Siteringsmanipulering

Siteringsmanipulering refers to the practice of artificially inflating or deflating the number of citations an academic or scientific work has received. This can be done by various actors, including authors, publishers, or third-party services, to enhance the perceived impact or credibility of research. Methods employed can range from self-citation or reciprocal citation rings among colleagues to more sophisticated, often illicit, schemes involving fake citation platforms or purchasing citations.

The primary motivation behind siteringsmanipulering is often to improve metrics like the h-index or journal impact factor, which are used in academic evaluations, grant applications, and hiring decisions. This artificial inflation can mislead reviewers and the wider academic community about the true influence and significance of a publication. Conversely, deflation could potentially be used to suppress research or disadvantage competitors, though this is less commonly discussed.

Concerns surrounding siteringsmanipulering stem from its erosion of trust in the scientific record and its potential to distort research evaluation processes. Many academic institutions and publishers have policies in place to detect and address such fraudulent activities, often involving sophisticated analytical tools and peer review scrutiny. Efforts to combat this practice focus on promoting transparent citation practices and robust evaluation methods that are less susceptible to manipulation.