Some comments on research and publication practices and ethics

Pressure has increased on engineering faculties to do more, including publishing. Publication has also become more common as a “ticket” to the proliferating number of meetings being held, where giving a paper is often the only way to ensure attending a meeting. The result has been an apparently substantial increase in the amount of publication by those active in their fields. It has possibly also created a number of associated problems with regard to publication ethics and related issues. This column is the first of two parts, addressed to the general topic of research and publication practices, and ethics