What does the new European Commission and Parliament mean for science?
It has been a busy couple of weeks across the European Union, but what does that mean for science?
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More and more attention and funding
Researchers working at the interface of disciplines can pursue insights without sacrificing career progress.
'Impact': prestige or relevance for developing world research?
The release of the 2014 Impact Factor Report was being awaited, as usual, with some anticipation. Yet this comes at a time when there is an ever-rising tide of contestation about its value in a radically changing research environment, especially in the developing world.
In praise of early independence
Many factors influence success in a science career. Hard work, ambition, flair, and luck played a role in the success of Tim Hunt, who won a share of the 2001 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Hunt's career demonstrates the importance of two additional success factors: playfulness and early independence.
How America's Great University System Is Being Destroyed
How America's Great University System Is Being Destroyed
When universities become corporatized, as has been happening quite systematically over the last generation as part of the general neoliberal assault on the population, their business model means that what matters is the bottom line.
Assessing Science
Earlier this year, at a symposium organized by Nature in Melbourne, Australia, a group of leading academics, funders and government advisers discussed how research outcomes are measured. This Nature Outlook was influenced by these debates.
Work Programme 2015
This document is the annual work programme for the European Research Council funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
A surge of p-values between 0.040 and 0.049 in recent decades
A surge of p-values between 0.040 and 0.049 in recent decades
It is known that statistically significant results are more likely to be published than results that are not statistically significant. We conducted a search in the abstracts of papers published between 1990 and 2014. The results indicate that negative results are not disappearing, but have actually become 4.3 times more prevalent since 1990. Positive results, on the other hand, have become 13.9 times more prevalent since 1990.
A radical change in peer review
A radical change in peer review
Unintentional hipster faculty
Graduate students today fall squarely in the millennial generation, which means we're steeped in hipster culture. Readers of a certain age may still associate hipsters with aficionados of 1940s bebop.
The 1% of scientific publishing
A new study finds that very few scientists (fewer than 1%) manage to publish a paper every year. But these scientists dominate the research journals, having their names on 41% of all papers.
Over 40 signatories ask Elsevier to withdraw TDM policy
Over 40 signatories ask Elsevier to withdraw TDM policy
At the beginning of July, LIBER and 17 other research and library organisations across Europe called on Elsevier to withdraw its current policy on text and data mining (TDM). The number of signatories to the letter has now surpassed 40. They include 33 professional groups plus individual researchers, professors and librarians in a total of 18 countries.
Journals weigh up double-blind peer review
Anonymity of authors as well as reviewers could level field for women and minorities in science.
David Willetts replaced as UK science minister
David Willetts resigned from his post as UK universities and science minister yesterday as part of a government reshuffle. Today, Greg Clark, a conservative minister responsible for cities policy and constitutional reform, has taken over Willetts' portfolio.
The stagnating job market for young scientists
The overall demand for new Ph.D.s in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math is stagnant.
US ideas have a disproportionate influence on business schools
The changing nature of research evaluation in UK higher education is creating perverse and damaging consequences that reinforce an excessively narrow definition of what counts as "high-quality" research.
Retractions are coming thick and fast: it's time for publishers to act
Commenters on post-publication peer review sites such as PubPeer are catching errors that traditional peer reviewers have missed.
Crack down on scientific fraudsters
According to a study published last year, “most investigators who engage in wrongdoing, even serious wrongdoing, continue to conduct research at their institutions.”
Incentivizing peer-review
Under current scientific publishing norms, most research – including, but not limited to, the analysis of thin circular objects – is accessible only to high-paying institutions.
Survey of academic field experiences (SAFE): trainees report harassment and assault
Survey of academic field experiences (SAFE): trainees report harassment and assault
Young researchers, especially women, are more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted when they are doing fieldwork than in the office.
Opening up research proposals
An open research proposal calling for open research proposals and funding transparency.
Why growing retractions are (mostly) a good sign
Retractions of scientific papers have recently been in the spotlight. Unfortunately, the interpretation of statistics about them is often flawed. Evidence suggests that retractions have grown not because of rising misconduct, but because scientists have become more aware of and responsive against fraudulent and flawed research.
Where do college graduates work?
Nice interactive graphic allows you to explore the relationship between college majors and occupations.
Being Human
Open Access and Being Human Dr Martin Paul Eve, co-founder of the Open Library of the Humanities and editor of the open access journal Alluviun, reflects on Open Access engagement, and the politics of information management in a digital age.
What lesson do rising retraction rates hold for peer review?
The rate of retractions of scientific papers has been growing over the past decade, suggestive to some of a crisis of confidence in science. Can we no longer trust the scientific literature?
Evidence-based Union? A new alliance for science advice in Europe
A new network is being launched today, to strengthen science advice and evidence-based policymaking across Europe.
When did we take the "social" out of science?
The push for STEM should not drown out the importance of humanities research.
Science joins push to screen statistics in papers
New policy follows efforts by other journals to bolster standards of data analysis.
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