SSP 35th Annual Meeting Plenary: Massively Online Open Courses – Send us your questions!
Attending the SSP 35th Annual Meeting in San Francisco? Want to learn more about MOOCs? Ask your questions now, and we’ll try to answer them.
True Innovation Requires Knowledge — The Myth of the Naïve Disruptor and the Marginalization of Staff
The myth of the naive outsider is persistent and powerful, but even expert outsiders aren’t the only possible source of knowledge. What about the expert insider? What if most of your insiders are experts in some surprising way?
New Scholarly Kitchen Podcast — Adventures with the FOIA
A new episode of the Scholarly Kitchen podcast is ready. This time, we talk with head chef Kent Anderson about his experience filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Research Integrity – More Questions Than Answers
The digital world increases the need to distinguish good information from bad, and despite multiple approaches, we still have a patchwork approach — but more attention is being paid.
Do We Need a Consumer Reports of Journals, Written by the Authors?
A proposal for a community site to review author experiences at various journals suggests the need for a new player in the trust economy of journals.
Predators and Prey — The Plot Thickens
Strange comments emerge after a post about Beall’s list of “predatory” publishers appears, many of which attribute sentiments to people falsely.
Populism vs. Activism — Encountering Limitations in the Age of Online Petitions and Signatures
We’re officially in the age of online petitions, which may be taking the place of actual activism. Is that an improvement?
Impact Crater — Does DORA Need to Attack the Impact Factor to Reform How It Is Used in Academia?
A new declaration to improve research assessment practices shoots wide of the mark and reveals some misunderstandings on behalf of many of those involved.
Announcing the Scholarly Kitchen Podcast
The Scholarly Kitchen proudly announces its podcast. Happy listening!
The Limits of Crowdsourcing in the Scientific Disciplines
Social networking and crowdsourcing have attributes that may make them both incompatible with the goals and process of science. Can we accept that?
Book Review: "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business"
A few months ago, I assigned a book to my senior managers — Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit.” They smiled wanly as they accepted the books, prepared to slog through a business book with little bearing on their real […]
The Inexorable Path of the Professional Society Publisher
There is a predictable path for society publishers as they explore their options. Their programs may be under pressure today, leading many of them to seek alliances with large commercial firms, though many societies are unhappy to do so.
Daniel Day-Lewis in Spielberg's New Biopic, Obama
When a versatile actor who really “becomes” his characters tackles a new biopic, he really transforms himself.
Convenience versus Community — Is a Deeper Question Hiding Behind the Façade of the Access Debates?
While the access debates have dominated, another debate has been emerging, one that perhaps has greater significance in the long run.
iAnnotate — Whatever Happened to the Web as an Annotation System?
A meeting about annotation services and software shows how new tools may be on the horizon, and reminds us that our audiences are likely to be the heaviest users once these emerge.