The "Facebook Fallacy" and Whipsaw Attitudes Toward Web Advertising
Facebook’s IPO has disappointed many, but to think that it presages a complete meltdown of the online ad market is a bit of an overstatement.
Sort of Significant: Are Psychology Papers Just Nipping Past the p Value?
A new paper finds unexpected disturbances around p-value ranges approaching 0.05. Is there something going on beyond mere science?
The Importance of Substantive Editing
Publishers provide editors who do much more than proofread or copyedit. They provide editors who support authors and editors — and readers. Here’s an interview that sheds some important light.
The Reproducibility Initiative — Solving a Problem, or Just Another Attempt to Draw on Research Funds?
A new initiative seeks to solve the reproducibility problem in science, but instead seems to be creating more of a drag on research funds, ignoring the incentives of scientists, and raising barriers to its very utilization.
Is the Higher Education Bubble About to Pop?
The potential higher education funding bubble may be more likely to burst, with the LIBOR scandal revealing another weakness in the system, trends in admissions and discounting showing the effects of the recession, and American politics locked up in partisan nonsense.
-omics: A Language Parasite or a Legitimate Linguistic Extension?
The recent proliferation of -omics words amuses some, annoys others, and perhaps signals an effort at integrating new areas.
The Typography of Authority — Do Fonts Affect How People Accept Information?
A nifty little experiment across a two-part New York Times column shows that some aspect of authority resides in not only your words, but the typeface they appear in.
How Cats Always Land on Their Feet — Via High-Speed Video Analysis
An age-old question is answered with current technology and timeless teaching skills.
Disruption — Are We Seeing a New Type Emerging in Academic Publishing?
When we hear “disruption” invoked, we think it’s about technology and innovation. What if there are other types of disruption? What if there isn’t a market demanding change, but others demanding disruption?
Fighting the Programming — Men Throwing Rocks With the Other Hand
Self-explanatory, but remarkably humorous in the best way — it makes you sympathize and empathize while still chuckling.
What I'm Doing This Weekend
I’m doing the same thing this weekend I’ve done on the same weekend for over a decade. The video might help you understand why.
Interview with Ivan Oransky of Retraction Watch
An interview with Ivan Oransky — physician, journalist, and co-founder of “Retraction Watch.”
Data Integrity and Presentation — Journalism, Verification, Skepticism, and the Age of Haste
Representing data graphically is always tricky. It doesn’t help when a journalist misses many opportunities to verify the data, provide context, and ask some probing questions.
What Cricket Looks Like to Americans
Yes, American baseball is a subtle game full of grass, dirt, leather, and wood. But if you’re a cricket fan, it can be downright bewildering. This video will show you how we feel about cricket.
Review: "Free Ride: How Digital Parasites are Destroying the Culture Business, and How the Culture Business Can Fight Back"
A recent book tells the story of how technology companies — in the guise of advocates of “open” — have gutted content and culture businesses and the creative ranks that depend on them.