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VOLUME 1, YEAR 2025

  Letter to the Editor     2025  
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Comments on: The Rise of Predatory Journals and Authorships for Sale: An Alarming Situation for Research Culture with Far-Reaching Consequences

By Sania Pirzada

Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences, Gambat, Pakistan
doi: 10.29271/jcpsppg.2025.01.153


I am taking this opportunity to express my appreciation for your recent publication highlighting the alarming surge in fraudulent research papers.1 This trend indeed poses a serious and escalating threat, and I commend you for not only articulating the problem but also suggesting possible solutions. Your insightful commentary on this troubling issue aligns with many of us who are committed to curbing the proli- feration of false research. Thank you for drawing attention to this alarming trend and for being a catalyst for much-needed dialogue.

Let me add a few thoughts to this matter. It seems that one of the leading contributors to this troubling trend is not the lack of availability but the absence of expert guidance for researchers.

This critical matter requires scholars and educators’ urgent attention, as this problem is strongly associated with ineffective supervision and inadequate mentorship provided by senior members of the research community. In many cases, senior research supervisors under whom juniors work may either lack adequate skills or be too busy to offer solid direction, thereby increasing the possibility of poor-quality research.

In addition, some senior researchers may inadvertently foster this practice, thus creating an environment in which junior researchers feel compelled to conform to this culture. However, this trend needs to be addressed, and we need to understand how adequate mentorship is necessary to encourage juniors to create quality pieces of work.

Moreover, instructors who teach research methodologies often limit their engagement with students only to the period of the lesson. Afterwards, they become unapproachable, only to be available with an attitude of “don’t bother me unless you come to Karachi and ask in person.” This phenomenon poses a significant challenge to scholars from remote areas of Sindh, who lack the means or resources  to  travel  to  cities.

In addition, researchers often need guidance to meet the standards of a particular academic publication in terms of formatting and style. Nonetheless, when manuscripts are rejected because of language deficiencies, grammatical error, or formatting issues, it can be demotivating for entry-level researchers. Therefore, instead of direct rejection, the editors should assist them through helpful comments and supportive solutions. Each university should designate a research assistant/officer who is physically available in the office to provide guidance and consultations to researchers.

As a closing statement, cubing the issue of fraudulent research papers calls for strategic prioritisation of mentorship, aid, and research accessibility. When we provide adequate mentorship and efficient teamwork, we will enable researchers to conduct meaningful and high-quality work in their fields of study.

COMPETING  INTEREST:
The  author  declared  no  conflict  of  interest.

AUTHOR’S  CONTRIBUTION:
SP: Contribution to the conception and drafting the work and final  approval  of  the  version  to  be  published.

REFERENCE

  1. Seemee S. The rise of predatory journals and authorships for sale: An alarming situation for research culture with far-reaching consequences. JCPSP Postgrad 2025; 1(1):2-3. doi: 10.29271/jcpsp.2025.07.02.

Authors Reply Section

By Shabana Seemee

Affiliations

  1. Shabana Seemee, Department of Publications, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan


AUTHOR’S REPLY

Thank you so much for your kind appreciation and for sharing your insightful reflections. Indeed, we agree with your valuable observation that the issue of fraudulent and non-authentic publications cannot be addressed solely by raising aware- ness; rather, it requires adequate mentorship and scholarly guidance for early-career researchers. The absence of effective supervision and academic mentorship indeed contributes significantly to the production of poor-quality research. Moreover, you highlighted a critical factor by discussing the role of senior faculty members and research supervisors in shaping an ethical research culture.

However, I would like to respectfully clarify two points you mentioned. First, while challenges in supervision and access to mentorship certainly exist, I believe it would not be fair to generalise that research instructors or mentors are un- approachable or hard to reach after formal teaching sessions. Across various institutions, many supervisors and senior faculty members—virtually or in person—actively guide, review, and mentor their trainees throughout the research process.

Secondly, regarding manuscript rejection, editorial decisions are rarely based on language deficiencies alone. For effective communication, clarity and language quality are important, but manuscripts are mostly judged on their scientific merit, ethical soundness, originality, and methodological rigour. In most cases, authors are advised to revise or seek language assistance when required, rather than being rejected solely for grammatical or formatting reasons.
 

Once again, I am deeply grateful for your engagement with this subject. Meaningful debate such as this is crucial for fostering dialogue on enhancing research standards in the academic community.