How Scholar Shield works
Evidence from public registries, scored the same way for every journal.
Journal Trust Rating (JTR)
For any ISSN or journal URL we read, in parallel: the ISSN Portal record (registration, key-title, Keepers archives), the Crossref journal record (DOIs, metadata coverage), DOAJ, OpenAlex (works, citations, h-index) and the journal's homepage (HTTPS, board, policies, licence, fees, red flags). Where Smart Scholars has already audited the journal (121 criteria) or maintains it in DOI Doctor, those results are used too. Each check earns points inside five pillars; the total is the score; the grade follows fixed thresholds. Full methodology and weights: institutions.smartscholars.in/methodology.
What the rating is not
Not an impact factor, not a ranking of article quality, not a statement about a journal's editors. It measures whether a journal is registered, maintained and visible the way indexers require — the things that decide whether your paper will be found, counted and still be there in ten years.
Free and paid
Journal Check, ScholaRef reference checks, publication-live alerts, the compliance planner and your publication record are free. Monthly monitoring of your record, dated certificates for promotion files and saved reports are the Scholar plan; language editing by Rahul Raj A is priced per word on the Services page.
Appeals and corrections
Editors who believe a check is wrong can write to mou@smartscholars.in with the evidence; corrections are applied at the next weekly re-check and logged.
