Birds of a Feather Blog Together
In the world of science blogging, there are those who cite the literature, those who don’t, and never the twain shall meet.
More Heat Than Light — The RWA Miscalculation May Have Burned More Than Elsevier
The firestorm around the Research Works Act forces Elsevier to back away. Where does that leave the rest of us?
The Price of Parody in an Era of Scorched-Earth Publishing Politics
Why is there such invective around certain topics in scholarly publishing? Perhaps when you ask questions and play with ideas, you’re bound to get some backlash. But how far is too far?
The Faculty's Role in Patron-driven Acquisitions
As patron-driven acquisitions (PDA) becomes more widespread, the question arises as to the role of faculty in developing these plans.
Ask the Chefs: "How Do You See the Economy Factoring Into Publishing Decisions These Days?"
Economic pressures are driving change. The Chefs weigh in on the options, and clearly believe that while times are challenging, the best course is to keep moving ahead.
Big Ideas in the OSTP RFI Comments
Responses to the OSTP’s RFI are in and available. Some big ideas exist. Can the Scholarly Kitchen’s audience help us discover the best?
When Journal Editors Coerce Authors to Self-Cite
Editors of business journals strategically coerce authors to increase citation rates, a new study in Science reports.
Chart of the Day: How Science Stacks Up in the US Budget
Chart of the Day: How Science Stacks Up in the US Budget — from an Atlantic article entitled, “The Innovation Nation vs. the Warfare-Welfare State“:
The Little Letters in Our Lives — e to the i to the x
Is the decade-long trend in e, i, and x naming based on a deeper trend in how the world is coming together?
Trickle-Down Thinking — Does Anyone Understand Why Universities and Not-for-Profits Have Large Endowments?
Follow the money in academic publishing, and you find ponds that resemble the larger lakes of academia in general. By mimicking endowment practices originating at large universities, are not-for-profits limiting their ability to grow?
Measuring the Wrong Things — Has the Scientific Method Been Compromised By Careerism?
As we continue to measure the number of papers, citations, and the combination, perhaps we should be measuring a much lower number — the number of studies that can be replicated after publication.
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.
Healing the House Divided — A Side-Effect of Shifting to the Attention Economy?
Editors need to act more like publishers, and publishers need to have more editorial skills. Will the demands of the Age of Attention finally mend the editorial-business divide?
Science Increases Wonder — Robin Ince and the Power of Reality
The universe is magical, but we tend to take it for granted. This TED Talk will get you back into the zone of amazement.
The World's English Mania — The Power of Pull and Opportunity
With the largest English-language countries emerging in Asia and billions of people acquiring English language skills, what will the future hold? Are we losing more than we’re gaining? Or gaining something that has eluded our predecessors for centuries?