More than 5,000 German scientists have published their work in at least one predatory journal, internet platform, or conference, according to a joint report released today (July 19) by NDR and several other German news organizations. Predatory publishers exert limited, if any, editorial oversight of the content they produce, the report finds, and may charge authors—many of whom are supported by public funding—exorbitant prices for the opportunity.
The rise of predatory journals is a “disaster for science,” psychologist and University of Heidelberg ombudsman Joachim Funke tells NDR. “It allows unchecked claims to be promulgated and made to look like science.”
During the 9-month investigation, a consortium of reporters from multiple organizations scanned 175,000 scientific articles published on five of the most prominent predatory platforms. The journalists found that in many cases, scientists appeared to have been tricked into using the systems, paying high fees in return for publication of their ...
