Back to the Future: The On-line Scientific Journal
“I have seen the future, and it doesn’t work.” — John Senders, pioneer of the electronic journal
A World of Digital Docents
Untangling the functions of curators and docents raises an interesting set of questions for STM publishers — about ownership, value, and the future.
Bike to Work Week — Fun for Everyone!
National Bike to Work Week has ended. Here’s a bit of gentle cycling/driver humor to end the week.
Stealing Culture: Plagiarism, Music, and Text
Lawsuits against British rock band, Coldplay, illustrate the blurred distinction between inspiration and theft.
Dark Secrets: Open Access and Author Processing Charges
Transparency and accountability are at the heart of Open Access. If only library advocates would walk the talk.
Researching Social Media
Should a federal agency start funding research into social networks? It might be the greatest idea since DARPA.
The WSJ’s Payment Curbstop
The WSJ shows just how it’s missing the boat with its latest announcement about micropayments.
When Tools Dominate Tasks
A recent study shows that article tagging actually decreases recall of content. This points out the inelegance of most social media tools, where the act of using the tool becomes paramount over the activity it’s supposed to aid.
Announcing the SSP’s “IN” Conference
There’s a new way to be Part of the “IN” crowd at SSP!
Elsevier Published Fake Journals
Publisher admits to publishing 6 fake medical journals. Company official says the practice has ceased and strict disclosure rules are in place.
Chaos Plays Catch-up
An embattled math journal resumes publishing without its editor. Is this journal preparing to close shop?
What’s Wrong with Memory?
We are all susceptible to believing false and implausible events claims leading memory researcher at Council of Science Editor’s Annual Meeting.
Percy Jackson & the Joy of Discovery
While scholars worry about how to transmit and teach culture to young children, a teacher has struck gold doing it with brio!
USPS = Spam in Meatspace
We often don’t think about the USPS as a vulnerable business entity, but a closer inspection shows that it’s another US business from a bygone era. Will its troubles push publishers to drop print?
I’m a Friend of “al” — A Rant
The disappearing -al ending seems part of a war on two innocent, helpful letters that exist because we still speak, and therefore seek sounds that let our jaws relax when we reach natural breakpoints. Why are STM editors killing the -al?