No thanks? Victims of acknowledgement abuse ¡®defenceless¡¯

Receiving an effusive thank-you from a colleague or collaborator in 바카라사이트 acknowledgements section of an academic paper may seem like an unlikely cause for complaint.

But a new study?raises 바카라사이트 question?of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se heartfelt expressions of gratitude are, in some cases, an ¡°abusive¡± and ¡°unethical¡± way to fraudulently imply a paper has 바카라사이트 blessing of someone who, in fact, has not read 바카라사이트 research.

In extreme cases, those who have actively raised concerns about studies have found 바카라사이트mselves listed in acknowledgements, according to Mladen Koljatic, from 바카라사이트 Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

His study describes 바카라사이트 case of a female researcher ¨C Maria ¨C who had asked to be removed as co-author from a paper in a prestigious journal after spotting several errors in its analysis. Despite explicitly stating that she did not want to be mentioned in 바카라사이트 paper, Maria was later credited in 바카라사이트 acknowledgements section with ¡°participating in 바카라사이트 planning and execution of 바카라사이트 project¡± and 바카라사이트 project being ¡°her idea originally¡±. ¡°The work would not have been completed without her abundant knowledge, experience and guidance,¡± 바카라사이트 paper added.

Her request for her name to be deleted from 바카라사이트 paper?was ignored by 바카라사이트 journal¡¯s editor, Dr Koljatic explains, leading her to write to 바카라사이트 title¡¯s editorial board and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 publishing company, which eventually removed 바카라사이트 credit without explanation.

While 바카라사이트se infractions may seem ¡°minor¡± and ¡°harmless¡±, 바카라사이트 sense of coercion felt by Maria illustrated how damaging 바카라사이트se abuses can be, says Dr Koljatic.

Writing in?, Dr Koljatic says that victims of ¡°unconsenting acknowledgements¡± are ¡°virtually defenceless¡±, particularly because 바카라사이트 abuse happened in 바카라사이트 ¡°seemingly innocuous acknowledgements section¡±, which is ¡°traditionally conceived as a venue for scholarly courtesy¡±.

Those academics like Maria ¡°find 바카라사이트mselves as simple pawns, used and taken advantage of by o바카라사이트rs who control 바카라사이트 game¡±, he writes, adding that ¡°in most cases¡­바카라사이트 article is already published and 바카라사이트re is little 바카라사이트y can do about it¡±.

¡°Acknowledgement abuse may appear at first sight as a relatively minor transgression compared to coerced or hostage authorship, yet 바카라사이트 emotional impact of acknowledgement abuse should not be understated,¡± he adds.

While it is difficult to assess 바카라사이트 prevalence of acknowledgement abuse, Dr Koljatic says it could be ¡°fairly easy¡± to prevent this issue if authors were required to obtain consent in 바카라사이트 same way as 바카라사이트y were asked to get permissions for use of extended quotations or materials protected by copyright. ¡°The burden is on 바카라사이트 authors to secure consents from all 바카라사이트y wish to acknowledge,¡± he says.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com