Cancer research retracted because of fake peer reviews. Bethany over at Graph Paper Diaries is going to get that Jack Sparrow look in her eyes, because it not just science in general, but her specialty they are messing with here.
If you are interested, there is an entire website dedicated to tracking article retractions and general fraud in science (they also have a recent post mentioning the Tumor Biology retractions): http://retractionwatch.com/
While this is an unfortunate incident, kudos to the journal for identifying the problem and retracting the articles. A much larger problem are the predatory journals who have developed open access articles as a business model. These journals charge a "fee" that covers the cost of publication and makes the articles available for public access. Although they claim to be peer reviewed publications, there is often little to none that occurs and many of the editorial boards include the names of well known scientists who are unaware their names are associated with the journal. I receive about 3-5 emails requesting I submit to these journals every single day. For unscrupulous researchers, these journals essentially let you pay to have papers published that would not pass traditional peer review, allowing them to pad their CV, get tenure, for funding reasons etc. There are, however, many good open access journals from legitimate publishers. It tends to be pretty obvious which ones are questionable.
I'm working on next Sunday's calling bullshit read-along, and it actually is all about predatory publishing and scientific misconduct. Convenient (if disheartening) to get an example from my own field to throw in.
Omics online is one of the worst of the bunch. I surprised they did not tell me I also inherited a large sum of money in Nigeria. Here is a good example of their spam emails (note this was taken as is, with odd spacings and all):
Dear Dr.Douglas I Walker,
Greetings from Global Journal of Technology and Optimization
We are glad to mail an eminent researcher like you.
Hope you are doing well…!
This is a follow up of our previous mail, Being aware of your eminence in the area of Technology & Optimization, we with an immense interest would like to invite a few eminent researchers like you for your valuable contribution for Upcoming issue "Volume 8, Issue 1"
So, here we would like to take the opportunity to ask you regarding writing a Research, Review, Mini Review, (Short commentary of 1 or 2 pages, Perspective or Opinion, Editorial are also invited) based on area of your interest for publishing article for our Global Journal of Technology and Optimization.
If possible, we would appreciate receiving your submission by May 05, 2017. You may submit your manuscript at http://www.editorialmanager.com/engineeringjournals/Default.aspx or send as an e-mail attachment to editor.gjto@omicsonline.org
We hope to hear from you soon.
Please do let me know if you have any further questions, I would be happy to assist you.
Have a nice and healthy day ahead.
With Regards, Robert Williams Journal Coordinator Global Journal of Technology and Optimization Email: editor.gjto@omicsonline.org Website: https://www.omicsonline.com/open-access/global-journal-technology-optimization.php Fax: +1-650-618-1414 Customer Care: +44-2035-1423-46/ +1-650-268-9744 Extenision: +1-702-714-7001(extn 9040)
Registrant Name: SRINUBABU GEDELA Registrant Organization: OMICS International Registrant Street: 5716 Corsa Ave, Registrant Street: Suite 110 Registrant Street: Westlake Registrant City: Los Angeles Registrant State/Province: CA Registrant Postal Code: 91362-7354
A number of businesses also give their address as that same suite number, all with different registratant names and various domain registrars, so it looks to me like it's a mail drop.
OMICS Internationals actually is (was?) so bad the FTC went after them: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/08/ftc-charges-academic-journal-publisher-omics-group-deceived
Oh, and my post is up now: https://graphpaperdiaries.com/2017/04/30/calling-bs-read-along-week-9-predatory-publishing-and-scientific-misconduct/
If you are interested, there is an entire website dedicated to tracking article retractions and general fraud in science (they also have a recent post mentioning the Tumor Biology retractions): http://retractionwatch.com/
ReplyDeleteWhile this is an unfortunate incident, kudos to the journal for identifying the problem and retracting the articles. A much larger problem are the predatory journals who have developed open access articles as a business model. These journals charge a "fee" that covers the cost of publication and makes the articles available for public access. Although they claim to be peer reviewed publications, there is often little to none that occurs and many of the editorial boards include the names of well known scientists who are unaware their names are associated with the journal. I receive about 3-5 emails requesting I submit to these journals every single day. For unscrupulous researchers, these journals essentially let you pay to have papers published that would not pass traditional peer review, allowing them to pad their CV, get tenure, for funding reasons etc. There are, however, many good open access journals from legitimate publishers. It tends to be pretty obvious which ones are questionable.
I'm working on next Sunday's calling bullshit read-along, and it actually is all about predatory publishing and scientific misconduct. Convenient (if disheartening) to get an example from my own field to throw in.
ReplyDeleteOmics online is one of the worst of the bunch. I surprised they did not tell me I also inherited a large sum of money in Nigeria. Here is a good example of their spam emails (note this was taken as is, with odd spacings and all):
ReplyDeleteDear Dr.Douglas I Walker,
Greetings from Global Journal of Technology and Optimization
We are glad to mail an eminent researcher like you.
Hope you are doing well…!
This is a follow up of our previous mail, Being aware of your eminence in the area of Technology & Optimization, we with an immense interest would like to invite a few eminent researchers like you for your valuable contribution for Upcoming issue "Volume 8, Issue 1"
So, here we would like to take the opportunity to ask you regarding writing a Research, Review, Mini Review, (Short commentary of 1 or 2 pages, Perspective or Opinion, Editorial are also invited) based on area of your interest for publishing article for our Global Journal of Technology and Optimization.
If possible, we would appreciate receiving your submission by May 05, 2017. You may submit your manuscript at http://www.editorialmanager.com/engineeringjournals/Default.aspx
or send as an e-mail attachment to editor.gjto@omicsonline.org
We hope to hear from you soon.
Please do let me know if you have any further questions, I would be happy to assist you.
Have a nice and healthy day ahead.
With Regards,
Robert Williams
Journal Coordinator
Global Journal of Technology and Optimization
Email: editor.gjto@omicsonline.org
Website: https://www.omicsonline.com/open-access/global-journal-technology-optimization.php
Fax: +1-650-618-1414
Customer Care: +44-2035-1423-46/ +1-650-268-9744
Extenision: +1-702-714-7001(extn 9040)
Oh, yeah, that was totally written by some guy named Robert Williams.
ReplyDeleteI liked one of the "tells:" the reviewers replied almost immediately, instead of having to be harassed into reviewing the paper.
ReplyDeleteRegistrant Name: SRINUBABU GEDELA
ReplyDeleteRegistrant Organization: OMICS International
Registrant Street: 5716 Corsa Ave,
Registrant Street: Suite 110
Registrant Street: Westlake
Registrant City: Los Angeles
Registrant State/Province: CA
Registrant Postal Code: 91362-7354
A number of businesses also give their address as that same suite number, all with different registratant names and various domain registrars, so it looks to me like it's a mail drop.
OMICS Internationals actually is (was?) so bad the FTC went after them:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/08/ftc-charges-academic-journal-publisher-omics-group-deceived
Oh, and my post is up now:
https://graphpaperdiaries.com/2017/04/30/calling-bs-read-along-week-9-predatory-publishing-and-scientific-misconduct/