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Getting academic research into the public sphere: the rundown on repositories

Getting academic research into the public sphere: the rundown on repositories

List of the different types of current online repositories

Elsevier admits it has been mis-selling open access and will be contacting mis-sold customers

Elsevier admits it has been mis-selling open access and will be contacting mis-sold customers

Comment of Elsevier's Director of Access and Policy on a blog

The mostly unread world of academic papers

The mostly unread world of academic papers

According to one study, which was presumably read by more than three people, half of all academic papers are read by no more than three people.

Billionaires with big ideas are privatizing American science

Billionaires with big ideas are privatizing American science

As government financing of basic science research has plunged, private donors have filled the void, raising questions about the future of research for the public good.

Industry-funded academic inventions boost innovation

Industry-funded academic inventions boost innovation

Brian D. Wright and colleagues present data challenging the assumption that corporate-funded academic research is less accessible and useful to others.

The new dilemma: too many places to post?

The new dilemma: too many places to post?

As online comments on newly published research become widespread, a new dilemma faces scientists wanting to enter the electronic fray: where to comment, and in what format for maximum impact?

Incoming NSF director faces challenges in Congress

Incoming NSF director faces challenges in Congress

Former Purdue University president France Córdova inherits an agency at a crossroads.

Don't hide the decline

Don't hide the decline

US scientists should not be placated by the ‘flat budget’ myth. Funds are decreasing, and the situation will get worse.

We need more scientific mavericks

We need more scientific mavericks

Scientific mavericks once played an essential role in research. We must relearn how to support them and provide new options for an unforeseeable future.

Senate confirms France Córdova as NSF director

Senate confirms France Córdova as NSF director

The US Senate confirmed astrophysicist France Córdova to lead the agency, roughly a year after former director Subra Suresh resigned mid-term.

Patent filings at the European Patent Office reach all-time high

Patent filings at the European Patent Office reach all-time high

Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Netherlands file most applications per capita.

Research council plans austere future

Research council plans austere future

The Spanish National Research Council will not issue a call for new PhD, postdoctoral and technical staff in the next two years, according to its latest action plan for 2014-2017.

WWW born at CERN 25 years ago

WWW born at CERN 25 years ago

In March 1989 Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist working at CERN, submitted a proposal to develop a radical new way of linking and sharing information over the internet. The document was entitled Information Management: A Proposal . And so the web was born.

The art of science advice to government

The art of science advice to government

Peter Gluckman, New Zealand's chief science adviser, offers his ten principles for building trust, influence, engagement and independence.

Why faculty members work so much?

Why faculty members work so much?

As I am writing this article, I should be writing something else: an email to an editor, an email to an author, a letter of recommendation, notes for tomorrow’s classes, comments on students’ papers, comments on manuscripts, an abstract for an upcoming conference, notes for one of the books I’m working on.

Developing an effective market for open access article processing charges

Developing an effective market for open access article processing charges

Research Councils UK, the Wellcome Trust, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics worried about high open access fees charged by “hybrid” journals could refuse to pay fees above a set threshold, a report suggests.

Financial conflicts of interest and reporting bias

Financial conflicts of interest and reporting bias

Financial conflicts of interest may bias conclusions from systematic reviews on sugar-sweetened beverages consumption and weight gain or obesity.

How stereotypes impair women's careers in science

How stereotypes impair women's careers in science

Without provision of information about candidates other than their appearance, men are twice more likely to be hired for a mathematical task than women. If ability is self-reported, women still are discriminated against, because employers do not fully account for men’s tendency to boast about performance.

Book review

Book review

More people than ever are going to graduate school to seek a PhD these days. When they get there, they discover a bewildering environment: a rapid immersion in their discipline, a keen competition for resources, and uncertain options for their future, whether inside or outside of academia.