Pseudo-scientific journals: Thousands of scientists publish pseudo-scientific journals – Wissen

More than 5,000 German scientists have published articles in scientific journals, according to media reports. Researchers from German universities, institutes and federal authorities have often published publicly funded contributions in worthless online journals of pseudoscientific publishers, according to research by NDR, WDR, the magazine of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and other media. The basic rules of scientific quality badurance would not be respected by these publishers.

According to research, 400,000 researchers around the world are affected. According to media research, the phenomenon of pseudo-scientific publishers, known in recent years, has grown considerably in recent years. Thus, the number of these publications in the world has tripled since 2013, even five times in Germany.

Many universities know the practice – and condemn it

According to reports, publishers use the publication pressure on scientists and send it by e-mail. Individuals publish research results for the payment of partially high fees in these journals available on the Internet. The publishers of these publishers are companies based in South Asia, the Gulf, Africa or Turkey.

Companies claim that research results, like those commonly used internationally, must be submitted to other experienced scientists. However, according to the research, this usually does not happen. On the contrary, submitted studies would often be published in a few days. Therefore, it is not uncommon for questionable studies to be published with an apparently scientific approval seal.

Many scientists have been found to be victims of these fraudulent practices. In other cases, the authors apparently used the services of these publishers for the quick publication of research contributions, without being criticized by their colleagues.

According to the research network, large research companies and German universities explained in principle that they knew the phenomenon. However, they were surprised and condemned the practices of such fake publishers. The Helmholtz badociation called the publishers "an extremely negative and problematic phenomenon of the scientific publication and communication system, against which all legal options must be applied consistently."

Journalists published non-scientific articles on pseudo-publishers

Publishers put "not only the reputation of scientists" at risk, but also "confidence in science itself". The scientists concerned were informed.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft praised media research and said: "Awareness of these unjust practices and their consequences is an important step in stopping such machinations." The research collaboration of NDR, WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung evaluated in its research with the magazine Süddeutsche Zeitung 175,000 published research articles from five of the most important scientific platforms

Reporters from 18 other media, including all ARD – Landing Broadcasters and Deutschlandfunk, as well as "Le Monde" (France), "The New Yorker" (USA), ORF (Austria), "Aftenposten" (Norway), "The Indian Express" (India) and the portal of Korean investigation "Newstapa" ". Participating media reporters have successfully published numerous non-scientific articles on pseudo-agreements and participated in several of their conferences. (AFP)