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Automatic Jargon Identifier for Scientists Engaging with the Public

Automatic Jargon Identifier for Scientists Engaging with the Public

Scientists are required to communicate science and research not only to other experts in the field, but also to scientists and experts from other fields, as well as to the public and policymakers. One fundamental suggestion when communicating with non-experts is to avoid professional jargon.

Could Publishing Embrace Slow?

Could Publishing Embrace Slow?

A recent book took aim at accelerating administrative demands and the internalized expectation of measurable productivity that have eroded the quality of academic life and work. Is there a corollary for scholarly publishing?

Elsevier Is Becoming a Data Company. Should Universities Be Wary?

Elsevier Is Becoming a Data Company. Should Universities Be Wary?

For years university researchers have complained that the publishing giant has driven up the costs of journals. Now, as data-sharing becomes more valuable, the company’s shifting focus is raising new concerns.

The Toll of Short-Term Contracts

The Toll of Short-Term Contracts

As a new French report highlights, early-career researchers face significant challenges landing permanent academic positions—but there may also be some rays of hope.

Science Beam - Using Computer Vision to Extract PDF Data

Science Beam - Using Computer Vision to Extract PDF Data

A new project to convert PDF to XML with high accuracy by complementing existing tools with computer vision technology.

Science With No Fiction: Measuring the Veracity of Scientific Reports by Citation Analysis

Science With No Fiction: Measuring the Veracity of Scientific Reports by Citation Analysis

We propose to use an approach that yields a simple numerical measure of veracity, the R-factor, by summarizing the outcomes of already published studies that have attempted to test a claim.

A Paper on Field Theory Delivers a Wake-Up Call to Academics

A Paper on Field Theory Delivers a Wake-Up Call to Academics

Oliver Rosten believes the postdoctoral system played a role in his friend’s suicide. Disseminating that opinion in a scientific journal took perseverance.

A Collection of Papers that Should Never Have Been Published

A Collection of Papers that Should Never Have Been Published

A collection of thirteen papers that were intended to be unpublishable. All were submitted to predatory journals to expose non-existent peer review and exploitative practices.

A Simple Proposal for the Publication of Journal Citation Distributions

A Simple Proposal for the Publication of Journal Citation Distributions

Although there are differences among journals across the spectrum of JIFs, the citation distributions overlap extensively, demonstrating that the citation performance of individual papers cannot be inferred from the JIF.

Discredited Gene-Editing Researcher Vows to Clear His Name

Discredited Gene-Editing Researcher Vows to Clear His Name

A Chinese biologist whose team on Wednesday retracted a high-profile paper on a gene-editing technology has vowed to press ahead with experiments that he hopes will vindicate the potential rival to the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Swiss Seek Full Disclosure in FP9

Swiss Seek Full Disclosure in FP9

The European Commission should give Framework 9 applicants access to the full evaluation reports for their proposals, a Swiss position paper on the programme has said.

Who Counts as an Inventor? The Answer Could Be Worth Millions

Who Counts as an Inventor? The Answer Could Be Worth Millions

A postdoc suing over exclusion from patents offers a lesson for anyone working on potentially lucrative research.

It Will Be Much Harder to Call New Findings 'Significant' If This Team Gets Its Way

It Will Be Much Harder to Call New Findings 'Significant' If This Team Gets Its Way

Proposal to change widely accepted p-value threshold stirs reproducibility debate.