Citation Manipulation

 

Citation manipulation involves adding, requesting, removing, or organizing references for inappropriate purposes, particularly when the practice is intended to artificially influence citation counts, bibliometric indicators, journal metrics, or perceived academic impact. Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) expects all citations and references to reflect genuine scholarly relevance and to support transparent, responsible academic communication.

Examples of Citation Manipulation

Inappropriate citation practices may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Adding irrelevant references solely to increase citation counts.
  • Coercing authors to cite particular publications without legitimate academic relevance.
  • Excessive and unjustified self-citation.
  • Excessive citation of articles from a particular journal without scholarly justification.
  • Coordinated citation practices intended primarily to manipulate metrics.
  • Removing relevant references solely to alter citation patterns.
Responsible Referencing

References should be selected based on relevance, credibility, scientific quality, and their contribution to the argument or analysis. Authors, reviewers, and editors involved in Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) should not manipulate citations for personal, institutional, or journal-level benefit. Citation recommendations must be justified by their genuine relevance to the manuscript.

Assessment and Possible Actions

Suspected citation manipulation may be assessed by the Editorial Office based on the context, relevance of the references, and available evidence. Depending on the circumstances, Journal of Decision Support Systems and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (JODESMA) may request clarification, require appropriate revisions, reject a manuscript, or take further action when inappropriate citation practices are identified after publication.