Sometimes when you are just a junior in a team , a senior takes your paper in the context of reviewing and publishes it with himself / herself as the first and corresponding author. What can or should be done?
If your own data and material has been taken and published without inclusion of your name then it is a sheer case of plagiarism. If you want to take action against such fellow, then simply write to the authority where he/she is working and provide proof for the same. Certainly action is granted under such cases. Also inform the Chief editor of the journal about the same, it will be a case of conflict of interest and plagiarism. You have to be very attentive and responsive if you want action against such fellow.
Recently I have taken action against such fellows. They felt sorry for the same and their one of the paper has been retracted (Elsevier,Desalination Journal). Result of second paper is awaiting, probably it will also be get retracted (Wiley publications).
All the best!
This happens but rarely. First of all ascertain that if you take any action against you senior it will not hamper your future.
Still if you want to take action against the senior inform the authority first. In your next publication try to cite the hijacked paper simultaneously pointing out that it was your paper which was stolen by your senior and published in his name. You can post his name in various social and scientific media. You can also take legal action but believe me nothing happens.
I know of a scientist whose book review was published in a reputed journal and was severely criticised for plagiarism. The publisher burnt all the copies of the book. In spite of all these, that scientist later became director of an institute.
Learn from your experiences and be careful in future.
Thank you so much sir.
I, now, realise that not all researchers go to great positions by dint of own labour. Behind their success might lie exploitation of subordinates.
Yes not applicable to all but definitely to a few. I still believe that majority are good.
Hi,
In the presentation of the problem you mentioned the fact that the senior researcher took the paper and published it as a "first and corresponding author"'.Were there more authors signed to this paper, or was he the only author publishing the paper ?
A guide published a paper from the Ph D thesis without the knowledge of the scholar. The first author was the guide and the scholar's name was in the second position.
A reviewer published a new non flowering plant species in his name. He had received the manuscript from the editor of a journal for review.
If your own data and material has been taken and published without inclusion of your name then it is a sheer case of plagiarism. If you want to take action against such fellow, then simply write to the authority where he/she is working and provide proof for the same. Certainly action is granted under such cases. Also inform the Chief editor of the journal about the same, it will be a case of conflict of interest and plagiarism. You have to be very attentive and responsive if you want action against such fellow.
Recently I have taken action against such fellows. They felt sorry for the same and their one of the paper has been retracted (Elsevier,Desalination Journal). Result of second paper is awaiting, probably it will also be get retracted (Wiley publications).
All the best!
Dear Mahesh,
Thank you sharing the information. About the new species I should tell you that the original author sensed something and immediately published it in another journal before the influential reviewer could publish.
Thus Ghost authors are also there in the research arena of science.
Dear Subir,
I like the term" ghost author" that you used. Perhaps, this is how such plagiarists should be identified in the future for others to see and stay away from.
Ghost author: author of a book or paper without any contribution.
Here Amrita's manuscript has been published by her senior either without her knowledge or by not giving her first authorship and privileged of the corresponding author.
This is very unethical! Report it to the ethics committee of your department or institution. Such 'senior' members just defeat the rigor and independency of scientific progression and deserves to be punished.
Personally, I would rather advice you to work solo or work with your hard working colleagues or students even if they are now maturing in research. This would aid you develop rather than aligning yourself with 'academic thieves' who parade themselves as 'seniors'!
"Ghost authors" are so powerful that you can hardly do any thing.Many good workers have suffered,are suffering but hope that in near future such cases will be minimised.
Thanks to the RG
A letter to the Editor in Chief.
or the corresponding author.
are options. to add your contributions in the future or a corrigendum in the Journal .
We can send a letter to Editor in Chief stated that the particular author used your work for their identity. If they are not responded you can directly give complaint to that person affiliated Institution/ University
In my view you can simple email chief editor about it and he/she will take strict action against it.
You can't blame everyone for that but yes such persons and case do exist.
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