Is Peer Review a Coin Toss?
When authors think peer-review is about their chances of acceptance rather than the quality of their paper, it can lead to the wrong expectations and unproductive behaviors.
eLife: Can a Top-Tier Journal Run Without Professional Help?
Can a new open access journal that relies on working scientists to oversee its review process compete with other top-tier journals that employ professional editors?
Butt of the Joke — A Review Article Parody Proposes Smoking for Endurance Athletes
The vaunted review article gets a neat little send-up, and reminds us that part of the value of humor is that it keeps you loose and helps you retain a skeptical perspective.
The "Open" Prescription — Why It Doesn't Always Make Sense
The rhetoric of “open” seeks to rally science to some higher state, but it’s not clear what “open science” means, why it’s any better, and what the risks of its adoption might be.
The White House Calls for Information on Public Access to Publications and Data
The US government’s requests for information are of great importance for the future of academia and scholarly publishing. If you’re a traditionalist who sees open access as the downfall of civilization, an advocate who thinks information must be free, or someone who falls somewhere in between, this is your chance to create the future you’re seeking.
"A Novel Bookstore" — A Review
A review of the novel “A Novel Bookstore” by Laurence Cossé, which imagines an ideal bookstore and the policies required, including peer review, to make such a venture possible.
Are Open Access and Traditional Publishers in the Same Business?
We’ve lived long enough with the proposition that OA publishers compete with traditional publishers. Perhaps they do not. Some major indicators suggest a non-competitive coexistence.
Is PLoS ONE Slowing Down?
Claims of speed can be used to carve out a competitive edge, especially for journals serving authors. PLoS ONE entered the market claiming fast publication times, but data show that PLoS ONE is slowing down, with times more than doubling over the past few years. Is PLoS ONE losing its speed advantage?
F1000 Journal Rankings — The Map Is Not the Territory
Does the release of a journal ranking metric signal a change in vision for post-publication peer review?
Plagiarism — The Great Leveler
Allowing authors access to anti-plagiarism software makes pragmatic sense when you consider the demands scientific journals place on authors for perfect English, the pressures of group authorship, and the incrementalism of most papers. Perhaps it could even do more.
What's the Significance of Citations Predicting the Nobel Prize?
How well do citations predict Nobels? With an ever-expanding roster of eligible candidates, the going is getting tougher.
London Calling — Open Access PR Wends Its Way From London Into a Major US Newspaper
Another open access plug piece, this time in the Gray Lady herself, but fed from London (yet again). Is there something more to all this?
Have Journal Editors Become Anachronisms?
It has become fashionable to rally against the elitism of journals and their editors. An economic argument for why we still need them both.
A Tale of Self-Plagiarism — A Critic of Publishers Proves a Prostitute Is As a Prostitute Does
A critic of publishers and eminent economist is caught in a swirl of allegations about self-plagiarism.
Is It Plagiarism? iParadigms Walks Both Sides of the Question
The plagiarism-detection products in use in academia and scholarly publishing are also available for students and authors, who can pre-screen their papers to lower their chances of detection. In the middle, iParadigms takes money from both sides. Is this proper?