The Internet's Permanent Memory: Why Empathy is More Important Than Ever
Victoria Belmont talks about what happens when something you do online is taken out of context and becomes part of the internet’s permanent memory.
Ask The Chefs: How Do You Find Time To Stay Informed?
When it comes to information, we’re all drinking from the firehouse. This month we asked the Chefs: How do you find time to stay informed? (and maybe to read for pleasure occasionally as well)
Mr. Market is a Brilliant Editor
Of the many ways to measure the quality of a publication, one that is often overlooked are the workings of the marketplace itself. Purchases for published material is made in large part on the basis of the quality of that material, making the marketplace something of an editor of genius. This mechanism incorporates all other metrics, from impact factor to altmetrics. Unfortunately, the marketplace is not free to exercise its judgment when many participants seek dominant and even monopolistic control.
MOOCs Rise from the Ashes
The MOOCs seem to have faded from view. In large part this is because they were so relentlessly overhyped when they first appeared. But now various forms of online education have begun to get traction in the marketplace. An essay by Clay Shirky points out how online education is operating today and its implications for higher education.
A Social World: Society Membership, Social and Economic Rewards and Human Behavior
How do shifts in cultural and economic views on social behavior affect the decision of a student, or researcher when deciding whether or not to join a relevant academic society? What social and economic forces are involved in an academic’s collaborative life, publishing life, and teaching life? Robert Harington delves into a fascinating report from the World Bank, entitled World Development Report 2015: Mind, Society and Behavior and its relevance for publishing and academia.
Ask The Chefs: What Is The Future of Membership Organizations? Does Being a Member Still Matter?
Looking to the future, do membership organizations still fit in? How can they maintain and extend their relevance?
Academia Versus Academia.edu: Should Tech Business Needs Trump Scholarly Culture?
Should the fast and loose rules of startup company business models and the spin-oriented language of advertising be given free rein in the scholarly community?
Grab and Go and the Gravitational Pull of Discovery
A look at Facebook’s Instant Article initiative and what it means for discovery and for publishers.
"Super" Outreach from the American Chemical Society
How much would Iron Man’s suit really weigh? This and other pressing questions answered by the American Chemical Society.
Discovery Versus Filtering and Other Questions Raised by Data-driven Services
As we explore the new world of data-driven discovery tools, we must also examine their utility, their trustworthiness and what impact they may have on the creative process.
The Ubiquitous Bookstore
There is much discussion now about creating new online bookstores, especially for academic publishers. Some of these discussions, however, are not aligned with overarching trends on the Internet and risk creating something that appears to be out of date the moment it is launched.
SXSW Interactive 2015: More Relevant Than Ever
SXSW Interactive 2015. It may be over but its impact is not. Highlights from SX and reasons why Interactive is beneficial to everyone in publishing and communication.
Loaded Dice — The New Research Conundrums Posed by Mechanical Turk
The use of Mechanical Turk in research may generate misleading data and false information. Do we need to guard against such mechanical methodologies?
The Flatscreen Install — Moving Collaboration from Print to Digital
Would adding a big flatscreen TV to my office might make a difference? Yes, in big and important ways.
The Elephant in the Room Is a Phone
Publishers have underestimated how disruptive mobile technology potentially can be. We are likely to see an entirely new ecosystem develop with the smart phone at the center.