'Disruptive' Science Has Declined - and No One Knows Why
The proportion of publications that send a field in a new direction has plummeted over the last half-century.
Tracking the dynamics of individual scientific impact
Typically papers appearing in journals with large values of the IF receive a high weight in such evaluations. However, at the end of the day one is interested in assessing the impact of individuals, rather than papers. Here we introduce Author Impact Factor (AIF), which is the extension of the IF to authors.
Why Science Breeds a Culture of Sexism
Late-night research, isolation and a strict, male-dominated hierarchy are the perfect conditions for sexual harassment. With colleges struggling to enforce conduct codes, what can be done?
The Marginal Impact of a Publication on Citations, and Its Effect on Academic Pay
The Marginal Impact of a Publication on Citations, and Its Effect on Academic Pay
There are good reasons for why academicians should care about citations to scholarly articles. An important one is that members of the academy operate essentially as independent contractors.
Reshaping Science Communication in a Critical Period of Disinformation and Distrust
Reshaping Science Communication in a Critical Period of Disinformation and Distrust
Governments should strengthen institutional science communication, not just rely on individual researchers, to provide clear, coordinated, evidence-based information and counter misinformation, especially during crises.
Could Roving Researchers Help Address the Challenge of Taking Parental Leave?
Could Roving Researchers Help Address the Challenge of Taking Parental Leave?
Institutions are taking notice of a handful of programmes designed to address the issues scientists face when choosing to take a long-term absence.
When Reviewer Scarcity Becomes a Reason for Rejection, Scientific Integrity Is at Risk
When Reviewer Scarcity Becomes a Reason for Rejection, Scientific Integrity Is at Risk
If journals reject papers due to review shortages, the peer review process itself becomes compromised.
VSNU Statement on Plan S: Ambitions Remain High, Transition Will Require Due Care
The VSNU endorses the objectives of and has been actively involved in the developments on Open Science as stated in the National Plan Open Science (NPOS). Open Science aims to bring about a fundamental improvement of science by making the scientific process transparent and ensuring that research output is widely available.
Scientists Should Recognize Their Own Political Biases to Build Public Trust
Scientists Should Recognize Their Own Political Biases to Build Public Trust
Public trust in science can't be sustained by the support of narrow constituencies at one end of an ideological spectrum.
EU Needs a Strong R&I Ecosystem More Than Ever, Commission Report Finds
Annual report on EU science, research and innovation performance defines challenges in a time of increasingly tense geopolitics
The Problem With Promoting 'Gold Standard Science'
Branding scientific research with a simplified label risks misleading the public and harming scientific literacy.
Trust and Science: the Essential Elements Missing from Plastics Treaty Talks
Trust and Science: the Essential Elements Missing from Plastics Treaty Talks
A plan to limit plastics pollution globally is in crisis. But disagreements can be resolved with a more formal role for science and more informal spaces for delegates.
On the Intensity Decay of Tropical Cyclones Before Landfall - Scientific Reports
On the Intensity Decay of Tropical Cyclones Before Landfall - Scientific Reports
It remains unclear how tropical cyclones (TCs) decay from their ocean lifetime maximum intensity (LMI) to landfall intensity (LI), yet this stage is of fundamental importance governing the socio-economic impact of TCs.
Quality of Scientific Papers Questioned As Academics "Overwhelmed" by the Millions Published
Quality of Scientific Papers Questioned As Academics "Overwhelmed" by the Millions Published
Widespread mockery of AI-generated rat in one paper brings problem to public attention.
Reference Implementation for Open Scientometric Indicators
Within the project "Reference implementation for Open Scientometric Indicators" (ROSI), new assessments and visualizations of conventional and alternative metrics (altmetrics) will be developed and their effect on researchers will be investigated. For this purpose, a reference implementation based on the open source research information system VIVO will be developed in which various metrics are combined with data from different openly licensed sources. In order to develop the requirements of the target groups, surveys are going to be conducted to investigate the effect of scientometric indicators on scientist's and their expectations regarding those indicators. The objectives of the project are firstly to evaluate the scientometric needs and concerns of the target groups, and secondly to implement a usable reference implementation of a toolset that reflects the results of the study and that enables transparent, license-free, flexibly adaptable analysis of the output of researchers, contributors and organisations.
More Than 700 German Research Institutions Strike Open-access Deal with Springer Nature
More Than 700 German Research Institutions Strike Open-access Deal with Springer Nature
Agreement will make thousands of German-authored papers freely available worldwide every year.
Rising Temperatures Will Cause More Deaths Than All Infectious Diseases - Study
Poorer, hotter parts of the world will struggle to adapt to unbearable conditions, research finds
The Precarious Position of Postdocs During COVID-19
Postdoctoral researchers play a crucial role in many research groups, serving as mentors, teachers, and leaders as they develop their skills and prepare for scientific careers. However, the coronavirus disease crisis has put funding and support for postdoc positions at risk, threatening to upend the career paths available to these junior scientists.
When is 'Self-Plagiarism' OK? New Guidelines Offer Researchers Rules for Recycling Text
When is 'Self-Plagiarism' OK? New Guidelines Offer Researchers Rules for Recycling Text
Effort aims to identify what's ethical and legal-and what's not.
The Case for Lotteries As a Tiebreaker of Quality in Research Funding
The Case for Lotteries As a Tiebreaker of Quality in Research Funding
More funders should consider using randomization to choose grant recipients when decisions are too close to call.
Why It Took Me Eight Years and Three Postdoc Jobs to Describe Myself As a Scientist
Why It Took Me Eight Years and Three Postdoc Jobs to Describe Myself As a Scientist
Research and reading helped Shipra Jain to gain confidence in her abilities.
Science Needs Disagreement. What Makes Some Disagreement Useless?
Science Needs Disagreement. What Makes Some Disagreement Useless?
Scientific progress depends on disagreement. So why are vaccine sceptics and other science critics not worth listening to?
How Is Science Clicked on Twitter? Click Metrics for Bitly Short Links to Scientific Publications
How Is Science Clicked on Twitter? Click Metrics for Bitly Short Links to Scientific Publications
Study analyses the click metrics of over 1.1 million links referring to Web of Science publications.
Offensive or Inclusive Language in Scientific Communication?
Richard de Grijs comes to grips with his field's use of potentially offensive language.
Trapped in a Hotel Room: My Scientific Life in the Pandemic
Jen Lewendon's move from the United Kingdom for a postdoc restricted her travel and led to extended stints in quarantine. Here's what the experience taught her.
Switzerland Announces €625M in Backup Funding for Horizon Europe Applicants
Switzerland Announces €625M in Backup Funding for Horizon Europe Applicants
The Swiss Federal Council has announced €625 million in grants for researchers to participate this year in Horizon Europe and other EU programmes, such as Euratom, ITER and Digital Europe. Switzerland is not an associated country in Horizon Europe and is currently locked out of other EU programmes as well, which means Swiss researchers have no access to funding from the European Commission. However, they can participate in about two thirds of Horizon Europe calls, provided they have their own money.
Brexit No Deal Factsheet
A factsheet summarising why the UK leaving the EU with no-deal is a bad deal for science, and outlining what a deal for science should look like.
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