In 2003, Public Choice published an article single-authored by BSF with the title "Publishing as Prostitution? – Choosing between One’s Own Ideas and Academic Success". In 2005, the European Journal on Law and Economics published almost the same article by the same author - only the title ("Problems with Publishing: Existing State and Solutions"), the first sentence, and the conclusion differ. A third version of the paper has been published in German in Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik ("Publizieren als Prostitution", 2004), but it cites at least the Public Choice article, as the other article had not been published at that time.

The two articles are largely identical. The Public Choice article is shorter, sentences and paragraphs have obviously been deleted as compared to the other article. None of the two articles cites the respective other. It shows self-plagiarism in its strongest extent: the same article has obviously been sent to two journals, probably at the same time. This clearly exceeds the Titanic case.

Also when you look at the Springer website, abstracts of the two articles are identical, and moreover you are linked to the other paper under "show similar documents"...

Ironically, the papers are on the pressure to publish in academia and the process of selling yourself - in the sense of alienation of the article - to get your papers published.

Public Choice 2003, abstract:Edit

"Survival in academia depends on publications in refereed journals. Authors only get their papers accepted if they intellectually prostitute themselves by slavishly following the demands made by anonymous referees who have no propertyrights to the journals they advise. Intellectual prostitutionis neither beneficial to suppliers nor consumers. But it isavoidable. The editor (with property rights to the journal)should make the basic decision of whether a paper is worth publishing or not. The referees should only offer suggestions for improvement. The author may disregard this advice. This reduces intellectual prostitution and produces more original publications."

European Journal of Law and Economics 2005, abstract:Edit

"Survival in academia depends on publications in refereed journals. Authors only get their papers accepted if they intellectually prostitute themselves by slavishly following the demands made by anonymous referees without property rights to the journals they advise. Intellectual prostitution is neither beneficial to suppliers nor consumers. But it is avoidable. The editor (with property rights to the journal) should make the basic decision of whether a paper is worth publishing or not. The referees should only offer suggestions on how to improve the paper. The author may disregard this advice. This reduces intellectual prostitution and produces more original publications."

LiteratureEdit

Frey, Bruno S. (2003). Publishing as Prostitution? – Choosing between One’s Own Ideas and Academic Success. Public Choice 116(1-2), p. 205-223, DOI: 10.1023/A:1024208701874.

Frey, Bruno S. (2004). Publizieren als Prostitution? Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik 5(3), p. 333-336.

Frey, Bruno S. (2005). Problems with Publishing: Existing State and Solutions. European Journal of Law and Economics 19(2), p. 173-190, DOI: 10.1007/s10657-005-5426-7.