How the Internet Changed Medical Journals
Publishing supplemental files online now common, but commenting remains rare, a new study reports.
Should Universities Pay for Peer Review?
Rather than relying on journal prestige and bibliometric indicators, universities should consider paying experts to conduct institutional peer review, report recommends.
Journal of Cosmology and Alien Life — Reputation Precedes Refutation, But Are Brands Enough?
Alien life? Or just the will to publish, and some accomplices? While those in the field know the pecking order, those outside still get fooled.
The New Economics of the University Press — A Report from the AAUP
A report by the AAUP outlines the business models available to university presses and makes a case for ongoing subsidies by parent institutions.
The Upcoming Must-See Documentary — Bad Writing
How can you make a movie about why some writing is good, some bad? This trailer makes it seem not only possible, but interesting.
When the Price of Rejection Becomes Cheaper
Does cascading peer-review increase inappropriate submissions?
Permanence and Accountability — Why Publishers Need to Modernize Their Approaches
With more and more science being tested and communicated outside traditional outlets, we may face a moment when faith in the existing system breaks down.
Editors for Hire — Providing Assistance or Exploiting Hopes?
Should publishers endorse commercial editing services?
Crowdsourcing, Reference Works, and Peer-Review: Some Surprising Connections
A new study suggests that reference works can be created cheaply and effectively through only mildly organized collaborations. Have we been missing a critical contribution of peer-review? Does it suggest that post-publication won’t review won’t be very effective?
Will Reference Books and Journals Survive? A Debate
A debate at PSP reveals much, especially after it ends.
The Journal of Universal Rejection, and Suggestions for Improving It
While the JofUR may represent a culmination of many trends in publishing, there’s still room for improvement.
Don't Look Back — Do Scientists Squelch Citations to Justify Claims of Novelty?
A study showing that randomized controlled trials don’t cite much of the preceding literature suggests there’s a problem, but it’s unclear exactly what the problem is.
When Fraud Hits Medical Science: The Decade of the Vaccine-Autism Scandal
Now that the vaccine-autism link has been shown to be based on a fraud, will ego continue to trump humility in the face of evidence?
Ben Goldacre: A Gift to Skepticism
An interesting and entertaining debunking of some obvious fluffs in medical science, with a chilling reminder of how libel laws in some countries can kill scientific discourse.
Morality and Economics: Is a Trapdoor Opening Beneath Open Access?
With the economic benefits of open access open to reinterpretation, will the moral benefits prove sufficient to withstand the coming scrutiny? And will it all begin a race to the bottom?