‘Sting operation’ lifts lid on predatory journals

lterrat's bookmarks 2017-03-23

Summary:

"Polish sleuths have lifted the lid on predatory journals, showing just how easy it is to win editorial gigs with academia’s equivalent of vanity publishing.

In a 'sting operation' reported this morning in the journal Nature, the four academics secured almost 50 editorial jobs for a fictitious and poorly qualified researcher called Anna O Szust — which translates as 'Anna, a fraud' in Polish.

'In many cases, we received a positive response within days of application, and often within hours,' the group reports. 'Four titles immediately appointed Szust editor-in-chief.'

The quartet had embellished 'Szust' — a scientist with diverse interests including the theory of science and sport, and methodological bases of social sciences — with a 'dismally inadequate' academic profile featuring fake degrees and spoof book chapter credits. Her CV listed no journal publications, no citations, no Web of Science entries and no experience as an editor or even a reviewer.

'Szust' applied for editorial roles with 120 reputable journals with impact factors indexed on Journal Citation Reports; 120 included in the Directory of Open Access Journals; and 120 from a list of possible or probable predatory journals, compiled by University of Colorado librarian Jeffrey Beall.

While the applications elicited most replies from the JCR journals — some acknowledging receipt, some rejecting her and some coaching her on how she could do better — none offered her a job. But eight open access journals and 40 suspected predatory publications did.

'Szust was almost never questioned about her experience,' the group reports. 'No one made any attempt to contact her university or institute.

'One journal spotted that Szust’s cover letter stated that becoming an editor would allow her to obtain a degree that she had listed as already having obtained. That journal nonetheless appointed Szust as editor.'"

Link:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/sting-operation-lifts-lid-on-predatory-journals/news-story/1d8120ea29ff19eefd83090f521fff69?nk=bca2fb9a32204c4a45b85d4ceb6127cd-1490320057

From feeds:

Open Access Tracking Project (OATP) » lterrat's bookmarks

Tags:

oa.journals

Date tagged:

03/23/2017, 21:49

Date published:

03/23/2017, 17:49