Journals need to be reputable to establish trustworthiness, which is indicated by factors such as an established publisher, reputable editors and editorial board, rigorous peer review and ethics processes, indexing in databases like PubMed and Medline, and the publisher avoiding practices like duplicative publishing. Reputable journals also have clear authorship guidelines to avoid issues like plagiarism, falsification, or undisclosed conflicts of interest that could compromise the integrity of published research. Maintaining high standards for publication helps ensure the quality and reliability of research that is disseminated through academic journals.