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Avoiding paper mills as an author

Paper mills are currently a pervasive problem in scholarly publishing. These fraudulent organisations attempt to exploit authors’ need and desire to publish by selling authorship on fabricated or poor quality manuscripts for a fee. It might be tempting to use a paper mill for the short-term gain, but it is never worth it. This short course for researchers covers what paper mills are and why they are a problem for the scientific literature, why someone might consider using them, the negative consequences of using them, and better alternatives for situations in which research has gone wrong. 


 english+C

time     Author resourse © SPRINGERNATURE 2025

English

20 minutesAuthor Resources

Who should take this course

This course has been written for researchers at the early stages of their career, particularly those who have not yet published extensively. However, it may be useful for anyone who is involved in the publishing process, especially those under pressure to publish.

About this course

Paper mills are fraudulent companies which create plagiarised, AI-generated or otherwise fake manuscripts and sell authorship. Their only goal is to generate as much profit as possible. There can be serious consequences for anyone who uses them, as well as damage to the scholarly record. This course enables researchers to be aware of the problem, identify the signs of a problematic paper mill offer, understand the consequences that can arise from using one, and consider other options to retain the integrity of their reputation

What you will learn in this course

This course provides an overview of the publishing process as it normally would be, an outline of what paper mills are and the ways in which they are a problem for individuals who use them, their reputation, and the scholarly record as a whole. It also provides guidance for spotting signs of a fraudulent paper mill offer and suggests alternatives for situations where a publication is needed but the research has not gone as planned. 

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