1. Can publishers maintain control of the scholarly record?
Author: Danielle Cooper, Oya Y. Rieger and Roger C. Schonfeld
The journal brand has proven to be the great intangible asset of the scholarly publisher. It signals trust and authority to authors and readers alike. So even as libraries came to license bundles rather than discrete titles and users came to discover and access content through platforms, publishers have worked hard to defend the journal brand and extend it, for example through cascades and author workflow integrations. The version of record, which publishers typically control exclusively, has been their vehicle for doing so. But everywhere, the version of record is declining in relative importance, as interest grows in preregistration, datasets, preprints, source code, and protocols, among other elements of the scholarly record. Looking ahead, there are real tensions emerging in how the scholarly record will be structured and who will have ownership and control over it.
The full entry can be read: Here.
2. Should scientific studies be available for free?
Author: Derek Beres
In 2018 cOAlition S (https://www.coalition-s.org/) has launched an ambitious program: to make all of the world's state-backed scientific papers open-access. Access to scientific studies will not solve all of woes. But lack of transparency is a major reason why so many citizens have grown suspicious of pharmaceutical companies and public health agencies. An ability to read studies without having to pay exorbitant prices (to the layperson) would be an important step in public health and science education.
The full entry can be read: Here.
3. Peer review, preprints and a pandemic
Author: research information blog
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, staff at MIT Press were noticing a problem with preprint servers. Over time, more and more preprints were being published and drifting into mainstream media, even government, in ways that were not always helpful and were sometimes even misleading. Then came coronavirus. Amid the torrent of data released onto preprint servers, research clangers emerged and withdrawals, retractions and expressions of concern followed. A study, based on a Covid-19 Reddit forum, indicates that preprints and other non-peer-reviewed publications are widely read and are now challenging peer-reviewed publications as a means of disseminating research.
The full entry can be read: Here.
4. Using data to help prepare for an uncertain future: a vision for HE
Author: James Clay
As universities face 2021 with optimism, robust data visions and collaborative working can help them achieve their objectives. One thing that has become more apparent in 2021 is the importance of data in supporting both student and staff experiences. However, sometimes making wish lists for the future is the easy part; what is often harder is figuring out that vision and the steps required getting there. In the past, universities have been able to rely on historical data sets to compare against current data and observe trends. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the sector in many ways, and therefore historical data is not relevant to the current circumstances. This means that journey-planning needs to start from scratch, and so having clean data and a robust strategy in place will be essential as the higher education (HE) sector continues to emerge.
The full entry can be read: Here.
5. The rule of truth: How fallacies can help stem the COVID-19 infodemic
Author: Elinor Carmi, Elena Musi and Myrto Aloumpi
Alongside COVID-19 as a viral pandemic, the World Health Organization was quick to declare COVID-19 an infodemic, a superabundance of online and offline information with the potential to undermine public health efforts. In this blog, Dr. Elinor Carmi, Dr. Myrto Aloumpi and Dr. Elena Musi discuss how philosophical fallacies can be instrumentalised in response to the COVID-19 infodemic and assist those coming into contact with fake news resist its rhetorical appeal.
The full entry can be read: Here.
Leave a Reply