Using Bibliometrics to Detect Unconventional Authorship Practices and Examine Their Impact on Global Research Metrics, 2019-2023

Abstract

Between 2019 and 2023, sixteen universities increased their research output by over fifteen times the global average, alongside significant changes in authorship dynamics (e.g., decreased first authorship, rise in hyperprolific authors, increased multi-affiliations, and increased authors per publication rate). Using bibliometric methods, this study detected patterns suggesting a reliance on unconventional authorship practices, such as gift, honorary, and sold authorship, to inflate publication metrics. The study underscores the need for reforms by universities, policymakers, funding agencies, ranking agencies, accreditation bodies, scholarly publishers, and researchers to maintain academic integrity and ensure the reliability of global ranking systems.