Yanan University

Region/Country

Asiatic Region
China
Universities and research institutions

Overall

-0.111

Integrity Risk

low

Indicators relating to the period 2020-2024

Indicator University Z-score Average country Z-score
Multi-affiliation
1.315 -0.062
Retracted Output
-0.165 -0.050
Institutional Self-Citation
-1.002 0.045
Discontinued Journals Output
0.305 -0.024
Hyperauthored Output
-1.066 -0.721
Leadership Impact Gap
-0.640 -0.809
Hyperprolific Authors
-0.596 0.425
Institutional Journal Output
-0.268 -0.010
Redundant Output
-0.654 -0.515
0 represents the global average
AI-generated summary report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

Yanan University presents a balanced integrity profile, with an overall score of -0.111 that reflects a combination of significant strengths and specific areas requiring strategic attention. The institution demonstrates exceptional control over practices related to academic endogamy and output quality, with very low risk signals in Institutional Self-Citation, Output in Institutional Journals, and Redundant Output. These strengths suggest a culture oriented towards external validation and robust research design. However, this is contrasted by medium-risk indicators in the Rate of Multiple Affiliations and the Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals, which point to potential vulnerabilities in affiliation transparency and the selection of publication venues. According to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, these operational aspects support areas of notable thematic excellence, particularly in Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics; Physics and Astronomy; and Economics, Econometrics and Finance. While the institution's specific mission statement was not localized for this analysis, the identified risks could challenge universal academic values of excellence and social responsibility. A proactive approach to mitigating these vulnerabilities will ensure that the university's strong research contributions are built upon an unimpeachable foundation of scientific integrity, reinforcing its reputation and impact.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

Yanan University presents a Z-score of 1.315, while the national average for China is -0.062. This result indicates a moderate deviation from the national standard, suggesting the institution shows a greater sensitivity to risk factors in this area than its peers. While multiple affiliations are often a legitimate result of researcher mobility or partnerships, this disproportionately high rate could signal strategic attempts to inflate institutional credit or “affiliation shopping.” This value warrants a review of internal policies to ensure that all declared affiliations correspond to substantive and transparent collaborations, thereby safeguarding the institution's academic reputation.

Rate of Retracted Output

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -0.165, which is below the national average for China of -0.050. This prudent profile suggests that the institution's quality control mechanisms are managed with more rigor than the national standard. Retractions are complex events, and a low rate indicates that processes for ensuring methodological soundness and ethical compliance prior to publication are functioning effectively. This result reflects a strong commitment to research integrity and minimizes the reputational risk associated with systemic failures in the scientific record.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -1.002, in stark contrast to the national average for China of 0.045. This demonstrates a clear case of preventive isolation, where the institution successfully avoids the risk dynamics observed in its national environment. A certain level of self-citation is natural, but the country's average suggests a tendency towards 'echo chambers'. Yanan University's very low score indicates its research is well-integrated into the global scientific dialogue, seeking and receiving validation from the wider academic community rather than relying on internal dynamics to build its impact.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

Yanan University presents a Z-score of 0.305, a significant departure from the national average for China, which stands at -0.024. This moderate deviation suggests the institution is more exposed to this risk than its national counterparts. A high proportion of publications in discontinued journals is a critical alert regarding due diligence in selecting dissemination channels. This Z-score indicates that a portion of the university's scientific output may be channeled through media that do not meet international ethical or quality standards, creating reputational risks and suggesting a need to reinforce information literacy and guidance for researchers on selecting credible publication venues.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -1.066, notably lower than the national average for China of -0.721. This prudent profile indicates that the institution manages authorship practices with greater rigor than the national standard. While extensive author lists are legitimate in 'Big Science', a low score outside these contexts suggests strong governance against author list inflation. This reflects a culture where individual accountability and transparency are valued, effectively mitigating the risks of 'honorary' or political authorship practices.

Gap between Impact of total output and the impact of output with leadership

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -0.640, whereas the national average for China is -0.809. This slight divergence indicates the emergence of risk signals at the institution that are not as prevalent in the rest of the country. A wide positive gap can signal a sustainability risk, where prestige is overly dependent on external partners. Although the institution's score is low, its position relative to the very low-risk national baseline suggests a growing reliance on collaborations where it may not hold intellectual leadership. This invites a strategic reflection on fostering internal capacity to ensure that its impact is structural and sustainable.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -0.596, compared to a national average for China of 0.425. This score highlights the institution's resilience, as its internal control mechanisms appear to effectively mitigate systemic risks present at the national level. While high productivity can be legitimate, extreme volumes often challenge the limits of meaningful intellectual contribution. The university's low Z-score, in contrast to the country's medium-risk environment, suggests a healthy balance between quantity and quality, successfully avoiding dynamics like coercive authorship or the prioritization of metrics over scientific integrity.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -0.268, while the national average for China is -0.010. This demonstrates a low-profile consistency, where the institution's complete absence of risk signals in this area aligns with the low-risk national standard. In-house journals can pose conflicts of interest, but the university's very low score indicates it is not dependent on these channels. This practice avoids the risk of academic endogamy and ensures its scientific production undergoes independent external peer review, thereby maximizing its global visibility and credibility.

Rate of Redundant Output

Yanan University presents a Z-score of -0.654, which is even lower than the already low national average for China of -0.515. This signifies a state of total operational silence in this risk indicator. The data shows a complete absence of signals related to 'salami slicing' or the artificial fragmentation of studies. This exceptional result, surpassing the national benchmark, points to a deeply embedded culture of producing substantive and coherent research, prioritizing significant new knowledge over the inflation of publication volume and upholding the integrity of the scientific record.

This report was automatically generated using Google Gemini to provide a brief analysis of the university scores.
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