Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania
Curriculum Vitae Ombudsperson agendaRetraction Watch reports that the academic publisher “Sage” has announced the retraction of 416 articles from the “Journal of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems” (JIFS). This marks the second large-scale retraction in this journal, following the removal of over 450 publications in August 2023. This situation once again highlights the challenges in scholarly publishing, particularly regarding opaque peer review practices and unethical publication processes.
According to the publisher, the retracted articles exhibited citation and referencing inconsistencies, incoherent or unrelated content, and unverified authors and reviewers. “Sage” acknowledged that these issues were not detected in time during the editorial and peer review process. Such cases underscore the need to enhance transparency in academic publishing, strengthen independent peer review systems, and combat so-called “paper mills” – entities that mass-produce low-quality or fabricated research papers.
Automated detection tools, such as the “Problematic Paper Screener” (PPS), play a key role in identifying questionable publications. This algorithm, using the “Retraction Watch” database, flags papers citing previously retracted research. PPS creator Guillaume Cabanac has noted that this new influx of data will further improve “Feet of Clay”, a tool designed to detect academic misconduct. Currently, “Feet of Clay” has identified 716 problematic JIFS publications.
“Sage” acknowledged that concerns about this journal were known even before acquiring the publishing rights from “IOS Press”, the former publisher of JIFS. However, “Sage” now emphasizes its ongoing efforts to ensure that all its journals meet high academic publishing standards and comply with the “Committee on Publication Ethics” (COPE) guidelines.
This case once again reinforces the urgent need for stricter oversight of research publications, the promotion of responsible academic practices, and the implementation of ethical research standards. Technological solutions, such as AI-driven publication screening tools, are becoming increasingly important in ensuring the transparency, credibility, and ethical integrity of scientific research.
The Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania highlights that transparent and responsible academic publishing is a fundamental factor in maintaining public trust in science and its impact on society.
Source: Sage journal retracts another 400 papers – Retraction Watch
Translated by Gabrielė Dambrauskaitė