[OSGeo-Discuss] Journal editors - please share summary statistics

[Suchith Anand]

Hi Patrick,


I agree that this is a difficult issue . Almost everyone involved in editing/reviewing a scientific journal today is aware of this problem, but what steps are we taking to reduce this?


I am requesting all  Chief Editors of Scientific journals in GIS to share data for the last three years . Even if for any reason they are not able to disclose details of individual papers , they can atleast share the summary statistics of  dubious submissions they received. Only once we know the true scale of the problem, then we can plan effective steps to rectify this. One journal or organisation alone cannot do anything meaningful  to solve this. It needs the joint working of everyone. There will be lot of pressure from  vested interests , but I am requesting all colleagues to not bow to any pressures.


First,  it is important that GIS scientific and professional organisations take strong moral stand against taking sponsorship for scholarly publications from all GIS vendors . Independent peer review system is the fundamental aspect of science. So I am humbly requesting all Scientific organisations to  not use   any GIS vendor controlled press for publishing scholarly outputs (edited books etc)  .


Science is not a commodity to be marketed or sold by any vendor owners! I am very sad and disappointed to see this degrading of science happening. Scientific organisations should not endorse any specific vendor products etc as “Science” and take strong moral stand against  marketing of products as “Science’ by any vendor owners!


As Educators and Scientists , I believe we cannot sit silently. Because if we turn a blind eye on this issue, it will affect the  GIS discipline’s credibility  for the future.


Independent peer review is the fundamental aspect of science and we need to ensure all steps to protect this.


Best wishes,


Suchith



________________________________
From: Patrick Hogan <phogan99 at yahoo.com>
Sent: 18 July 2018 18:28
To: Suchith Anand; discuss at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: RE: [OSGeo-Discuss] Journal editors - please share summary statistics


Suchith,



I for one dearly appreciate the sentiment and intent of your carefully expressed concerns. This issue needs to be identified and described as you are doing so well!



We need this discussion to be qualitative, yet examples of the good, the bad and the ugly will certainly help to guide that discussion. And I too feel that we are losing ground by putting an open source veneer around enormous profit-machines’ products. This certainly doesn’t get us any closer to the sustainable world we need.



If humanity is to have a brighter future, technology must operate with a more collective spirit. Progress in this area will be rather difficult, given the entrenched nature of the profit machine and its gate-keeper mentality.



Thank you for initiating this discussion.

-Patrick Hogan



From: Discuss <discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org> On Behalf Of Suchith Anand
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 11:31 PM
To: discuss at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] Journal editors - please share summary statistics


Dear colleagues,

It has come to my attention that there is rapid increase in low quality and dubious submissions send to all journals. This is a global problem that needs a coordinated effort to help solve.  With the rapid increase in lot of low quality and dubious  submissions to all journals , it is important that all professional and scientific organisations are careful in this .


My humble suggestion and request is that all  GIS professional organisations should avoid  taking any sponsorship or royalty for scholarly publications (books, journals etc) from any GIS vendors . If a professional association takes sponsorship for any scholarly publication (edited books etc)  from any GIS vendor and agrees to publish it through the vendor’s press then there is potential issues with independent peer review and ensuring scientific quality. It is only natural that any GIS vendor publication press to have vested interests in promoting their products and  agenda. It also makes it easy for the vendor to get endorsement for their  products from scientific and professional organisations using this route.


By taking sponsorship for scholarly publications (edited books etc)  from any vendors , it will then become difficult for the Professional Organisations to take strong moral  stand against low quality and dubious submissions for other journals .Especially in times we are seeing increase in fake scientific articles submissions etc, it is important to  have clear guidelines for any sponsorship.

I am happy to work on a Open Letter to highlight this issue but will need help from the wider community. If you are a journal editor, it will be very helpful, if you can share the statistics of how many  articles that you have identified in the last three years that are problem and you have rejected .It will be helpful to share examples of these (removing author details etc) , so the wider community is aware of the problem and can take steps to help reduce the problem in the future.


Best wishes,

Suchith







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