> IMO, academics that do this are not very competent, because ...

Where's the cry-laugh emoji when I need it.

Of course academics check where stuff is published. Please...

There are still real journals put there, although you might not know which is which.

Ah, look, another smug sneer that ignores the evidence I presented, and makes another circular argument (i.e. that because academics look at rep, this is justified, even though I provided evidence disputing this).

I know what journals are better / not. But reputation only is helpful in letting you ignore trash journals, once you are out of trash land, rep is just not a very meaningful factor, and you have to focus on methodology and substance.