Research, publishing or a challenge?

With many medical and dental institutions now focusing on research and publication as metrics of academic excellence, a race is underway regarding the number of papers published by institutions and the cita- tions received by the papers previously published by the institute. With a severe lack of effort and time on the part of the researchers, this race is being fuelled by an ambition to achieve high scores without adequate consideration regarding the underlying quality of the research. In this scenario, multiple fraudulent and unsavory tactics are being applied, from pointless citations and irrelevant topics to the widespread miasma of manuscript selling, wherein ghostwriters are employed to churn out research papers in the name of the publishing individual or institute. As researchers and organizations enable research, a necessary amount of integrity must be maintained in the process, as it acts as the bulwark for ongoing research and development. Faulty practices end up eroding the quality of the larger research ecosystem and the repute of the institution embroiled in such activities. Following are some best practices in research and publishing that dedicated professionals must follow to maintain the standards of their research and the reputation of their institution.