(20 Aug 2024) The ways in which researchers can artificially inflate their reference counts are growing. Research-integrity watchers are concerned about the growing ways in which scientists can fake or manipulate the citation counts of their studies. In recent months, increasingly bold practices have surfaced. One approach was revealed through a sting operation in…
(12 Aug 2024) This year marks the 20th anniversary of awareness regarding image manipulation in biomedical literature, highlighting significant changes and ongoing challenges in the field by Mike Rossner. Twenty years ago, people were either unaware of the problem of image manipulation in the biomedical literature, or they thought the problem was so minor…
(14 Aug 2024) Turnitin announced they were ending private plans for PlagScan, a plagiarism detection service they acquired in 2021. With that imminent closure, individuals can only access Turnitin’s services through iThenticate, which costs $125 per search, or a third-party partner like Scribbr. However, Christian Moriarty, an ethics and law professor at St. Petersburg College, asked…
(26 Jul 2024) From the abstract: “Predatory journals–or journals that prioritize profits over editorial and publication best practices–are becoming more common, raising concerns about the integrity of the scholarly record. Such journals also pose a threat for the integrity of science journalism, as journalists may unwillingly report on low quality or even highly flawed…
(18 Jul 2024) Predatory conferences, akin to predatory journals, often lack proper peer review and are primarily profit-driven. They are characterized by deceptive practices, such as listing speakers who are unaware of the event or collecting registration fees for conferences that do not occur. Nature sent a reporter to find out as part of an…
(9 Jul 2024) From Google Scholar Blog: Scholar Metrics provide an easy way for authors to quickly gauge the visibility and influence of recent articles in scholarly publications. Today, we are releasing the 2024 version of Scholar Metrics. This release covers articles published in 2019–2023 and includes citations from all articles that were indexed in…
(14 July 2024) Geoffrey Boulton and Moumita Koley argue for fair and transparent standards in science publishing to maintain research integrity and credibility. They highlight issues with editorial oversight, commercial business models, and the impact of bibliometric indices, emphasizing the need for proper governance to ensure science benefits society globally. Find out more here.
(11 July 2024) The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) published the CREC Recommended Practice (NISO RP-45-2024) to improve the communication of retractions. Funded by the Sloan Foundation, this practice aims to ensure accurate metadata for retracted research. It enhances transparency and helps limit the spread of flawed or invalid science, boosting trust in academic research.…
(9 July 2024) Three New South Wales schools, Lindfield Learning Village, Granville East Public School, and Middle Harbour Public School, are finalists in the Sydney Opera House’s inaugural Play Award. Their innovative play-based learning programs, which enhance social skills, literacy, and student engagement, demonstrate the transformative power of integrating play into education. Find out more…
(8 July 2024) Problematic articles continue to be cited despite retraction due to lack of awareness and inconsistent display of retraction status. The NISO Recommended Practice for Communication of Retractions, Removals, and Expressions of Concern (CREC) aims to improve metadata transfer and display to prevent inappropriate citations. Community adoption is crucial for effectiveness. Find out…