London, UK, 2025-09-20
A groundbreaking new study by an international team of researchers has exposed a rampant, organized system of fraud within commercial mathematics publishing. The report, commissioned by the German Mathematical Society and the International Mathematical Union (IMU), reveals that the pressure to publish and a heavy reliance on non-transparent commercial metrics have created an environment ripe for deception. The findings point to a disturbing trend where “paper mills” and “citation cartels” are producing a flood of fraudulent and often meaningless research papers, undermining the integrity of the entire scientific field. The study has sent shockwaves through the academic community, raising questions about the trustworthiness of research and the need for systemic reform.
The “Culture of Numbers” and its Consequences
The study, led by Professor Ilka Agricola of the University of Marburg, argues that the root cause of the problem is a “culture of numbers” that prioritizes commercial metrics over scientific content. Universities and research institutions have become increasingly reliant on commercial databases like Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports (JCR) to evaluate researchers. These metrics, which are not transparent and are not vetted by the scientific community, have become the main currency for career progression, grants, and prestige.
* “Megajournals”: The study highlights the rise of “megajournals,” which publish anything as long as the authors pay a fee. These journals now publish more articles per year than all reputable mathematics journals combined. The report cites a shocking example where a commercial database ranked a university in Taiwan as having the most world-class researchers in mathematics, despite the fact that the university does not even offer mathematics as a subject.
* Paper Mills and Citation Cartels: The investigation found evidence of “paper mills,” which sell fabricated papers to researchers, and “citation cartels,” where academics agree to cite each other’s work to artificially inflate their metrics. These services are offered anonymously online, with prices for articles and citations ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The report describes these networks as “criminal organizations” that have invaded the “ecosystem” of scientific publishing.
The Collateral Damage of Fraud
The consequences of this widespread fraud are far-reaching and pose a serious threat to the integrity of science. The study warns of several forms of collateral damage, including the publication of a high percentage of papers that contain no new scientific findings or are even flawed.
* Erosion of Trust: The report warns that the proliferation of fake science undermines trust in the scientific community and can lead to bad research practices being adopted by younger generations of researchers.
* Wasted Resources: Fraudulent research can lead to a significant waste of resources, as researchers may unknowingly base their work on fabricated data. This can be especially dangerous in fields like medicine, where faulty research could lead to erroneous clinical decisions.
* A Call for Change: In response to the study’s findings, the German Mathematical Society and the IMU have issued a series of recommendations. These include moving away from commercial metrics and relying on expert-led assessments, endorsing good journals, and encouraging better publishing practices. The recommendations are a call to action for the entire scientific community to work towards a “system change.”
The study concludes that the problem of fraudulent publishing in mathematics is no longer a fringe phenomenon and can no longer be ignored. It serves as a stark warning to the entire scientific community that the integrity of research is at risk and that urgent action is needed to restore the public’s trust in science.
