The journal Tumor Biology is retracting 107 research papers after discovering that the authors faked the peer review process. This isn’t the journal’s first rodeo. Late last year, 58 papers were retracted from seven different journals— 25 came from Tumor Biology for the same reason. It’s possible to fake peer review because authors are often asked to suggest potential reviewers for their own papers. This is done because research subjects are often blindingly niche; a researcher working in a sub-sub-field may be more aware than the journal editor of who is best-placed to assess the work. But some journals go further and request, or allow, authors to submit the contact details of these potential reviewers. If the editor isn’t aware of the potential for a scam, they then merrily send the requests for review out to fake e-mail addresses, often using the names of actual researchers. And at the other end of the fake e-mail address is someone who’s in on the game and happy to send in a friendly review. https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/04/107-cancer-papers-retracted-due-to-peer-review-fraud/https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/04/107-cancer-papers-retracted-due-to-peer-review-fraud/ 107 articles from just one publication, then how many are actually good articles across the spectrum of science...How much of this is about getting your name recognized or politics?
