Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences is retracting a 2012 paper on a “model approach” to e-learning that well, was anything but a model approach to scientific publishing.
The article, “Implications of E-learning systems and self-efficiency on students outcomes: a model approach,” was written by Tanzila Saba, who has been affiliated with institutions in Malaysia and Pakistan.
According to the retraction notice:
Retraction note – plagiarism Saba, T. (2012). Implications of E-Learning Systems and Self-Efficiency on Students Outcomes: A Model Approach. Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences, 2(6) doi:10.1186/2192-1962-2-6 It was brought to our attention that the Saba paper did not cite a key source paper: Eom, S. B. (2011). Relationships among E-Learning Systems and E-Learning Outcomes: A Path Analysis Model Human Systems Management, 30(4), 229-241. In addition there are unacceptable similarities in the data and text appearing in the paper to those published in the abovementioned Eom paper. This is a violation of publication ethics which according to the Springer Policy on Publishing Integrity warrants a retraction of the article and a notice to this effect to be published in the journal.
Once again we see double standards.
Rules are applied strictly (as it should be) towards authors from developing countries, while nothing (except active cover up) is done for authors from certain institutions in develop countries.
In fact, such double standards erode credibility of editors, journals, publishers, institutions, and ultimately the whole system.
IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE, not a cosmetic one, but complete OVERHAUL which includes all of the above mentioned!