Preprints, Journals and Openness: Disentangling Goals and Incentives
Robert Harington discusses the value of preprints, the importance of peer review, research integrity and openness.
The Failure of the US Government to Fund Science Infrastructure is Causing Things to Literally Collapse
The Arecibo Observatory collapsed, laying bare the problems of funding science infrastructure.
The Rise of Peer Review: Melinda Baldwin on the History of Refereeing at Scientific Journals and Funding Bodies
In this interview Robert Harington asks Melinda Baldwin to talk about her recent article in Isis, entitled “Scientific Autonomy, Public Accountability, and the Rise of “Peer Review” in the Cold War United States”, and to provide some more personal views on peer review topics of the moment.
World Article Publishing Illustrates Regional Values
An interactive visualization of article publication data from the 2016 NSF Science & Engineering Report suggest discrepancies in the cultures of science around the world.
Visualizing World Article Production
World production of scientific literature continues to grow at nearly 3% per year. China, Brazil, and India account for a much larger share of the world’s output, while the United States and Japan’s share continues to decline. Interactive world maps show the growth of article production, and focus on the countries that continue to dominate the top literature.
A Brighter Future for the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences?
Journals in the arts, humanities and social sciences are often seen as the poor relations compared with their counterparts in science, technology, and medicine – but perhaps that is starting to change.
Book Review — "The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths"
A new book about the role of governments in long-term R&D and market-creation functions should send shockwaves through the political system over the coming decades. Fortunately, you can read it now.
Confusions in the OSTP OA Policy Memo — Three Monsters and a Gorilla
The OSTP public access memorandum provides flexibility across many US federal agencies. The possible complexities combined with current budget realities mean there is much to tame and little to spend doing it.
Leaked Data Policy Raises Monster STM Data Issues
A new proposal regarding federally funded data is leaked. What might a broad policy for public access mean?
Does Open Access Tackle, Perpetuate, or Exacerbate the Matthew Effect?
While some hope that OA will create a more accessible literature, new data about NSF funding and some logical extrapolations suggest it may actually exacerbate the Matthew Effect, choking off opportunities to publish for those without the funding necessary.
The NPR Model and the Financing of Scholarly Communication
The “listener support” model works in some cases. This fact alone suggests it may not have a robust future in the funding of scholarly initiatives.
My Argument for Public Access to Research Reports
As the deadline for responses to the OSTP RFI approaches, perhaps we should reflect on how the government can make its own research reports available in a more complete, direct, and affordable manner.
Realistic Approaches to the US Federal Public Access RFIs
The two Requests for Information recently put forth by the federal government require a realistic set of responses, and hint at some changes in attitudes and approaches.
Taxpayer OA is Already Here, In Principle — In Reports
Taxpayer access to US federally funded research results need not involve publishers giving away their product. An alternative mechanism is available, one that is already partially implemented. It is called the research report. Demands for free access to taxpayer funded […]
The Trouble with the Truth: Politics Squelches Science Again
A new NSF report is edited to suppress important facts, denying the truth.