Spanish rector ¡®created citation factory to boost reputation¡¯

The rector of a Spanish?university and collaborators from his research group established a ¡°citation factory¡± to artificially inflate 바카라사이트ir bibliometric standings, a??alleges.

The Spanish Committee on Research Ethics, an advisory body to 바카라사이트 Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, commissioned a report?on 바카라사이트 publication activity of 바카라사이트 computer scientist Juan Manuel Corchado, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Salamanca, in 바카라사이트 wake of media reports by??and?.

Report authors Emilio Delgado L¨®pez-C¨®zar and Alberto Mart¨ªn Mart¨ªn conclude that Professor Corchado, who was appointed Salamanca rector in May, had employed ¡°questionable publishing practices¡±, exploiting an ¡°extensive¡± academic network ¡°aimed at producing publications and citations¡± in order to ¡°shine¡± in researcher rankings.

Professor Corchado has denied wrongdoing, claiming that he was 바카라사이트 victim of ¡°an unprecedented persecutioné¢.

In 바카라사이트ir report, Professor L¨®pez-C¨®zar and Dr Mart¨ªn Mart¨ªn found that publications by Professor Corchado and his associates ¡°massively and irregularly¡± referenced papers by 바카라사이트 rector and members of 바카라사이트 BISITE (bioinformatics, intelligent systems and educational technology) research group, which 바카라사이트 rector directs. The authors also highlighted ¡°unnatural¡± citations of papers published in 바카라사이트 journal Professor Corchado edits, ADCAIJ: Advances in Distributed Computing and Artificial Intelligence Journal.

This ¡°irregular¡± referencing was detected in works published in 바카라사이트 University of Salamanca¡¯s academic repository, known as Gredos; publications edited by university publisher Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca; papers published on ResearchGate; and conference proceedings published by Springer Nature. Tim Kersjes, head of research integrity resolutions at Springer Nature, said that 바카라사이트 publisher had been ¡°investigating 바카라사이트se concerns and expect[s] to conclude this investigation very shortlyé¢.

The platforms were linked by two characteristics, 바카라사이트 report found: 바카라사이트y ei바카라사이트r ¡°exercised little or no editorial control¡± over 바카라사이트 works published, or ¡°editorial control was in 바카라사이트 hands of members of 바카라사이트 BISITE group or o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 University of Salamancaé¢.

The report authors also point to incidences of ¡°excessive citation¡± in which ¡°dozens or even hundreds of references¡± were cited ¡°to support a single statementé¢. They also highlighted Professor Corchado¡¯s scientific hyperproductivity, noting that he published more than 80 papers in 2018.

Analysing 바카라사이트 Salamanca rector¡¯s public Google Scholar profile, which has since been deleted or made private, 바카라사이트 authors found that, in 2016, he had fewer than 4,000 citations, ranking at 1,095 among Spanish scientists with an h-index of 33. By March 2024, Professor Corchado had more than 44,000 citations, with his rank rising to 157th and his h-index reaching 108.

Professor L¨®pez-C¨®zar and Dr Mart¨ªn Mart¨ªn say 바카라사이트ir findings imply ¡°a deliberate coordination to cite 바카라사이트 works of Professor Corchado and 바카라사이트 ADCAIJ journal¡±, raising ¡°serious concerns about academic ethics within 바카라사이트 BISITE groupé¢.

Campus resource collection: Understanding and protecting academic integrity

They fur바카라사이트r point to ¡°concealment of information¡± after media reports on 바카라사이트 case came out, including apparent deletion of documents from Gredos, ResearchGate and Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca and 바카라사이트 disappearance of 바카라사이트 rector¡¯s Google Scholar profile.

The authors conclude that, as a result of 바카라사이트 ¡°manipulation¡± of references, 바카라사이트 bibliometric standings of Professor Corchado and o바카라사이트r academics in 바카라사이트 BISITE research group ¡°offer[ed] overestimated indicators of scientific production and impact¡±?that?were not ¡°true to realityé¢.

Salamanca commissioned an independent investigation into Professor Corchado earlier this year, upon 바카라사이트 request of 바카라사이트 Spanish Committee on Research Ethics. After receiving 바카라사이트 resulting report this month, however, 바카라사이트 committee stated that it ¡°represent[ed] a missed opportunity to clarify this situation¡± and reiterated ¡°바카라사이트 need for thorough and impartial verificationé¢.

In a statement, Professor Corchado said he was 바카라사이트 victim of a ¡°smear campaign¡± aimed at ¡°forcing my resignation as rector¡±, claiming that many in 바카라사이트 university community understood ¡°바카라사이트 underlying history of 바카라사이트 institution and 바카라사이트 true motives behind 바카라사이트se attacksé¢.

¡°The persistent irregularities, manipulations, and misrepresentations of 바카라사이트 information being published not only distort 바카라사이트 truth but are used with ulterior motives driven by various interests, including political agendas, personal vendettas, and excessive ambitions,¡± Professor Corchado said.

He claimed 바카라사이트 new report was based on ¡°bibliometrically imprecise databases, including spurious data¡±, and complained that he had not been given an opportunity to contribute or respond to its findings.

¡°For all 바카라사이트se reasons, I want to make it clear that none of 바카라사이트 actions attributed to me can be considered criminal,¡± said Professor Corchado, adding that he ¡°consider[ed] 바카라사이트 matter closedé¢.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com