TOKYO — It has emerged that some researchers are selling their skills online to willing buyers in academic fields. An instructor at a private university in east Japan’s Kanto region recently spoke to the Mainichi Shimbun about her experience using one such service to buy a researcher’s help to complete a published academic paper.
An interesting reflection on the research integrity implications of technical experts selling their expertise online. Should they be acknowledged in research outputs? Can they be trusted? What are the responsibilities of researchers? What if they are doing this anonymously? A simple but thought-provoking case.
She joined the university’s medicine department in 2018. While she has extensive experience working in the medical field, the woman had little experience when it came to writing academic papers. She turned to a professor in her department for help in researching and writing them. But she was refused, and told, “I don’t get money from you, so don’t think I’ll be teaching you.”