Charles Darwin’s discoveries about natural selection shaped more than just our understanding of biology. They also laid the groundwork for today’s scientific publishing enterprise. Researchers are under immense strain in a “publish or perish” culture. This pressure creates opportunities for positive and negative outcomes alike. The changing landscape of scientific careers, mentorship, and research publication bias pose added challenges that need to be addressed.
Darwin’s research on parasitic wasps, which inject their eggs into the caterpillars, is a perfect illustration of the amoral forces of selection pressures. These pressures are echoed in the scientific community, where journals themselves are ranked by their “impact factor” and “journal rank.” Unfortunately, these types of metrics decide the fate of numerous scientists, determining their job security and directing their paper publishing methods.
The Training Ground for Scientists
Scientific careers have traditionally started with years of “apprenticeship” style, one-on-one training. Experienced scientists mentor new students, sharing their approaches and methodologies. This apprenticeship model is critical in transmitting knowledge, skills, and ethical standards necessary to pursue conduct research.
Yet the pernicious pressure to publish warps what should be a nurturing mentoring relationship. So the most successful scientists might train dozens of graduate students, giving them a leg up on scientific accomplishment and achievement. On the other hand, those who pursue bad strategies will more likely be saying an unfortunate goodbye to their professional selves in premature career obits. This imbalance highlights the importance of effective mentorship in navigating the evolving landscape of scientific publishing.
This mentoring process actively determines how the field’s researchers learn about and participate in publication practices. As students aspire to follow in the footsteps of their mentors, they take on their mentors’ views on what constitutes ethical behavior in research and publication. Accompanying this values transmission is the practice of strengthening integrity in scientific inquiry.
The Impact of “Publish or Perish” Culture
“Citation cartels help some mathematicians and their universities climb rankings.” – Science.org
This highly contestable manipulation of the facts damages the integrity of the entire academic publishing model and the value of research outputs. The impact goes far past specific careers, though, striking at the heart of how trustworthy scientific literature is as a whole.
Challenges in Scientific Publishing
Beyond citation cartels, new bad faith practices are pockmarking the field of scientific publishing. Paper mills churn out thousands of low-quality manuscripts, and mass retractions have swept the field in the wake of fake science produced by these operations. These problems contribute to a toxic atmosphere that undermines even the most earnest attempts at good science.
The development of models that allow for open-access has only made the landscape more confusing. Though these platforms help democratize access to research, they too cause additional selection pressure onto journals. While some journals try to use their status to profit from their popularity, others rush to adjust and keep pace with the shifting environment.
As Darwin’s own studies demonstrated, selection is harshly inescapable, and yet, wholly amoral. In this precarious environment, journals continue to operate within a troubled and often exploitative ecosystem. Unlike many traditional organizations, their success depends on their reputation and ability to rapidly pivot.