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Harness the Power of Groups to Beat the PhD Blues

Harness the Power of Groups to Beat the PhD Blues

Doctoral students can use writing meet-ups to overcome isolation and depression and boost their motivation, says Karra Harrington.

Alarming Polio Outbreak Spreads in Congo, Threatening Global Eradication Efforts

Alarming Polio Outbreak Spreads in Congo, Threatening Global Eradication Efforts

Overshadowed by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), another frightening virus is on the loose in that vast, chaotic country: polio. Public health experts have worked for months to stamp out the virus, but it keeps spreading.

Funder Open Access Platforms: A Welcome Innovation?

Funder Open Access Platforms: A Welcome Innovation?

An examination of the ethical, organisational, and economic strengths and weaknesses of funder OA platforms to scope the opportunities and threats they present in the transition to OA.

GetTheResearch.org: A New Tool for Open-Access Research

GetTheResearch.org: A New Tool for Open-Access Research

A new search engine that aims to connect nonacademics with open-access research will be launched this fall. Get the Research will connect the public with 20 million open-access scholarly articles. The site will be built by Impactstory in conjunction with the Internet Archive and the British Library.

Making Research Evaluation Processes in Europe More Transparent

Making Research Evaluation Processes in Europe More Transparent

What models or practices could be developed to help incentivize and reward innovation and diverse forms of scholarly communication and public engagement while reducing the risk to those who are seen to be diverging from traditional modes of professional practices and advancement?

Elsevier Serves the Global Research Community to Deliver Open Science

Elsevier Serves the Global Research Community to Deliver Open Science

Dr. Jon Tennant’s June 29 article in The Guardian Online, "Elsevier are corrupting open science in Europe," raises fundamental questions about open science, and is coupled with misinformation about Elsevier’s role. Both deserve a response.

Until Academic Careers Do Us Part

Until Academic Careers Do Us Part

For academic couples who are committed to living in the same place and pursuing faculty careers, asking for a dual hire—when one person receives an offer and then negotiates a position at the same university for their partner—can be a good option. But it must be approached carefully, and it is far from a sure thing. 

Scholarly Publishing Is Broken. Here’s How to Fix It

Scholarly Publishing Is Broken. Here’s How to Fix It

Imagine using version control to track the process of research in real time. Peer review becomes a community-governed process, where the quality of engagement becomes the hallmark of individual reputations. All research outputs can be published and credited with not an 'impact factor' in sight.

Scientists on Twitter: Preaching to the Choir or Singing from the Rooftops?

Scientists on Twitter: Preaching to the Choir or Singing from the Rooftops?

Asking whether Twitter allows scientists to promote their findings primarily to other scientists ("inreach"), or whether it can help them reach broader, non-scientific audiences ("outreach"). Results should encourage scientists to invest in building a social media presence for scientific outreach.

EUA Publishes Roadmap on Research Assessment

EUA Publishes Roadmap on Research Assessment

Supporting the EUA membership with the development of research assessment approaches that focus on research quality, potential and future impact, and that take into account Open Science practices.

Clarivate Analytics Releases Citation Distribution Data Alongside Journal Impact Factors

Clarivate Analytics Releases Citation Distribution Data Alongside Journal Impact Factors

New interface shifts from journal metrics to journal intelligence, offering richer data and greater transparency for comprehensive assessment.

The 'Loss of Confidence Project' Offers Scientists a Place to Confess

The 'Loss of Confidence Project' Offers Scientists a Place to Confess

What are researchers to do when they lose confidence in their previously published work? A new project has an answer. Will it help the replication crisis?

Guerrilla Open Access

In the 1990s, the Internet offered a horizon from which to imagine what society could become, promising autonomy and self-organization next to redistribution of wealth and collectivized means of production. While the former was in line with the dominant ideology of freedom, the latter ran contrary to the expanding enclosures in capitalist globalization.

We’re In an Epidemic of Mistrust in Science

We’re In an Epidemic of Mistrust in Science

Polling shows that the number of people who believe science has "made life more difficult" increased by 50 percent from 2009 to 2015.