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.
Six Mistakes Your Sales Reps Are Making
While your sales reps are doing a great job overall, here are six mistakes that can creep into their interactions with buyers.
Ask the Chefs: "What's the Most Important Print Subscription You Haven't Canceled?"
Even in the digital age, some print products are hard to give up. What is the allure?
Thanksgiving, Football, and The Princess Bride — NFL Analysts Drop As Many References As Possible
What happens when NFL analysts embrace a film classic? They probably mean no harm, and are not at all short on charm.
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.
Google vs. Gallup — How the 2012 Elections Revealed Weakness in Old-School Polling
Polling techniques that changed with the times proved to more accurately predict the outcome of the 2012 elections. The loser? One of the biggest names in polling.
Open Access — What Do Authors Really Want?
Open access publishing is a viable option, with gold OA gaining traction. But concerns remain, and funding is uncertain.
Luck, Superstitions, and Rationality — Black Cats, Broken Mirrors, Ladders, Salt, and Umbrellas
Common sense of yesteryear is sometimes expressed as “luck.” Would we do better if we made modern common sense “lucky” as well?
"Owa, mein Arsch" — When Water's State Is More Set Than It Appears
“Look before you leap” may only be the beginning!
Recuse, Refuse, or Excuse — The Conflicts of Interest at the Heart of Funder-Backed Journals
Funder-sponsored journals raise important conflict of interest questions, and may be fundamentally untenable in an industry that requires independent third-party evaluation of research reports.
Authors Aren't Scientists, Scientists Are Authors — Why Catering to a Role Can Inhibit Robust Publishing
“Author-service” journals sound like a straightforward proposition, but when you contemplate how authorship is a minority activity by a minority of practicing scientists and science practitioners, it becomes much less clear that author service is enough to support robust publishing practices.
Acquiring a New Style of Argument — Clay Shirky on Github
Can the Internet create a new and more cooperative way of arguing?
Jury Duty — Putting Peer-Review Into a Tougher Context
When the stakes are scholarly, peer-review works well. What about when the stakes are life-altering?
Ask the Chefs: "What's the Best Advice You've Ever Received?"
Good advice is hard to come by. Here’s some of the best we’ve gotten over the years.