1
|
Shah WA, Ali R, Lashari A. De-naturalizing the "predatory": A study of "bogus" publications at public sector universities in Pakistan. Account Res 2024; 31:80-99. [PMID: 35878075 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2022.2106424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Predatory publishing has recently emerged as a menace in academia. University professors and researchers often exploit this practice for their economic gains and institutional prestige. The present study investigates such existing predatory publishing practices in Pakistani public sector universities drawing on the notion of symbolic violence. For this purpose, we analyzed 495 articles published by 50 university professors in the social sciences and humanities over the period 2017-2021. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 postgraduate students to gather their perspectives on publishing practices. The study shows that 69% of the sample papers were published in predatory journals, as identified in Pakistan's Higher Education Commission's (HEC) online journal recognition system (HJRS). Postgraduate students' insights inform the study that the students misrecognize these malpractices in academia as a problem what is referred to as "symbolic violence." Consequently, they engage in the process to increase their publications. Such publications enable both the university professors and the students to achieve the desired benefit, such as promotions, tenure, and academic degrees. We recommend that this practice must be altered at the policy level since it not only violates the HEC's standards for quality research but also damages the researchers' credibility and country's scientific reputation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Ali Shah
- Center for Applied Language Studies (CALS), University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Rukhsana Ali
- Center for Applied Language Studies (CALS), University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Al-Ketbi A, Paulo MS, Östlundh L, Elbarazi I, Abu-Hamada B, Elkonaisi I, Al-Rifai RH, Al Aleeli S, Grivna M. School bullying prevention and intervention strategies in the United Arab Emirates: a scoping review. Inj Prev 2024:ip-2023-045039. [PMID: 38514170 DOI: 10.1136/ip-2023-045039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) witnessed an increase of 7% in bullying prevalence since 2005. This review aimed to map antibullying interventions in the UAE. METHODS A systematic search was performed in five electronic databases (EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus and Eric) using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review. Studies addressing antibullying interventions and grey literature in the UAE from 2010 to 2021 were included. Interventions were mapped using distribution across key sectors, public health practice levels, and organisation types. RESULTS Of the 2122 identified papers, only 2 were included. Both articles were published in 2019 and used qualitative methods. From the search of governmental and non-governmental websites, 22 multilevel interventions were included and presented on the three levels of public health practice across the different sectors and target stakeholders. Eight interventions were at the federal level, and six were by private stakeholders. The government funded 59% of all interventions. Four interventions addressed cyberbullying, and three used multisectoral collaboration. CONCLUSIONS Although the UAE is building capacity for bullying prevention, we found limited knowledge of antibullying prevention efforts. Further studies are needed to assess current interventions, strategies and policies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfan Al-Ketbi
- Institute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Marilia Silva Paulo
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Center, Comprehensive Research Center, CHRC, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Iffat Elbarazi
- Institute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Bayan Abu-Hamada
- Institute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Ismail Elkonaisi
- Institute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Rami H Al-Rifai
- Institute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Sara Al Aleeli
- College of Education, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE
| | - Michal Grivna
- Institute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine, Praha, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hashish EAA, Alsenany SA, Abdelaliem SMF. Investigating academic nurse researchers' knowledge, experience, and attitude toward predatory journals. J Prof Nurs 2024; 51:1-8. [PMID: 38614666 DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Selecting a journal with an appropriate scope and breadth, well-respected by other scholars in the field, and widely indexed and accessible to readers is an integral part of publishing. Academic publishing has recently seen a significant shift away from traditional print publications and toward open access journals and online publications. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate academic nurse researchers' knowledge, experience, and attitudes regarding predatory journals. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study design was conducted using Predatory Journals Questionnaire to collect the data from academic nurse educators working at X and XX University. RESULTS Almost two-thirds (68.6 %) of participants had previous knowledge of the term "predatory journal." As well as, the majority of academic educators had previous experience as they had used predatory journals before, as by being asked to publish in their journal (84.3 %) or serve on its editorial board (24.3 %), participants were more likely to receive requests to submit an article to a predatory journal (52.9 %) via email, mail, or phone. In addition, academic nurse researchers had a moderate perspective (mean = 3.87 ± 1.06; mean % score = 71.71) toward predatory journals. CONCLUSION Publishing in a predatory journal, whether done knowingly or unknowingly, can harm authors' reputations as academics, their capacity to submit to other journals, and the quality of their work. According to the results of our study, many researchers still lacked a thorough understanding of the predatory journal publishing model, which is a phenomenon that demands an increasing amount of research, despite hearing about the phenomenon of a predatory journal and having previously attended training.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish
- College of Nursing - Jeddah, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Saudi Arabia; Faculty of Nursing, Nursing Administration Department, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Samira Ahmed Alsenany
- Department of Community Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Sally Mohammed Farghaly Abdelaliem
- Department of Nursing Management and Education, College of Nursing, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tomlinson OW. Predatory publishing in medical education: a rapid scoping review. BMC Med Educ 2024; 24:33. [PMID: 38183007 PMCID: PMC10770935 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05024-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic publishing is a cornerstone of scholarly communications, yet is unfortunately open to abuse, having given rise to 'predatory publishers'- groups that employ aggressive marketing tactics, are deficient in methods and ethics, and bypass peer review. Preventing these predatory publishers from infiltrating scholarly activity is of high importance, and students must be trained in this area to increase awareness and reduce use. The scope of this issue in the context of medical students remains unknown, and therefore this sought to examine the breadth of the current literature base. METHODS A rapid scoping review was undertaken, adhering to adapted PRISMA guidelines. Six databases (ASSIA, EBSCO, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) were systematically searched for content related to predatory publishing and medical students. Results were single-screened, facilitated by online reviewing software. Resultant data were narratively described, with common themes identified. RESULTS After searching and screening, five studies were included, representing a total of 1338 students. Two predominant themes- understanding, and utilisation- of predatory publishers was identified. These themes revealed that medical students were broadly unaware of the issue of predatory publishing, and that a small number have already, or would consider, using their services. CONCLUSION There remains a lack of understanding of the threat that predatory publishers pose amongst medical students. Future research and education in this domain will be required to focus on informing medical students on the issue, and the implication of engaging with predatory publishers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Owen W Tomlinson
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Life Science, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Oermann MH, Waldrop J, Nicoll LH, Peterson GM, Drabish KS, Carter-Templeton H, Owens JK, Moorman T, Webb B, Wrigley J. Research on Predatory Publishing in Health Care: A Scoping Review. Can J Nurs Res 2023; 55:415-424. [PMID: 37138512 DOI: 10.1177/08445621231172621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predatory publishers and their associated journals have been identified as a threat to the integrity of the scientific literature. Research on the phenomenon of predatory publishing in health care remains unquantified. PURPOSE To identify the characteristics of empirical studies on predatory publishing in the health care literature. METHODS A scoping review was done using PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. A total of 4967 articles were initially screened; 77 articles reporting empirical findings were ultimately reviewed. RESULTS The 77 articles were predominantly bibliometric analyses/document analyses (n = 56). The majority were in medicine (n = 31, 40%) or were multidisciplinary (n = 26, 34%); 11 studies were in nursing. Most studies reported that articles published in predatory journals were of lower quality than those published in more reputable journals. In nursing, the research confirmed that articles in predatory journals were being cited in legitimate nursing journals, thereby spreading information that may not be credible through the literature. CONCLUSION The purposes of the evaluated studies were similar: to understand the characteristics and extent of the problem of predatory publishing. Although literature about predatory publishing is abundant, empirical studies in health care are limited. The findings suggest that individual vigilance alone will not be enough to address this problem in the scholarly literature. Institutional policy and technical protections are also necessary to mitigate erosion of the scientific literature in health care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gabriel M Peterson
- School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Jacqueline K Owens
- Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Ashland University, Ashland, OH, USA
| | - Teresa Moorman
- Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Ashland University, Ashland, OH, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Talari K, Ravindran V. Predatory journals: How to recognise and keep clear! J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2023; 53:232-236. [PMID: 37997747 DOI: 10.1177/14782715231215525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vinod Ravindran
- Centre for Rheumatology, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
- Department of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Livas C, Delli K. "Dear Doctor, greetings of the day!": A 1-year observational study of presumed predatory journal invitations. Prog Orthod 2023; 24:21. [PMID: 37394538 DOI: 10.1186/s40510-023-00471-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed at investigating the predatory publishing phenomenon in orthodontics by analyzing the content of unsolicited e-mail invitations received within 12 months. METHODS All electronic invitations for manuscript submission, review and editorial membership received between 1 October 2021 and 30 September 2022 were collected from an orthodontist's inbox. The following data were recorded for each e-mail: date, journal title and origin, requested contribution, e-mail language, relevance to the researcher's discipline, journal characteristics (claimed metrics, editorial services, article types accepted, and publication fees), journal/publisher contact information and online presence. Journal/Publisher legitimacy and publishing standards were evaluated by listing in the Beall's list of potential predatory journals and publishers, the Predatory Reports of Cabell's Scholarly Analytics, and the Directory of Open Access Journals. RESULTS A total of 875 e-mail invitations deriving from 256 journals were retrieved within the observation period, with most of them soliciting article submissions. More than 76% of the solicitations originated from journals and publishers included in the blocklists used in the study. Salient features of predatory journals like flattering language, abundant grammatical errors, unclear publication charges and wide variety of article types and topics accepted for publication were confirmed for the examined journals/publishers. CONCLUSIONS Nearly 8 out of 10 unsolicited e-mail invitations sent to orthodontists for scholarly contribution may be related to journals suspicious for publishing malpractices and suboptimal standards. Excessive flattering language, grammatical errors, broad range of submissions, and incomplete journal contact information were commonly encountered findings. Researchers in orthodontics should be alert to the unethical policies of illegitimate journals and their harmful consequences on the scientific literature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christos Livas
- Division of Orthodontics, Dental Clinics Zwolle, Stationsweg 5, 8011 CZ, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
| | - Konstantina Delli
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
The growing number of online open-access journals promotes academic exchanges, but the prevalence of predatory journals is undermining the scholarly reporting process. Data collection, feature extraction, and model prediction are common steps in tools designed to distinguish between legitimate and predatory academic journals and publisher websites. The authors include them in their proposed academic journal predatory checking (AJPC) system based on machine learning methods. The AJPC data collection process extracts 833 blacklists and 1213 whitelists information from websites to be used for identifying words and phrases that might indicate the presence of predatory journals. Feature extraction is used to identify words and terms that help detect predatory websites, and the system's prediction stage uses eight classification algorithms to distinguish between potentially predatory and legitimate journals. We found that enhancing the classification efficiency of the bag of words model and TF-IDF algorithm with diff scores (a measure of differences in specific word frequencies between journals) can assist in identifying predatory journal feature words. Results from performance tests suggest that our system works as well as or better than those currently being used to identify suspect publishers and publications. The open system only provides reference results rather than absolute opinions and accepts user inquiries and feedback to update the system and optimize performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xian Chen
- grid.411604.60000 0001 0130 6528School of Big Data, Fuzhou University of International Studies and Trade, Fuzhou, 350202 China
| | - Shih-Wen Su
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department of Computer Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Room 702, MIRC, No.1001, University Road, Hsinchu, 30010 Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Liao
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department of Computer Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Room 702, MIRC, No.1001, University Road, Hsinchu, 30010 Taiwan
| | - Kai-Sin Wong
- grid.260539.b0000 0001 2059 7017Department of Computer Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Room 702, MIRC, No.1001, University Road, Hsinchu, 30010 Taiwan
| | - Shyan-Ming Yuan
- Department of Computer Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Room 702, MIRC, No.1001, University Road, Hsinchu, 30010, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Teixeira da Silva JA, Moradzadeh M, Yamada Y, Dunleavy DJ, Tsigaris P. Cabells' Predatory Reports criteria: Assessment and proposed revisions. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.acalib.2022.102659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
10
|
Ibrahim H, Elhag SA, Elnour SM, Abdel-Razig S, Harhara T, Nair SC. Medical Resident Awareness of Predatory Journal Practices in an International Medical Education System. Med Educ Online 2022; 27:2139169. [PMID: 36268934 PMCID: PMC9590432 DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2022.2139169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Learning research methodology is increasingly becoming an essential part of graduate medical education worldwide, with many regulatory and accreditation bodies requiring residents to participate in scholarship. Research methodology workshops have become a standard part of medical curricula; however, there is limited data on how much training on journal selection and the publication process trainees receive. The alarming growth of predatory journals has made it increasingly difficult for researchers, especially trainees and early career physicians, to distinguish these publications from reputable journals. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge of reputable and predatory publishing practices amongst medical trainees in an international medical education setting in the United Arab Emirates. METHODS A survey on credible journal practices based on the 'Think. Check. Submit' initiative was sent to all graduate medical education trainees at two large academic medical centers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Descriptive statistics were used to tabulate variable frequencies. RESULTS Over half of the 160 respondents reported receiving prior research methodology training and 42.5% had at least one publication. The majority of the trainees selected impact factor and the quality of the peer-review process as characteristics of reputable journals. Ambiguous editorial board and rapid publication process were recognized as characteristics of predatory journals by >65% of trainees, however, 95% of all trainees were unaware of Beall's list or other resources to help select a journal for publication. 15.2% of trainees who received unsolicited emails from publishers submitted their manuscripts to the unfamiliar journals, citing peer recommendation and pressure to publish from their training programs as reasons. CONCLUSION Trainees in the United Arab Emirates were mostly unaware of reputable publication practices and are vulnerable to publishing in predatory journals. Policy and educational reform are necessary to maintain the credibility and integrity of the scientific process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Halah Ibrahim
- Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Salma M Elnour
- Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Thana Harhara
- Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Dunleavy DJ. Progressive and degenerative journals: on the growth and appraisal of knowledge in scholarly publishing. Eur J Philos Sci 2022; 12:61. [PMID: 36407486 PMCID: PMC9643948 DOI: 10.1007/s13194-022-00492-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite continued attention, finding adequate criteria for distinguishing "good" from "bad" scholarly journals remains an elusive goal. In this essay, I propose a solution informed by the work of Imre Lakatos and his methodology of scientific research programmes (MSRP). I begin by reviewing several notable attempts at appraising journal quality - focusing primarily on the impact factor and development of journal blacklists and whitelists. In doing so, I note their limitations and link their overarching goals to those found within the philosophy of science. I argue that Lakatos's MSRP and specifically his classifications of "progressive" and "degenerative" research programmes can be analogized and repurposed for the evaluation of scholarly journals. I argue that this alternative framework resolves some of the limitations discussed above and offers a more considered evaluation of journal quality - one that helps account for the historical evolution of journal-level publication practices and attendant contributions to the growth (or stunting) of scholarly knowledge. By doing so, the seeming problem of journal demarcation is diminished. In the process I utilize two novel tools (the mistake index and scite index) to further illustrate and operationalize aspects of the MSRP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Dunleavy
- Center for Translational Behavioral Science, Florida State University, 2010 Levy Ave, Building B, Suite B0266, Tallahassee, FL 32310 USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
The number of publishers that offer academics, researchers, and postgraduate students the opportunity to publish articles and book chapters quickly and easily has been growing steadily in recent years. This can be ascribed to a variety of factors, e.g., increasing Internet use, the Open Access movement, academic pressure to publish, and the emergence of publishers with questionable interests that cast doubt on the reliability and the scientific rigor of the articles they publish. All this has transformed the scholarly and scientific publishing scene and has opened the door to the appearance of journals whose editorial procedures differ from those of legitimate journals. These publishers are called predatory, because their manuscript publishing process deviates from the norm (very short publication times, non-existent or low-quality peer-review, surprisingly low rejection rates, etc.). The object of this article is to spell out the editorial practices of these journals to make them easier to spot and thus to alert researchers who are unfamiliar with them. It therefore reviews and highlights the work of other authors who have for years been calling attention to how these journals operate, to their unique features and behaviors, and to the consequences of publishing in them. The most relevant conclusions reached include the scant awareness of the existence of such journals (especially by researchers still lacking experience), the enormous harm they cause to authors' reputations, the harm they cause researchers taking part in promotion or professional accreditation procedures, and the feelings of chagrin and helplessness that come from seeing one's work printed in low-quality journals. Future comprehensive research on why authors decide to submit valuable articles to these journals is also needed. This paper therefore discusses the size of this phenomenon and how to distinguish those journals from ethical journals.
Collapse
|
13
|
Walters WH. The citation impact of the Open Access accounting journals that appear on Beall's List of potentially predatory publishers and journals. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 2022; 48:102484. [DOI: 10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
14
|
Correa CL. How to survive in the academic jungle? Protection strategies against predatory journals. Fisioter mov 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/fm.2022.35001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
|
15
|
Teixeira da Silva JA, Moradzadeh M, Adjei KOK, Owusu-Ansah CM, Balehegn M, Faúndez EI, Janodia MD, Al-Khatib A. An integrated paradigm shift to deal with ‘predatory publishing’. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
|
16
|
Dinis-Oliveira RJ. Predatory journals and meetings in forensic sciences: what every expert needs to know about this “parasitic” publishing model. Forensic Sci Res 2021; 6:303-309. [PMID: 35111348 PMCID: PMC8803098 DOI: 10.1080/20961790.2021.1989548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the Internet has transformed all areas of society. This includes the universe of scientific publications, with several publishers now exclusively focusing on the electronic format and open access model while expanding to a megajournal scope. In this context, the pandemic of predatory open access journals (POAJs) and meetings are of grave concern to the academic and research community. This new shift within academia produces a variety of new victims; namely, the authors themselves. In turn, scientific knowledge is often discredited, with the public placing less trust in science. Now more than ever, performing research with integrity and selecting a journal in which to publish requires close attention and expertise. The “predatory movement” has developed increasingly sophisticated techniques for misleading people into believing what seem to be credible professional layouts and legitimate invitations. Initiatives such as the Jeffrey Beall’s list, the Cabell’s Scholarly Analytics and Think.Check.Submit offer some guidance to uncover the “parasitic” intervention of predatory journals and meetings, but specific education in this field is sorely needed. This work aims to review the main characteristics of predatory journals and meetings and to analyze this topic in the context of forensic and legal medicine research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira
- TOXRUN – Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, Gandra, Portugal
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Dadkhah M, Rahimnia F, Oermann MH. PedCheck: A Dashboard for Analyzing Social Media Posts about Predatory Journals. Serials Review 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00987913.2022.2046459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Dadkhah
- Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Fariborz Rahimnia
- Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
AbstractOne of the most fundamental issues in academia today is understanding the differences between legitimate and questionable publishing. While decision-makers and managers consider journals indexed in popular citation indexes such as Web of Science or Scopus as legitimate, they use two lists of questionable journals (Beall’s and Cabell’s), one of which has not been updated for a few years, to identify the so-called predatory journals. The main aim of our study is to reveal the contribution of the journals accepted as legitimate by the authorities to the visibility of questionable journals. For this purpose, 65 questionable journals from social sciences and 2338 Web-of-Science-indexed journals that cited these questionable journals were examined in-depth in terms of index coverages, subject categories, impact factors and self-citation patterns. We have analysed 3234 unique cited papers from questionable journals and 5964 unique citing papers (6750 citations of cited papers) from Web of Science journals. We found that 13% of the questionable papers were cited by WoS journals and 37% of the citations were from impact-factor journals. The findings show that neither the impact factor of citing journals nor the size of cited journals is a good predictor of the number of citations to the questionable journals.
Collapse
|
19
|
Yeo-Teh NSL, Tang BL. Wilfully submitting to and publishing in predatory journals - a covert form of research misconduct? Biochem Med (Zagreb) 2021; 31:030201. [PMID: 34393593 PMCID: PMC8340504 DOI: 10.11613/bm.2021.030201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A predatory journal could be provisionally defined as one masquerading as a genuine academic publication but offer little, if any, rigorous peer review. Predatory journals or publishers place a focus on maximising financial profit, as opposed to regulated dissemination of scientific advancements. As a result, authors can often get their work published in such journals with little scrutiny on quality. Although generally warned against and discouraged, universally practiced sanctions against researchers’ submission to and publication in predatory journals are not common. Predatory publishing thus remains prevalent, particularly in places where academic success is measured by the quantity rather than quality of publication output, which feeds the journal’s business model that thrives upon significant market demand. However, such an undesirable enterprise has the potential to flood the scientific literature with unsound research that could be misleadingly perceived as authoritative. This may result in or add to the confusion of policy makers and the layperson, consequentially bringing disrepute to science and all parties involved. Here, we argue that wilfully submitting one’s manuscript to a predatory journal may constitute an active act of avoidance of rigorous peer review of one’s work. If such is the intention, it would be a questionable research practice and could be considered an, albeit covert, form of scientific misconduct. If labelled as such, and with institutional and funding rules erected to discourage the practice, predatory publishing could be effectively put out of business through diminishing the consumer demand.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bor Luen Tang
- Research Compliance and Integrity Office, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Severin A, Strinzel M, Egger M, Domingo M, Barros T. Characteristics of scholars who review for predatory and legitimate journals: linkage study of Cabells Scholarly Analytics and Publons data. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e050270. [PMID: 34290071 PMCID: PMC8296767 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe and compare the characteristics of scholars who reviewed for predatory or legitimate journals in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics and reviewing and publishing behaviour. DESIGN Linkage of random samples of predatory journals and legitimate journals of the Cabells Scholarly Analytics' journal lists with the Publons database, employing the Jaro-Winkler string metric. Descriptive analysis of sociodemographic characteristics and reviewing and publishing behaviour of scholars for whom reviews were found in the Publons database. SETTING Peer review of journal articles. PARTICIPANTS Reviewers who submitted peer review reports to Publons. MEASUREMENTS Numbers of reviews for predatory journals and legitimate journals per reviewer. Academic age of reviewers, the total number of reviews, number of publications and number of reviews and publications per year. RESULTS Analyses included 183 743 unique reviews submitted to Publons by 19 598 reviewers. Six thousand and seventy-seven reviews were for 1160 predatory journals (3.31% of all reviews) and 177 666 reviews for 6403 legitimate journals (96.69%). Most scholars never submitted reviews for predatory journals (90.0% of all scholars); few scholars (7.6%) reviewed occasionally or rarely (1.9%) for predatory journals. Very few scholars submitted reviews predominantly or exclusively for predatory journals (0.26% and 0.35%, respectively). The latter groups of scholars were of younger academic age and had fewer publications and reviews than the first groups. Regions with the highest shares of predatory reviews were sub-Saharan Africa (21.8% reviews for predatory journals), Middle East and North Africa (13.9%) and South Asia (7.0%), followed by North America (2.1%), Latin America and the Caribbean (2.1%), Europe and Central Asia (1.9%) and East Asia and the Pacific (1.5%). CONCLUSION To tackle predatory journals, universities, funders and publishers need to consider the entire research workflow and educate reviewers on concepts of quality and legitimacy in scholarly publishing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Severin
- Strategy Division, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michaela Strinzel
- Strategy Division, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Egger
- Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Research Council, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ng JY, Haynes RB. "Evidence-based checklists" for identifying predatory journals have not been assessed for reliability or validity: An analysis and proposal for moving forward. J Clin Epidemiol 2021; 138:40-8. [PMID: 34182146 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predatory journals (PJs) pose a threat to the quality/integrity of scientific publishing. Checklists have been proposed to identify PJs, but few are "evidence-based". This study's objective was to search for/assess evidence-based checklists (EBCs) for reliability and validity, based on a new consensus definition of PJs. METHODS A published methods guideline for scale development was used to identify how many steps were completed in the generation of identified EBCs. Items from each EBC were compared against the consensus definition, and a list of items to be considered in the creation of a composite EBC to identify PJs was generated. RESULTS Four EBCs were identified. None of these had completed the first of the nine steps for scale development and validation. Forty-seven items from the four EBCs were assessed against the consensus definition, of which 28 items fell within the definition. A proposed composite EBC was created from items matching components of the consensus definition. CONCLUSION EBCs to detect PJs lack assessment of reliability and validity. To a varying degree, the EBCs contain items that match the scope of the new consensus definition of PJs. With the recent consensus definition, EBCs creators now have a clearer target, and can make adjustments.
Collapse
|
22
|
Schwertmann C, Curtain C, Peterson G. Assessing the quality of pharmacy journals accessible to community pharmacists. J Clin Pharm Ther 2021; 46:1343-1348. [PMID: 34075599 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.13444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE Low-quality journals are problematic for the scientific community. They may not provide thorough editorial and peer review services, and may spread low-quality information. Community pharmacists are limited in research time and resources, and are particularly at risk to access low-quality information published in some journals. This may negatively impact their professional decision-making and patient care. This study aimed to assess pharmaceutical journals readily accessible to community pharmacists and classify those journals using multiple quality criteria. METHODS A Google search was performed using defined English and German keywords. The following quality indicators were utilized: (i) whether the journal was listed on a blacklist or whitelist, (ii) whether the journal or its publisher was a member of a publishing organization, (iii) evaluation of details on the journal's website, (iv) indexation of the journal, and (v) use of journal metrics. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Three hundred and eight journals were analysed; 105 (34%) were classified as "high-quality" and 203 (66%) were classified as "other". Forty-six journals (15%) were listed on a blacklist and 152 journals (49%) were listed on a whitelist. Most journals were headquartered in India (39%), followed by the USA (24%) and Europe (20%). Journals classified as "high-quality" charged higher open access article processing charges (APCs) (median APC: USD $960; interquartile range (IQR): USD $27 to USD $3,000) than journals classified as "other" (USD $100, IQR: USD $13 to USD $547), p = 0.003. Similarly, journals indexed in established databases (MEDICUS, MEDLINE, PUBMED, Embase, Science Citation Index Expanded, or SCOPUS) charged higher APCs (median APC: USD $600, IQR: USD $4 to USD $2,500) than journals indexed in non-standard databases (median APC: USD $100, IQR: USD $41 to USD $581), p = 0.001. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION The results indicate that community pharmacists are at risk of accessing journals of questionable quality. Patient care may be negatively impacted by community pharmacists basing their professional decisions on evidence gained from some sources of lower quality. Community pharmacists and other pharmacists and researchers can use the tools and quality indicators provided in this study to preliminarily determine the quality and reliability of a journal to assist their professional decision-making and patient care.
Collapse
|
23
|
Buitrago Ciro J. How are academic libraries in Spanish-speaking Latin America responding to new models of scholarly communication and predatory publishing? Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/09610006211016533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The topic of predatory publishing and ways to combat it is garnering considerable attention in many parts of the developed world, where academic librarians are emerging as leaders in this regard. However, less is known about how this phenomenon is playing out in developing regions, including Spanish-speaking Latin America. This study presents the results of a survey of 104 academic librarians in this region, along with follow-up interviews with seven respondents. The findings reveal that scholarly publishing literacy in general, and predatory publishing in particular, currently has low visibility in this part of the world, although there is growing recognition of and increasing concern about the issue. Although there is some debate about whether scholarly publishing literacy should be the sole responsibility of the library, many participants agree that the library has a role to play. Moreover, while most of the librarians who participated perceive that they have a solid knowledge of open access, they are less confident in their understanding of predatory practices and are seeking to increase their skills and knowledge in this regard to better support researchers at their institutions. To address this shortcoming, academic librarians in the region have expressed an interest in receiving training and in participating in international collaborations with other libraries that have already developed resources or programming in this area.
Collapse
|
24
|
Garraud O. What has changed after the COVID-19 pandemic in the publication process? A look-back to "Transfusion clinique et biologique". Transfus Clin Biol 2021; 28:129-131. [PMID: 33879325 PMCID: PMC10042507 DOI: 10.1016/j.tracli.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- O Garraud
- Faculty of medicine of Saint-Étienne, University of Lyon-Saint-Etienne, INSERM_U1059, Saint-Étienne, France.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Nieminen P, Uribe SE. The Quality of Statistical Reporting and Data Presentation in Predatory Dental Journals Was Lower Than in Non-Predatory Journals. Entropy (Basel) 2021; 23:468. [PMID: 33923391 PMCID: PMC8071575 DOI: 10.3390/e23040468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Proper peer review and quality of published articles are often regarded as signs of reliable scientific journals. The aim of this study was to compare whether the quality of statistical reporting and data presentation differs among articles published in 'predatory dental journals' and in other dental journals. We evaluated 50 articles published in 'predatory open access (OA) journals' and 100 clinical trials published in legitimate dental journals between 2019 and 2020. The quality of statistical reporting and data presentation of each paper was assessed on a scale from 0 (poor) to 10 (high). The mean (SD) quality score of the statistical reporting and data presentation was 2.5 (1.4) for the predatory OA journals, 4.8 (1.8) for the legitimate OA journals, and 5.6 (1.8) for the more visible dental journals. The mean values differed significantly (p < 0.001). The quality of statistical reporting of clinical studies published in predatory journals was found to be lower than in open access and highly cited journals. This difference in quality is a wake-up call to consume study results critically. Poor statistical reporting indicates wider general lower quality in publications where the authors and journals are less likely to be critiqued by peer review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pentti Nieminen
- Medical Informatics and Data Analysis Research Group, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Sergio E. Uribe
- Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Health, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia;
- School of Dentistry, Universidad Austral de Chile, Rudloff, Valdivia 1640, Chile
- Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence, Headquarters at Riga Technical University, LV-1658 Riga, Latvia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
de La Blanchardière A, Barde F, Peiffer-Smadja N, Maisonneuve H. [Predatory journals: A real threat for medical research. 1. Identify these journals and understand how they work]. Rev Med Interne 2021; 42:421-426. [PMID: 33867197 DOI: 10.1016/j.revmed.2021.03.329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The "author-pay" model of open access publication, which appeared in 2002, allocates to the author or his institution the costs of processing articles due to the journal after acceptance, for an amount of a few hundred to several thousand euros. New publishers emerged towards the end of the 2000s, which used this model but with purely commercial objectives, offering naive authors and/or wishing to quickly expand their curriculum vitae by publications in "predatory journals". They are characterized by aggressive e-mail solicitations, lack of ethics, lack of details about the publisher and the editorial board, poor peer review, unspecified and low fees for processing articles, a lack of indexing and the promise of rapid publication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A de La Blanchardière
- Service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales, UNICAEN, CHU de Caen Normandie, université de Normandie, 14000 Caen, France.
| | - F Barde
- Service de rhumatologie, Hôpital Bicêtre, AP-HP, 94270 Le-Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - N Peiffer-Smadja
- National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Imperial College London, London, Royaume-Uni; Inserm, IAME, université de Paris, 75018 Paris, France; Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, Hôpital Bichat - Claude-Bernard, AP-HP, 75018 Paris, France
| | - H Maisonneuve
- Comité scientifique, IRAFPA (Institute of Research and Action on Fraud and Plagiarism in Academia), Genève, Suisse; H2MVV, 30, rue Faidherbe, 75011 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Krawczyk F, Kulczycki E. How is open access accused of being predatory? The impact of Beall's lists of predatory journals on academic publishing. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 2021; 47:102271. [DOI: 10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
28
|
Sousa FSO, Nadanovsky P, Dhyppolito IM, Santos APPD. One year of unsolicited e-mails: The modus operandi of predatory journals and publishers. J Dent 2021; 109:103618. [PMID: 33636240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To quantify, characterize and analyze e-mail from predatory journals (PJ) received by an academic in dentistry. METHODS E-mails received in 2019 and suspected of being potentially predatory were pre-selected. The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) checklist was applied to identify the suspected biomedical PJ, including the following criteria: article processing charge (APC), fake impact factor, the journal being listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We also extracted information on the lack of an impact factor on Journal Citations Reports, non-journal affiliated contact e-mail address, flattering language, article and/or personal citation, unsubscribe link, being listed in the National Library of Medicine (NLM) current catalog and indexed on Medline. RESULTS A total of 2812 unsolicited suspected e-mails were received, and 1837 requested some sort of manuscript; among these, 1751 met some of the OHRI criteria. Less than half (780/1837, 42 %) referred to some area of dentistry. The median APC was US$399. A false impact factor was mentioned in 11 % (201/1837) of the e-mails, and 27 % (504/1837) corresponded to journals currently listed in the NLM catalog. Journals listed in DOAJ and COPE sent 89 e-mails. CONCLUSIONS The email campaign from PJ was high and recurrent. Researchers should be well informed about PJ' modus operandi to protect their own reputation as authors and that of science. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Peer review and established academic practices and etiquette contribute to ensuring scientific progress, which is essential to protect the health of patients in particular and of people in general. Predatory journals constitute a threat to peer review and scientific etiquette and, as such, may hinder scientific progress and public health.
Collapse
|
29
|
Abstract
PURPOSE/AIMS Predatory journals, characterized by poor editorial practices and questionable peer review, constitute a threat to academic literature. Citations to predatory journals in reviews of research potentially weaken the strength of these reviews, which are relied upon by nurses as evidence for practice. The purposes of this study were to assess the (a) extent to which reviews have relied on articles published in predatory journals, (b) nursing research practice areas most reliant on predatory journal citations, and (c) extent to which predatory journal citations are being used in reviews that guide the care of sensitive or vulnerable groups. METHODS Literature and other types of reviews with 1 or more citations to a predatory journal (n = 78) were assessed. The reviews were classified by topic (clinical practice, education, and management). RESULTS The 78 reviews contained 275 citations to articles published in predatory journals; 51 reviews (65%) substantively used these references. CONCLUSIONS Predatory journal articles, which may not have been subjected to an adequate peer review, are being cited in review articles published in legitimate nursing journals, weakening the strength of these reviews as evidence for practice.
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
Predatory publishing represents a major challenge to scholarly communication. This paper maps the infiltration of journals suspected of predatory practices into the citation database Scopus and examines cross-country differences in the propensity of scholars to publish in such journals. Using the names of “potential, possible, or probable” predatory journals and publishers on Beall’s lists, we derived the ISSNs of 3,293 journals from Ulrichsweb and searched Scopus with them. 324 of journals that appear both in Beall’s lists and Scopus with 164 thousand articles published over 2015–2017 were identified. Analysis of data for 172 countries in 4 fields of research indicates that there is a remarkable heterogeneity. In the most affected countries, including Kazakhstan and Indonesia, around 17% of articles fall into the predatory category, while some other countries have no predatory articles whatsoever. Countries with large research sectors at the medium level of economic development, especially in Asia and North Africa, tend to be most susceptible to predatory publishing. Arab, oil-rich and/or eastern countries also appear to be particularly vulnerable. Policymakers and stakeholders in these and other developing countries need to pay more attention to the quality of research evaluation.
Collapse
|
31
|
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Manca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Italy
| | - Lucia Cugusi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Italy
| | - Andrea Cortegiani
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Science, Section of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Policlinico Paolo Giaccone, University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Giulia Ingoglia
- Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Science, Section of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Policlinico Paolo Giaccone, University of Palermo, Italy
| | - David Moher
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Canada
| | - Franca Deriu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Alamri Y, Al-Busaidi IS, Bintalib MG, Abu-Zaid A. Understanding of medical students about predatory journals: A comparative study from KSA and New Zealand. J Taibah Univ Med Sci 2020; 15:339-43. [PMID: 33132804 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2020.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study examines the extent of understanding of medical students from KSA and New Zealand (NZ) about predatory journals. Methods From March to July 2019, self-administered questionnaires were sent to fourth- and fifth-year students of two medical schools in KSA and NZ. Between-group comparisons were carried out using the two-sided Student's t test and the Chi-square test. Statistical significance was determined at a p-value <0.05. Results A total of 263 students completed the questionnaire (response rate: 59.1 percent KSA; 31 percent NZ). Prior research experience was significantly higher among KSA students (56.6 percent) as compared to NZ students (32.3 percent; p = 0.0006). A significantly higher number of KSA students (75.6 percent) felt that they were under pressure to publish studies during their term at medical school as compared to only 12.3 percent of NZ medical students (p < 0.0001). While one-third of the students in both countries were familiar with ‘open-access publishing’ (30.8 percent KSA versus 42.2 percent NZ), only a few displayed awareness about ‘predatory journals’ (9.1 percent KSA versus 7.8 percent NZ; p = 0.7) or ‘Beall's list’ (2.5 percent KSA versus 0 percent NZ; p = 0.02). A small number of students from both countries had published in predatory journals (26.1 percent [n = 6/23] KSA versus 12.5 percent [n = 1/8] NZ, p = 0.4). A few students had received warnings or advice regarding predatory journals (4.5 percent KSA versus 1.5 percent NZ; p = 0.2). A majority of respondents from both the countries found it hard to identify predatory journals. Conclusion This study identified that the understanding and knowledge of medical students regarding predatory journals is rather poor. This indicates that curricular, extracurricular, and institutional measures to promote awareness about predatory journals are warranted.
Collapse
|
33
|
BEHZADI PAYAM, GAJDÁCS MÁRIÓ. Dos and don'ts of a successfully peer-reviewed publication: From A-Z. Eur J Microbiol Immunol (Bp) 2020; 10:125-130. [PMID: 33011716 PMCID: PMC7592513 DOI: 10.1556/1886.2020.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To have a successful publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a collection of factors and items is needed. Some of them directly and the others indirectly have important roles in scholarly publication. However, a well-designed scientific investigation together with a powerful academic English language may guarantee the publication of a manuscript. In other words, a standard and professional methodology which is expressed by an influent academic English language constitutes the soul of the manuscript's body. Obviously, the accuracy and fluency of the English language of the manuscript is the author(s)' responsibility and neither the reviewers' nor the editor's and the journal's. As publication of a research paper is the complementary section of a scientific study, it is recognized as an academic criterion for academicians. Thus, this review focuses on the all of items which are necessary and vital for a successful scholarly publication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- PAYAM BEHZADI
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - MÁRIÓ GAJDÁCS
- Department of Pharmacodynamics and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Mills D, Inouye K. Problematizing ‘predatory publishing’: A systematic review of factors shaping publishing motives, decisions, and experiences. Learned Publishing 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/leap.1325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. Mills
- Department of Education University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - K. Inouye
- Department of Education University of Oxford Oxford UK
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
|
36
|
Cukier S, Helal L, Rice DB, Pupkaite J, Ahmadzai N, Wilson M, Skidmore B, Lalu MM, Moher D. Checklists to detect potential predatory biomedical journals: a systematic review. BMC Med 2020; 18:104. [PMID: 32375818 PMCID: PMC7203891 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01566-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increase in the number of predatory journals puts scholarly communication at risk. In order to guard against publication in predatory journals, authors may use checklists to help detect predatory journals. We believe there are a large number of such checklists yet it is uncertain whether these checklists contain similar content. We conducted a systematic review to identify checklists that help to detect potential predatory journals and examined and compared their content and measurement properties. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC, Web of Science and Library, and Information Science & Technology Abstracts (January 2012 to November 2018); university library websites (January 2019); and YouTube (January 2019). We identified sources with original checklists used to detect potential predatory journals published in English, French or Portuguese. Checklists were defined as having instructions in point form, bullet form, tabular format or listed items. We excluded checklists or guidance on recognizing "legitimate" or "trustworthy" journals. To assess risk of bias, we adapted five questions from A Checklist for Checklists tool a priori as no formal assessment tool exists for the type of review conducted. RESULTS Of 1528 records screened, 93 met our inclusion criteria. The majority of included checklists to identify predatory journals were in English (n = 90, 97%), could be completed in fewer than five minutes (n = 68, 73%), included a mean of 11 items (range = 3 to 64) which were not weighted (n = 91, 98%), did not include qualitative guidance (n = 78, 84%), or quantitative guidance (n = 91, 98%), were not evidence-based (n = 90, 97%) and covered a mean of four of six thematic categories. Only three met our criteria for being evidence-based, i.e. scored three or more "yes" answers (low risk of bias) on the risk of bias tool. CONCLUSION There is a plethora of published checklists that may overwhelm authors looking to efficiently guard against publishing in predatory journals. The continued development of such checklists may be confusing and of limited benefit. The similarity in checklists could lead to the creation of one evidence-based tool serving authors from all disciplines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Cukier
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Lucas Helal
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Danielle B Rice
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Justina Pupkaite
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Nadera Ahmadzai
- Knowledge Synthesis Group, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Mitchell Wilson
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Becky Skidmore
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Manoj M Lalu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - David Moher
- Centre for Journalology, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Hayden JA. Predatory publishing dilutes and distorts evidence in systematic reviews. J Clin Epidemiol 2020; 121:117-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2020.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
38
|
Oermann MH, Nicoll LH, Ashton KS, Edie AH, Amarasekara S, Chinn PL, Carter-Templeton H, Ledbetter LS. Analysis of Citation Patterns and Impact of Predatory Sources in the Nursing Literature. J Nurs Scholarsh 2020; 52:311-319. [PMID: 32346979 DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study was undertaken to learn how predatory journal articles were cited in articles published in legitimate (nonpredatory) nursing journals. The extent of citation and citation patterns were studied. DESIGN A two-phase approach was used. METHODS In Phase 1, 204 articles published in legitimate nursing journals that cited a predatory publication were randomly selected for analysis from a list of 814 articles with predatory journal citations. In Phase 2, the four predatory journal articles that were cited most frequently were analyzed further to examine their citation patterns. FINDINGS The majority (n = 148, 72.55%) of the articles that cited a predatory publication were research reports. Most commonly, the predatory article was only cited once (n = 117, 61.58%). Most (n = 158, 82.72%) of the predatory articles, though, were used substantively, that is, to provide a basis for the study or methods, describe the results, or explain the findings. The four articles in Phase 2 generated 38 citations in legitimate journals, published from 2011 to 2019, demonstrating persistence in citation. An evaluation of the quality of these articles was mixed. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study provide an understanding of the use and patterns of citations to predatory articles in legitimate nursing journals. Authors who choose predatory journals as the channel to disseminate their publications devalue the work that publishers, editors, and peer reviewers play in scholarly dissemination. Likewise, those who cite these works are also contributing to the problem of predatory publishing in nursing. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Nurse authors should not publish their work in predatory journals and should avoid citing articles from these journals, which disseminates the content through the scholarly nursing literature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn H Oermann
- Editor-in-Chief, Nurse Educator and Journal of Nursing Care Quality, Thelma M. Ingles Professor of Nursing, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Leslie H Nicoll
- Editor-in-Chief, CIN: Computers, Informatics Nursing and Nurse Author & Editor, President and Owner, Maine Desk LLC, Portland, Maine
| | - Kathleen S Ashton
- Consulting Associate, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Alison H Edie
- Assistant Professor, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Sathya Amarasekara
- Statistician III, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Peggy L Chinn
- Editor-in-Chief, Advances in Nursing Science, Professor Emerita, University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Heather Carter-Templeton
- Associate Professor, Capstone College of Nursing, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| | - Leila S Ledbetter
- Research and Education Librarian, Liaison to the School of Nursing, Duke University Medical Center Library, Durham, North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Kratochvíl J, Plch L, Sebera M, Koriťáková E. Evaluation of untrustworthy journals: Transition from formal criteria to a complex view. Learned Publishing 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/leap.1299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Kratochvíl
- University Campus Library Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Plch
- University Campus Library Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Martin Sebera
- Faculty of Sports Studies Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Eva Koriťáková
- Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
|
41
|
|
42
|
Ninan K, Morfaw F, Murphy KE, Beyene J, McDonald SD. Neonatal and Maternal Outcomes of Lower Versus Standard Doses of Antenatal Corticosteroids for Women at Risk of Preterm Delivery: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2020; 43:74-81. [PMID: 32660867 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2020.02.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our objective was to systematically review randomized and quasi-randomized trials on the neonatal and maternal effects of lower doses of antenatal corticosteroids (<24 mg of betamethasone or dexamethasone) compared with standard double doses of antenatal corticosteroids (24 mg of betamethasone or dexamethasone) administered to women at risk of preterm delivery. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry were searched from inception to December 8, 2019. STUDY SELECTION A total of 2401 titles, abstracts, and protocols were independently screened by two reviewers, and subsequently 113 full-text articles were reviewed. DATA EXTRACTION Our primary outcomes were perinatal death and severe respiratory distress syndrome. DATA SYNTHESIS We identified one large in-progress trial comparing 11.4 mg versus 22.8 mg betamethasone and one published randomized controlled trial that compared a lower dose of dexamethasone (16 mg) to a standard dose of betamethasone (24 mg). The only relevant data from the published trial suggests minor changes in fetal heart rate variability between baseline and 24- to 48-hour follow-up between the two groups. Data for other outcomes had to be excluded due to the administration of weekly courses of antenatal corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS Randomized trial data comparing lower doses of antenatal corticosteroids to standard double doses are scarce. Given concerns regarding current antenatal corticosteroids dosing patterns, there is an urgent need for randomized controlled trials examining lower versus standard double doses of antenatal corticosteroids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Ninan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
| | - Frederick Morfaw
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
| | - Kellie E Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - Joseph Beyene
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
| | - Sarah D McDonald
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON; Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Abstract
Predatory journals are Open Access journals of highly questionable scientific quality. Such journals pretend to use peer review for quality assurance, and spam academics with requests for submissions, in order to collect author payments. In recent years predatory journals have received a lot of negative media. While much has been said about the harm that such journals cause to academic publishing in general, an overlooked aspect is how much articles in such journals are actually read and in particular cited, that is if they have any significant impact on the research in their fields. Other studies have already demonstrated that only some of the articles in predatory journals contain faulty and directly harmful results, while a lot of the articles present mediocre and poorly reported studies. We studied citation statistics over a five-year period in Google Scholar for 250 random articles published in such journals in 2014 and found an average of 2.6 citations per article, and that 56% of the articles had no citations at all. For comparison, a random sample of articles published in the approximately 25,000 peer reviewed journals included in the Scopus index had an average of 18, 1 citations in the same period with only 9% receiving no citations. We conclude that articles published in predatory journals have little scientific impact.
Collapse
|
44
|
Cukier S, Lalu M, Bryson GL, Cobey KD, Grudniewicz A, Moher D. Defining predatory journals and responding to the threat they pose: a modified Delphi consensus process. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e035561. [PMID: 32041864 PMCID: PMC7045268 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To conduct a Delphi survey informing a consensus definition of predatory journals and publishers. DESIGN This is a modified three-round Delphi survey delivered online for the first two rounds and in-person for the third round. Questions encompassed three themes: (1) predatory journal definition; (2) educational outreach and policy initiatives on predatory publishing; and (3) developing technological solutions to stop submissions to predatory journals and other low-quality journals. PARTICIPANTS Through snowball and purposive sampling of targeted experts, we identified 45 noted experts in predatory journals and journalology. The international group included funders, academics and representatives of academic institutions, librarians and information scientists, policy makers, journal editors, publishers, researchers involved in studying predatory journals and legitimate journals, and patient partners. In addition, 198 authors of articles discussing predatory journals were invited to participate in round 1. RESULTS A total of 115 individuals (107 in round 1 and 45 in rounds 2 and 3) completed the survey on predatory journals and publishers. We reached consensus on 18 items out of a total of 33 to be included in a consensus definition of predatory journals and publishers. We came to consensus on educational outreach and policy initiatives on which to focus, including the development of a single checklist to detect predatory journals and publishers, and public funding to support research in this general area. We identified technological solutions to address the problem: a 'one-stop-shop' website to consolidate information on the topic and a 'predatory journal research observatory' to identify ongoing research and analysis about predatory journals/publishers. CONCLUSIONS In bringing together an international group of diverse stakeholders, we were able to use a modified Delphi process to inform the development of a definition of predatory journals and publishers. This definition will help institutions, funders and other stakeholders generate practical guidance on avoiding predatory journals and publishers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Cukier
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Manoj Lalu
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gregory L Bryson
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kelly D Cobey
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Agnes Grudniewicz
- Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Moher
- Centre for Journalology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Rawas H, de Beer J, Al Najjar H, Bano N. Falling prey to predatory journals: Experiences of nursing faculty. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijans.2020.100222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
|
46
|
Mendiola Pastrana IR, Hernández AV, Pérez Manjarrez FE, López EO, Romero-Henríquez LF, López-Ortiz G. Peer-Review and Rejection Causes in Submitting Original Medical Manuscripts. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2020; 40:182-186. [PMID: 32427687 DOI: 10.1097/ceh.0000000000000295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of specialized medical journals is to accurately disseminate the results of new research. The peer-review process is crucial for journals to be able to fulfill this purpose. Although the peer-review determines whether scientific papers are accepted or rejected for publication, for many authors is a not well known process in its entirety. Many journals have focused on educating their audience about how and what is assessed during peer-review, nevertheless, the rate of manuscripts rejected because of easily-avoidable causes related to this, remains high. In this paper, we describe the process that specialized journals use to assess original medical manuscripts and list the main causes of paper rejection. Practicing physicians and medical students who wish to report their research results stand to benefit if they can identify and early avoid on the issues that most often arise during the peer-review process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Indira Rocío Mendiola Pastrana
- Dr. Mendiola Pastrana: Master Degree in Health Sciences at the National Institute of Public Health of México, Specialist in Family Medicine, Ciudad de México, México. Currently Working as Family Physician and Collaborate as Researcher at Centro de Investigación en Políticas, Población y Salud (CIPPS) at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, Mexico. Dr. Hernández: General Physician, Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, Mexico. Dr. Pérez Manjarrez: General Physician, Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, Mexico. Dr. López: Epidemiologist, Summer Internship Program in Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom. His Research Topic Is Related with Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome. M Ed. Romero Henríquez: Master Degree in Education, Member of Academy of Social Sciences, Centro de Actualización del Magisterio of México City, Academic Board CAMDF-CA-1 Educational Inequality and Professional Practices, Mexico city, Mexico. Currently Studying Inclusive Education, Human Rights of Children, and Education for Medical Residents. Dr. López-Ortiz: Associate Professor and Head of Research at Subdivisión de Medicina Familiar, Facultad de Medicina Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, Mexico. Editor in Chief of a Medical Journal Specialized in Family Practice. His Academic Interest Is Focused in Education Research and Metabolic Diseases
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
|
48
|
Abstract
Lapses in scientific integrity, such as plagiarism, persist in the scientific realm. To be successful and contributory, early-career researchers (ECRs), including graduate students, need to be able to effectively navigate the literature, peer-review process, and scientific research with integrity. Here we discuss different aspects of scientific integrity related to ECRs. Our discussion centres on the concepts of plagiarism and intellectual property, predatory journals, aspects of peer review, transparency in publishing, and false advanced accreditations. Negative elements within these topics may be especially damaging to ECRs, who may be less familiar with the research landscape. We highlight the need for ECRs to approach scientific investigation cautiously and thoughtfully to promote integrity through critical thinking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert G. Young
- Department of Integrative Biology & Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - T. Fatima Mitterboeck
- Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Grudniewicz A, Moher D, Cobey KD, Bryson GL, Cukier S, Allen K, Ardern C, Balcom L, Barros T, Berger M, Ciro JB, Cugusi L, Donaldson MR, Egger M, Graham ID, Hodgkinson M, Khan KM, Mabizela M, Manca A, Milzow K, Mouton J, Muchenje M, Olijhoek T, Ommaya A, Patwardhan B, Poff D, Proulx L, Rodger M, Severin A, Strinzel M, Sylos-Labini M, Tamblyn R, van Niekerk M, Wicherts JM, Lalu MM. Predatory journals: no definition, no defence. Nature 2019; 576:210-212. [DOI: 10.1038/d41586-019-03759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
50
|
Krnic Martinic M, Pieper D, Glatt A, Puljak L. Definition of a systematic review used in overviews of systematic reviews, meta-epidemiological studies and textbooks. BMC Med Res Methodol 2019; 19:203. [PMID: 31684874 PMCID: PMC6829801 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-019-0855-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A standard or consensus definition of a systematic review does not exist. Therefore, if there is no definition about a systematic review in secondary studies that analyse them or the definition is too broad, inappropriate studies might be included in such evidence synthesis. The aim of this study was to analyse the definition of a systematic review (SR) in health care literature, elements of the definitions that are used and to propose a starting point for an explicit and non-ambiguous SR definition. METHODS We included overviews of systematic reviews (OSRs), meta-epidemiological studies and epidemiology textbooks. We extracted the definitions of SRs, as well as the inclusion and exclusion criteria that could indicate which definition of a SR the authors used. We extracted individual elements of SR definitions, categorised and quantified them. RESULTS Among the 535 analysed sources of information, 188 (35%) provided a definition of a SR. The most commonly used reference points for the definitions of SRs were Cochrane and the PRISMA statement. We found 188 different elements of SR definitions and divided them into 14 categories. The highest number of SR definition elements was found in categories related to searching (N = 51), analysis/synthesis (N = 23), overall methods (N = 22), quality/bias/appraisal/validity (N = 22) and aim/question (N = 13). The same five categories were also the most commonly used combination of categories in the SR definitions. CONCLUSION Currently used definitions of SRs are vague and ambiguous, often using terms such as clear, explicit and systematic, without further elaboration. In this manuscript we propose a more specific definition of a systematic review, with the ultimate aim of motivating the research community to establish a clear and unambiguous definition of this type of research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dawid Pieper
- Institute for Research in Operative Medicine (IFOM), Witten/Herdecke University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Angelina Glatt
- Institute for Research in Operative Medicine (IFOM), Witten/Herdecke University, Cologne, Germany
| | - Livia Puljak
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Health Care, Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|