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Systematize Information on Journal Policies and Practices - A Call to Action
Systematize Information on Journal Policies and Practices - A Call to Action
Recently the creators of Transpose and the Platform for Responsible Editorial Policies convened an online workshop on infrastructures that provide information on scholarly journals. In this blog post they look back at the workshop and discuss next steps.
Swiss € 57million Elsevier Deal
The publishing contract reads like a classic big deal for journal subscriptions. But then, only a short addendum of 1.5 pages deals with the new Open Access workflow.
University Return 'Could Spark Covid Avalanche'
Lecturers say cases may soar as students move in, but ministers insist institutions are prepared.
Surveillance is underestimating the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic
So far in the COVID-19 pandemic, surveillance systems are not monitoring ill health and long-term implications of COVID-19, only deaths are reported.
Publishers, Are You Ready to ROR? - Crossref
Author affiliations, and the ability to link them to publications and other scholarly outputs, are vital for numerous stakeholders across the research landscape. With the launch of the Research Organization Registry (ROR) in 2019 (which Crossref has helped to develop), the landscape is changing. ROR IDs are an opportunity to make affiliation details easier for publishers to use and easier for those who rely on this data.
Are Children Able to Continue Learning During School Closures?
In response to the unprecedented educational challenges created by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 90 per cent of countries have implemented some form of remote learning policy. This UNICEF factsheet estimates the potential reach of digital and broadcast remote learning responses, finding that at least 463 million students around the globe remain cut off from education, mainly due to a lack of remote learning policies or lack of equipment needed for learning at home.
The Limitation Initiative is Harmful to Education, Research and Innovation
The ETH Board, swissuniversities, the Swiss National Science Foundation, Innosuisse – the Swiss Innovation Agency, and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences reject the Limitation Initiative. They organised a joint press call in order to state their views on the Limitation Initiative and affirm the importance of research cooperation with Europe.
So Much Tear Gas Has Been Sprayed on Portland Protesters That Officials Fear It's Polluted the Water
So Much Tear Gas Has Been Sprayed on Portland Protesters That Officials Fear It's Polluted the Water
Tear gas from the near-nightly sieges in Portland may be trickling into the Willamette River, officials fear.
A New Nordic Journal With a "No-Bullshit" Open Access Model
A New Nordic Journal With a "No-Bullshit" Open Access Model
A new star has been born on the academic Nordic journal scene: the Journal of Digital Social Research, launched last year. We talked to the editor-in-chief Simon Lindgren from Umeå University.
Redwoods Survive Wildfire at California's Oldest State Park
When a massive wildfire swept through California's oldest state park last week it was feared many trees in a grove of old-growth redwoods, some of them 2,000 years old...
Some People Can Get the Pandemic Virus Twice, a Study Suggests. That is No Reason to Panic
Some People Can Get the Pandemic Virus Twice, a Study Suggests. That is No Reason to Panic
A man in Hong Kong was found to be reinfected with COVID-19, but what that means for vaccines and immunity is unclear
Biogen Conference Likely Led to 20,000 COVID-19 Cases in Boston Area, Researchers Say
Biogen Conference Likely Led to 20,000 COVID-19 Cases in Boston Area, Researchers Say
A new study shows the Biogen conference held at Boston's Marriott Long Wharf hotel in February played a far greater role in spreading the coronavirus than previously thought.
Blockchain, the Amazing Solution for Almost Nothing
Blockchain technology is going to change everything: the shipping industry, the financial system, government … in fact, what won't it change? But enthusiasm for it mainly stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. The blockchain is a solution in search of a problem.
Grad Students Challenge University-mandated COVID-19 Agreements
"We don't … understand the extent of how this could impact us legally; we're just scared because we know it could," one student says
Trump administration bars FDA from regulating some laboratory tests, including for coronavirus
Trump administration bars FDA from regulating some laboratory tests, including for coronavirus
The Trump administration this week blocked the Food and Drug Administration from regulating a broad swath of laboratory tests, including for the coronavirus, in a move strongly opposed by the agency. The new policy stunned many health experts and laboratories because of its timing, several months into a pandemic.Some public health experts worry defective tests could end up on the market, but others cheer the change, saying it is long overdue.
Open Letter on Plan S in Horizon Europe
In an open letter to the European Commission and the European Research Council, the President of CESAER emphasises the full support for open access to scientific publications and the implementation of Plan S in Horizon Europe
Drivers of Article Processing Charges in Open Access
This study sheds light on the various determinants of Articel Processing Charges in Open Access. The results strongly support the hypothesis that academia runs the risk not to take advantage of the cost-reducing opportunities inherent to digitization via a hybrid oa-strategy.
Open Access Transformation in Switzerland & Germany: A Synopsis of Agreements with Wiley, Springer Nature & Elsevier
Open Access Transformation in Switzerland & Germany: A Synopsis of Agreements with Wiley, Springer Nature & Elsevier
Since Germany has been trying for years to reach such a contract with Elsevier, it is worth comparing it with the two transformative contracts with Wiley and Springer Nature in Germany, which were reached and coordinated by Project DEAL.
A Conversation with a data integrity specialist who works to keep published images honest
A Conversation with a data integrity specialist who works to keep published images honest
Kaoru Sakabe is academic publishing’s version of an in-house detective. In 2017, she and editors at the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) conducted a pilot study looking for image manipulation in accepted papers. When 10% of papers came back with a possible issue, the team was shocked.
Why Figshare? Choosing a New Technical Infrastructure for 4TU.ResearchData
Written by Marta Teperek & Alastair Dunning 4TU.ResearchData is an international repository for research data in science, engineering and design. After over 10 years of using Fedora, an open so…
Explore 175 Years of Words in Scientific American
Search a 4,000-word database to see how language in the magazine evolved over time
UNC-Chapel Hill Reverses Plans for In-person Classes After 130 Students Test Positive for COVID-19
UNC-Chapel Hill Reverses Plans for In-person Classes After 130 Students Test Positive for COVID-19
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill abruptly decided it will no longer hold in-person classes on campus after about 130 students tested positive for COVID-19 in the first week since classes began.
What's the Secret Ingredient to Great Mentorship?
“Find a mentor.” It’s a piece of career advice so commonplace many of us have never given it a second thought. But does it hold up to scrutiny?
Switzerland is Not an Island
Switzerland will soon vote on whether to cancel the agreement on the free movement of persons, thus terminating the well-established Bilateral Agreements with the EU. Only by networking fully with its European neighbors and the world in general, can the high standards the Swiss hold for themselves be maintained.
Mining and Analyzing Patron's Book-Loan Data and University Data to Understand Library Use Patterns
Mining and Analyzing Patron's Book-Loan Data and University Data to Understand Library Use Patterns
The purpose of this paper is to study the patron's usage behavior in an academic library. This study investigates on pattern of patron's books borrowing in Khunying Long Athakravisunthorn Learning Resources Center, Prince of Songkla University that influence patron's academic achievement during on academic year 2015-2018. The study collected and analyzed data from the libraries, registrar, and human resources. The students' performance data was obtained from PSU Student Information System and the rest from ALIST library information system. WEKA was used as the data mining tool employing data mining techniques of association rules and clustering. All data sets were mined and analyzed to identify characteristics of the patron's book borrowing, to discover the association rules of patron's interest, and to analyze the relationships between academic library use and undergraduate students' achievement. The results reveal patterns of patron's book loan behavior, patterns of book usage, patterns of interest rules with respect to patron's interest in book borrowing, and patterns of relationships between patron's borrowing and their grade. The ability to clearly identify and describe library patron's behavior pattern can help library in managing resources and services more effectively. This study provides a sample model as guideline or campus partnerships and for future collaborations that will take advantage of the academic library information and data mining to improve library management and library services.
Webinar: Advancing Your Science Policy Career
Scientists and engineers are in a unique position to influence science policy through their technical expertise. Strong communication skills are essential to bridging the gap between science and society. Register for the Webinar by September 9th.
Open Scholarship Knowledge Base
Discover open scholarship resources created and curated by the community.
COVID-19 Forces German Funder to Award Fellowships by Lottery
COVID-19 Forces German Funder to Award Fellowships by Lottery
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has adopted a randomised process for whittling down the applications which were already deemed strong enough to be considered for funding.