瞭望 | 起底科研基金“标书工厂”产业链

Core Insights - The article highlights the increasing prevalence of academic misconduct related to project application submissions for the National Natural Science Foundation of China, with a significant number of cases involving plagiarism and the purchase of ghostwriting services [1][2][3] Group 1: Academic Misconduct - The National Natural Science Foundation has reported multiple cases of academic misconduct, with half of the 36 cases disclosed in April and June involving project application submissions [1][3] - Some researchers are outsourcing the writing of project applications to intermediaries, taking advantage of the limited public visibility of these documents [2][3] - A specific case involved a teacher from a Zhejiang university who was penalized for purchasing ghostwritten content and fabricating experimental data, resulting in a seven-year ban from applying for funding [2] Group 2: Ghostwriting Industry - A hidden ghostwriting industry has emerged, with online platforms serving as major hubs for these services, offering project application writing for various funding sources [4][5] - Prices for ghostwriting services typically range from 18,000 to 28,000 yuan, with success rates promised between 70% and 85% [5] - Ghostwriting services are often marketed through euphemistic language, and some shops have reported high sales volumes, indicating significant market demand [5] Group 3: Quality and Risks - Ghostwritten applications often lack quality assurance and may lead to irreversible academic risks due to data misuse [7] - A case was reported where a doctoral student faced academic misconduct allegations after their data was sold multiple times, resulting in overlaps with other research [6][7] Group 4: Regulatory Challenges - Despite the implementation of regulations to combat academic misconduct, such as the 2020 guidelines from the National Natural Science Foundation, the issue persists, highlighting the challenges in governance [9] - Experts suggest that the current research evaluation system and the distorted academic values of some researchers contribute to the ongoing misconduct [9][10] Group 5: Recommendations for Improvement - Experts recommend strengthening research integrity education and creating a balanced system of rewards and penalties to foster academic honesty [10] - There is a call for stricter oversight of online platforms to prevent the promotion of ghostwriting services disguised as legitimate research assistance [10]