Local "academic" Dr Olivia Doll — also known as Staffordshire terrier Ollie — sits on the editorial boards of seven international medical journals and has just been asked to review a research paper on the management of tumours.
Her impressive curriculum vitae lists her current role as senior lecturer at the Subiaco College of Veterinary Science and past associate of the Shenton Park Institute for Canine Refuge Studies — which is code for her earlier life in the dog refuge.
Ollie's owner, veteran public health expert Mike Daube, decided to test how carefully some journals scrutinised their editorial reviewers, by inventing Dr Doll and making up her credentials.
The five-year-old pooch has managed to dupe a range of publications specialising in drug abuse, psychiatry and respiratory medicine into appointing her to their editorial boards.
Dr Doll has even been fast-tracked to the position of associate editor of the Global Journal of Addiction and Rehabilitation Medicine.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 27 2017, @01:57PM (2 children)
Not many journals can afford to be discriminating. This was always true, but probably more so now when anyone can start one on the web.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Saturday May 27 2017, @04:48PM (1 child)
How do you figure? Research journal business models are basically pure profit. Any trashy dime-store magazine would kill to have such low overhead, and the cost of a subscription is usually outlandish.
The papers they publish costs them nothing, the authors may even have to pay to submit them.
The peer review is all done by volunteers - who as this article demonstrates are often not even minimally vetted.
Editing of scientific papers is basically unethical, at best they get a proof-reading.
That leaves what, layout and printing itself that they have to pay for?
(Score: 2) by cafebabe on Sunday May 28 2017, @03:37PM
And when they discover that "Dr. Olivia Doll" has recieved the best vetinarian care, they're no longer interested in collaboration.
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