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Evaluation of the professional worth of scientific papers, their citation responding and the publication authority

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry

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There is no idea, though ancient and absurd, that could not enhance our understanding (by P. K. Feyerabend).

Abstract

For the most part, the “publish or perish” paradigm has inevitable implications on the quality of research published because the scientific results are evaluated by quantity and not by quality. The pressure for multiple publication results in creation of so-called predators journals acting without the required peer reviving. Moreover, the citation records of papers do not reflect duly their scientific quality enhancing mere quantity. The growth of sophisticated “push-and-button” apparatuses allows easier preparation of publications while facilitating ready-to-publish data. Articles can thus be compiled by mere combination of different measurements usually without idea what it all is about and to what purpose this may serve. Moreover, any deep-rooted theory which is contravening mainstream executions is not welcome because is breaking the effortless often long-established practice. While the number of publications is clearly a quantitative criterion, much hopes has been placed on citation, which promised to serve well as an adequate measure of the genuine scientific value, i.e., of quality of the scientific work. The impact factor is related to the van’t Hoff law of activity coefficient. The case of Russian publication policy and that of JTAC are particularly examined. JTAC is enlightened by providing basis for new fields of thermal material science which should be recognized as a yet missing impact.

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Acknowledgements

The present work was supported by Institutional Research Plan of Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i., No. AV0Z1010052 and developed at its Join Research Laboratory with the New Technologies Centre of the University of West Bohemia in Pilzen (the CENTEM project, Reg. No. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/03.0088 that is co-funded from the ERDF as a part of the MEYS—Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports OP RDI Program and, in the follow-up sustainability stage supported through the CENTEM PLUS LO 1402). The paper is based on a long-lasting honest letter-friendship of J. Fiala with E. Garfield. Deep thanks are due to the cooperation with J. J. Mareš, P. Hubík and V. Špička (Institute of Physics), M. Holeček and P. Holba+ (West Bohemian University), J. Leitner (University of Chemical Technology in Prague), J. Málek and P. Šulcová (University Pardubice), V. M. Novotortsev and Ju.G. Metlin (Academy and University, Moscow), J. Simon, G. Liptay, I. M. Szilágyi and A. Kállay-Menyhárd (Budapest University of Technology and Economics), N. Koga (Hiroshima University in Japan) and P. Šimon (Technical University in Bratislava).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Technology-Research Centre in the Westbohemian Region, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitní 8, 30114, Pilsen, Czech Republic

    Jaroslav Šesták & Jaroslav Fiala

  2. Division of Solid-State Physics, Institute of Physics, v.v.i, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Cukrovarnická 10, 16200, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jaroslav Šesták

  3. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of RAS, Leninsky Prospect, 31, Moscow, Russia, 119991

    Konstantin S. Gavrichev

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  1. Jaroslav Šesták
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  2. Jaroslav Fiala
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  3. Konstantin S. Gavrichev
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Correspondence to Jaroslav Šesták.

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Šesták, J., Fiala, J. & Gavrichev, K.S. Evaluation of the professional worth of scientific papers, their citation responding and the publication authority. J Therm Anal Calorim 131, 463–471 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-017-6178-7

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