ Metric ^ Value ^ Notes ^
| Clarivate Impact Factor (2023) | 1.1 | According to official site |
| Scopus CiteScore | ~1.4 | Scopus database |
| SJR (2024) | 0.229–0.294 | Places it in Q4 for most categories |
| Quartile Ranking | Q3–Q4 | Varies by subject area |

===== ⏱️ Peer Review & Publication Time =====

  * Time to first decision: **~7 days**
  * Total review process: **~30 days**
  * External peer review claimed, though turnaround speed raises concerns about depth

===== 💶 Article Processing Charges (APC) =====

  * Publication fee: **€500**
  * Considered affordable compared to typical OA journals (€1000–3000)

===== ✅ Strengths =====

  * Long-standing, non-predatory journal
  * Indexed in top biomedical databases
  * Open access under Creative Commons license
  * Rapid peer review and decision process
  * Relatively low publication fees

===== ❌ Limitations =====

  * Modest impact factor and citation profile
  * Low international prestige
  * Speed may compromise rigorous review
  * Past isolated editorial conflict (e.g., retracted paper in 2010 due to authorship dispute)

===== 🧠 Reputation & Community Feedback =====

> "Not predatory, but low impact. Compared to not publishing, yes. But there are many more reputable journals."  
>> — Reddit user on [[https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAcademia/comments/w0qbep/is_this_a_good_journal/|r/AskAcademia]]

===== 🧭 Final Recommendation =====

**Folia Biologica** is a **legitimate and indexed open-access journal** with a long publishing history.  
It is best suited for:
  * Regional studies
  * Niche or exploratory biomedical research
  * Early-career researchers needing rapid, affordable publication

Not recommended if:
  * Targeting high-impact journals
  * Prestige and citations are a priority
  * Journal quartile matters (e.g., for grants or tenure)

**Bottom line**: Solid but modest. Use strategically.