How Much of the Literature Goes Uncited?
Making sense of non-events (citation, circulation, and publication) requires context and a tolerance for uncertainty.
By Birdie: A New National Academy Report on Data Sharing
The US government views data policy as an emerging area. A new National Academies report reveals the potential and the barriers, many of which are financial.
The Mayan Doomsday's Effects on Survival Rates — A Study
While some may be blinded to the clear implications of the Mayan calendar, these intrepid Canadian researchers find shocking and significant results to survival studies.
Gaming Google Scholar Citations, Made Simple and Easy
A new paper demonstrates how easy it is to game Google Scholar citations, and how the system resists correction.
Editorial Spoofing in the Age of Electronic Peer-Review
In a story of the modern age of fraud, spoofers find their way into peer-review rosters, reviewing their own papers or those of their friends/competitors.
Scientists Propose Central Database for Disclosing Conflicts of Interest
Creating a centralized database for disclosing conflicts of interest (COI) is an easy sell. Deciding who is responsible and accountable for its funding and support is a much harder problem.
New Players, New Priorities — Part 2: The Problematic Role of Funders
Funders — corporate, governmental, and philanthropic — have different priorities, yet they are now reaching into scientific publishing, wearing OA as a glove that fits. This post explores the problems this is creating and might create if allowed to perpetuate.
New Players, New Priorities — Part 1: Governments and Politics Enter Scientific Publishing
In this first part of a three-part series, the intrusion of governments into scientific publishing is contemplated — its causes, current state, and possible effects.
Stretching "Impact" By Many "Factors" — Signs of Thrall and Uncertainty?
As new metrics are explored, not everything equates to “impact.” Getting our terms right will help us get our thinking straight.
A Call for Participation — A Survey on Book Discovery
A call to participate in a survey on how books are discovered and ultimately purchased. The survey is being conducted in cooperation with O’Reilly Media.
The Hall of Mirrors — Trying to Explain Why Users Value Free Content Differently
Why would free content be differentially accessed across versions of it, and across publications? A dive into PLoS data leads to a potentially reassuring answer.
A Small Meal — Mini-Cheeseburger Kit Requires Assembly, Only Has 96 Calories
After indulging in Thanksgiving festivities, what better than a small meal, made painstakingly and without all those nasty calories. Best of all, no preservatives!
PubMed Central's Failures in Handling Conflicts of Interest with eLife
One of the layers of impropriety regarding PubMed Central’s handling of eLife is its mismanagement of conflicts of interest.
Altmetrics — Replacing the Impact Factor Is Not the Only Point
Framing “altmetrics” as alternative may limit their potential — they have to be “alternative” to something already in existence. How do we move new measures robustly into the mainstream?
Is the Relationship Between Journal Impact Factors and Article Citations Growing Weaker?
A new study suggests a weakening of the relationship between a journal’s impact factor and the articles published therein. An unorthodox analysis and unwillingness to share data for validation purposes raises serious questions about how seriously to take this study.