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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI)

Clickbait Culture and Its Impact on Professionalism and Ethics in Academia: A Systematic Analysis

byWilson Silungwe; Atangambuyu Silungwe; Bruce Hatimbula

Published April 1, 2026  •  Vol. 13, Issue 3, pp. 964–982Open Access
DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI.2026.1303000089

Abstract

The relationship among the concepts of professionalism, ethics and clickbait culture in academia is an important subject matter for systematic investigation. This relationship calls into question the delicate balance between upholding ethical standards in academia and the push to “publish or perish” among academics leading to the use of media tactics to reach a wider audience as the demand for accumulating citations has become one of the yardsticks that measure success. This paper is a systematic analysis that investigates the effects of clickbait culture on academic professionalism and the ethical dissemination of research, paying special attention to how clickbait is affecting the behavior of academics in the contemporary technologically perceptive world.

Keywords: Professionalism, ethics, clickbait culture, academia, systematic analysis

JournalInternational Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI)
ISSN2321-2705
Volume / IssueVolume 13, Issue 3
Pages964–982
Publication dateApril 1, 2026
DOI10.51244/IJRSI.2026.1303000089
PublisherRSIS International
LicenseOpen Access

How to cite this article

Wilson Silungwe, Atangambuyu Silungwe, & Bruce Hatimbula (2026). Clickbait Culture and Its Impact on Professionalism and Ethics in Academia: A Systematic Analysis. International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), 13(3), 964-982. https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2026.1303000089

BibTeX

@article{Wilson2026,
  title   = {Clickbait Culture and Its Impact on Professionalism and Ethics in Academia: A Systematic Analysis},
  author  = {Wilson Silungwe and Atangambuyu Silungwe and Bruce Hatimbula},
  journal = {International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI)},
  volume  = {13},
  number  = {3},
  pages   = {964--982},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.51244/IJRSI.2026.1303000089},
  publisher = {RSIS International}
}