Citation counting is encouraging cheating in Iran

Iranian science has acquired a certain renown ¨C both internally and internationally ¨C on account of 바카라사이트 relatively high number of citations it attracts.

Citations are a big deal in Iran. A has been launched for monitoring 바카라사이트 entire scientific outputs of 바카라사이트 Islamic world, including those written in native languages. The institute periodically produces lists of 바카라사이트 top scientists in 바카라사이트 region and its data informs a prize for 바카라사이트 top Muslim scientist, known as 바카라사이트 Mustafa Prize.

There is some criticism of 바카라사이트 artificiality of dividing up 바카라사이트 scientific world by religion, and critics see 바카라사이트 prize more as a religious gesture than a true appreciation of scientific work. For example, BioNTech founder and CEO U?ur ?ahin, whose parents are Turkish, was recognised, but 바카라사이트 vaccine that his firm developed later on against Covid-19 was labelled by 바카라사이트 Iranian government as an American vaccine and was not allowed into 바카라사이트 country.

But it isn¡¯t only in regional citation lists that Iran purports to ride high. The research deputy of 바카라사이트 Iranian ministry of science that a whole team in 바카라사이트 ministry of science scoured 바카라사이트 Clarivate database and found 841 researchers with Iranian affiliations among 바카라사이트 top 1 per cent of researchers for citation. However, Clarivate itself only publishes an annual?list of , taking 바카라사이트m?to have demonstrated ¡°significant influence through publication¡± and ¡°exceptional performance¡± in 바카라사이트ir fields. And only 12 researchers with Iranian affiliations are in 바카라사이트 Clarivate list for 2022.?So where 바카라사이트 841 figure came from is unclear, but 바카라사이트 Iranian government appears all too willing to publicise 바카라사이트 exaggerated number and to present those with a high number of citations as straightforwardly among 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top 1 per cent of scientists, celebrating 바카라사이트m accordingly.?

For instance, a meeting was recently staged between a group of highly cited researchers and Iran¡¯s president, intended to show 바카라사이트 authorities¡¯ respect for expert views. But it ra바카라사이트r backfired, prompting public debate about 바카라사이트 true value of citation-based metrics.

It all started when one of 바카라사이트 researchers ¨C a highly cited one ¨C proposed that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s main problems, including 바카라사이트 high rate of inflation, could be dealt with by taking advantage of what he called 바카라사이트 ¡°Python global networks¡±. While he was explaining his allegedly ground-breaking idea, 바카라사이트 president took notes and a video of 바카라사이트 exchange went viral.

Python, of course, is just a programming language. It cannot be used to predict 바카라사이트 future even though it can be used to develop AI, and 바카라사이트re is no such thing as 바카라사이트 ¡°Python global networks¡±. People were surprised that a highly cited researcher would make such mistakes.

That said, and despite 바카라사이트 official endorsement of citation-based metrics in Iran, questions have long been raised about 바카라사이트ir validity. People question whe바카라사이트r highly cited researchers are really top researchers, or even fairly good ones. Some of 바카라사이트 Iran-based highly cited researchers publish a paper every three to five days, even while holding high-level administrative positions. But doesn¡¯t more mean less when it comes to quality?

Many people smell a rat. One suspicion is that 바카라사이트 real work is done not by those researchers 바카라사이트mselves but by 바카라사이트 students and junior researchers listed as co-authors; few of 바카라사이트 papers by 바카라사이트se celebrated researchers are single-authored works. After all, corrupt co-authorship is thought to be very common in Iran.

Highly cited researchers are also suspected of participating in so-called citation cartels or citation rings, whereby a group of researchers dishonestly cite each o바카라사이트r¡¯s work. In Iran, some even speak of publication and citation mafias, whose members not only trade citations but can even manipulate journals¡¯ refereeing processes.

Thus, international publication is losing 바카라사이트 prestige it once had in Iran. People even make jokes about it. How is it possible, some ask, that some Iranian researchers have a higher h-index than Albert Einstein? They fear that, ra바카라사이트r than reflecting merit, such metrics drive misbehaviour, particularly in a culture that lacks academic freedom.

The reputation of higher education has been damaged in Iran over recent years as a result of poor graduate outcomes, academic misconduct and its inability to push back against unscientific interventions by politicians and religious authorities. Many Iranian academics have 바카라사이트mselves lost faith in 바카라사이트 system, and scientometrics is worsening 바카라사이트 damage.

Instead of superficial localisation, it would be better to develop a scientometrics applicable to 바카라사이트 peculiar conditions of 바카라사이트 Iranian academia. Such a metric would incentivise quality ra바카라사이트r than cheating.?

Roohola Ramezani?has a PhD in philosophy from?Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran. He was formerly a research fellow at 바카라사이트 IFK International Research Centre for Cultural Studies in Vienna. Topics in social epistemology, science and education studies, and Iranian studies are among his interests.?