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Retracted papers originating from paper mills: cross sectional study.
Cristina Candal-Pedreira1,2, Joseph S Ross3,4,5, Alberto Ruano-Ravina1,2,6
1Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|November 28, 2022
Summary
Retracted paper mill publications are rising, with most originating from China and published in a few journals. New detection methods are crucial to combat this growing research misconduct.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Research Integrity
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- Paper mills are a growing source of fraudulent scientific publications.
- Understanding the characteristics and impact of retracted papers from paper mills is essential for maintaining research integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize retracted papers originating from paper mills.
- To analyze their publication trends, visibility, and impact over time.
- To identify the journals publishing these fraudulent papers.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing the Retraction Watch database for paper mill retractions.
- Web of Science data for total published papers and Journal Citation Reports for journal metrics.
- Descriptive statistics to analyze trends, citations, and publication characteristics.
Main Results:
- 1182 retracted paper mill papers were identified between 2004 and 2022.
- These retractions increased significantly, comprising 21.8% of all retractions by 2021.
- Most papers originated from Chinese institutions, were published in a few journals, and received a median of 11 citations.
Conclusions:
- Retracted paper mill publications are an increasing problem in scientific research.
- These papers predominantly originate from China and are concentrated in a limited number of journals.
- Enhanced mechanisms are urgently needed to detect and prevent this form of academic misconduct.
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