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the claim
Academic journals can artificially inflate their impact factor through specific editorial practices
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
3 sources for · 0 against

Academic journals and editors can manipulate citation metrics and editorial policies to artificially enhance their impact factors.

Evidence for · 3
The ethics of peer and editorial requests for self-citation of their work and journal.
2017 · cited by 13
Paper [0] discusses how editors and peer reviewers can exert pressure or make requests to artificially boost journal citations.
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The analysis

The retrieved papers provide robust bibliometric and ethical evidence demonstrating that journals engage in practices like coordinated citation cartels, forced self-citations, and strategic publication of editorials to artificially inflate their impact factors. No papers refute the claim.

More for · 2
Detecting anomalous citation groups in journal networks.
2021 · cited by 10
Paper [1] demonstrates how journals form citation cartels to coordinate and artificially inflate impact factors.
Comparison of journal and top publisher self-citation rates in COVID-19 research.
2024 · cited by 2
Paper [6] shows that specific editorial materials and publishing practices contribute to inflating journal impact factors.
The paper trail · every fact has a biography
first checked04 Aug 2026
judged → SUPPORTED · 8204 Aug 2026
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