Information exchange on Open Access topics in scientific publishing

• Sebastián Ortiz Martínez

  Which software is better, EndNote X5 or Mendeley?

  Or another reff manager

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• Henk Smid

  How can an ages-old problem be searched for in non-open archives or journals?

  An example: I recently encountered a paper in Nature News based on a recent paper : Lekner, J. Proc. R. Soc. A http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2012.0133 (2012). It deals with the lectrostatic problemAn example: I recently encountered a paper in Nature News based on a recent paper : Lekner, J. Proc. R. Soc. A http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2012.0133 (2012). It deals with the lectrostatic problem of (more-or-less) like charged conducting speres with the (counter-intuitive) result that likes cán attract. A quich search led to a paper: Journal of Electrostatics Volume 70, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 91–96 Electrostatic interaction between two conducting spheres Kiril Kolikov, Dragia Ivanov, Georgi Krastev, Yordan Epitropov, Stefan Bozhkov Unfortunately, as both journals are not open-acces and the authors do not leave further information on internet, I can only compare the abstracts. Of course, this is an ages-old problem and I would be greatly surprised if this was not tackled earlier (maybe even a number of times). I did not search further. Maybe someone is interested. Good hunting !

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    Henk Smid replied

    Aha, thanks Samah Abo-El-Hadid, you are an angel and, under copy-rights law, probably a criminal. The paper seems a bit dull (well, there is more equations than text). It seems that twoAha, thanks Samah Abo-El-Hadid, you are an angel and, under copy-rights law, probably a criminal. The paper seems a bit dull (well, there is more equations than text). It seems that two groups, independently found more-or-less similar results (at the same time) and were not really aware of one another. Still I suspect that this simple problem in electrostatics has been tackled, must have been tackled, much earlier. One question seems obvious: why can we not find that stuff ?? Met vriendelijke groeten, Henk Smid

    3 days ago
• Bill LaPorte-Bryan

  Does ResearchGate play a useful role in scientific progress?

  I recently read an article in the NY Times called Science and Truth: We're All in It Together. It includes these paragraphs: "Sure, there is still the authority that comes of being a scientistI recently read an article in the NY Times called Science and Truth: We're All in It Together. It includes these paragraphs: "Sure, there is still the authority that comes of being a scientist publishing a peer-reviewed paper, or a journalist who’s reported a story in depth, but both such publications are going to be crowd-reviewed, crowd-corrected and, in many cases, crowd-improved. (And sometimes, crowd-overturned.) Granted, it does require curating this discussion, since yahoos and obscenity mavens tend to congregate in comment sections." ..... "Some scientists are already experimenting with variations of this idea within the stately world of peer review. New ways to encourage wider collaboration before an article is published — through sites like ResearchGate — are attempts to bring the modern world of crowd-improvement to empirical research. Already, among scientists, there is pushback, fear that incorporating critiques outside of professional peer review will open the floodgates to cranks. Not necessarily. The popular rejection last year of the discovery of a microbe that can live on arsenic was mercifully swift precisely because it was executed by online outsiders. Not acknowledging that crowd-checking and amateur commentary have created a different world poses its own dangers. "

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    P B Vekariya, Asstt. Prof. replied

    ya sure and we have info. of so many scientific events across wold, res, papers and interaction with like scientists!!!!!!!!!!!

    3 days ago
• Peter von Dassow

  What about the following effort to reform academic publishing? http://thecostofknowledge.com/

  To me this seems like a big issue for several reasons. First, publicly funded research should be accessible to the public. All basic research results supported by public institutions must be publicTo me this seems like a big issue for several reasons. First, publicly funded research should be accessible to the public. All basic research results supported by public institutions must be public access: That is why it was funded we have made a commitment to publish our findings in a timely fashion ("publish" implies to make public). I don't know whether this initiative can also improve access to older knowledge, which is crucial to many fields, especially all the environmental sciences. The argument that "one can always just write the corresponding author for a copy" does not sway me, because it obviously does not always work in a timely fashion if A) the corresponding author doesn't answer (might be away), B) the contact information for the authors is out-of-date (as time since publication increases, there is an increasing probability that the author is retired or even no longer living). For environmental sciences and many other disciplines, it is crucial to have access to articles published decades ago, to allow comparisons across time or if one is wants information about one of the nearly infinite number of organisms that is not a well studied lab model. Obviously, scanning older articles and archiving them on a server is not a cost-free operation, and that is why JSTOR (etc.) charge. Despite the enhanced theoretical availability of electronic articles, I find it a greater problem to get them (basically, we are now expected to have access to everything published, but we don't in fact have it). I'm in a country (Chile) where last year there were huge (and occasionally violent) protests over education in the country. University costs are a huge deal, and maintaining a library appropriate for a research university is getting more expensive every year. Does anyone have an important reason not to support this initiative that I have not considered? Does anyone have comments on whether this type of initiative will work or whether it will be enough to increase knowledge access and decrease knowledge costs, not just to current work but also to past work?

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    Ryan Mears replied

    The following petition to the White House is available online: Require free access over the Internet to scientific journal articles arising from taxpayer-funded research. http://wh.gov/6TH

    5 days ago

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• Yingkuan Wang

  What research focus would you recommend? I am preparing for writing a proposal to apply for a research fund for a research on open access publishing....

  I will appreciate your inputs and comments.

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    Bahaaeldin Mohamed replied

    This is a direct link : http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/collaboration/fourthparadigm/4th_paradigm_book_complete_lr.pdf

    Apr 19, 2012
• Darío Macchi

  How do software development business make technological decisions?

  I'm doing some research about how the software companies makes technological decisions. For these reason I introduce some theoretical situation and ask you to answer these short questions in order toI'm doing some research about how the software companies makes technological decisions. For these reason I introduce some theoretical situation and ask you to answer these short questions in order to know what do you think about this (only take 5 minutes to answer, although you can answer in more detail if you prefer). "Suppose that you work on a software development business or a company with strong IT dependency and you have to take a decision between two technologies. You can choose asking an expert advice, compare with previous experiences, talk to both vendors, etc. (many studies show that this is how the situation is handled now). Now, suppose that someone offers you some kind of report with the results of an experiment, done it following the scientific method, with cuantitative and qualitative data to support your decision. It shows evidence about some specific attribute (e.g. performance or usability or... etc.) for both technologies running under certain conditions." 1) Do you think that the results of this kind of experiment can be useful? 2) Do you think that the experiment approach is economically viable? 3) Do you think that the industry is mature enough to recognize the value added following this approach? 4) What is the size of the companies that could buy this kind of information? A - Small companies B - Middle-size companies C - Only big ones 5) What is the value of this information if you think that it may reduce some project/business investment risk? (answer in % of the total investment) Thanks in advance!
• Faye Stringer

  Is the US leading the way in Open Access?

  Below is an interesting discussion regarding the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA) and how to help it become law. I'm interested in others experience in recent years of open access and whatBelow is an interesting discussion regarding the Federal Research Public Access Act (FRPAA) and how to help it become law. I'm interested in others experience in recent years of open access and what different governments are doing to implement it?

  http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/how-you-can-help-the-federal-research-public-access-act-frpaa-become-law/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+michaelnielsen%2Fwmna+%28Michael+Nielsen%29

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    AP Radha Krishna replied

    I wish to know the view of Arunachalam Subbayya and others regarding Gigapedia (Library.nu) openn access sharing library - huge collection of books - on which students and teachers around the worldI wish to know the view of Arunachalam Subbayya and others regarding Gigapedia (Library.nu) openn access sharing library - huge collection of books - on which students and teachers around the world heavilydpended. Rcently the site was forced to shut down by book publishing company. For book lovers and knowledge seekers - really a terrible loss.

    Apr 18, 2012
• Roderick Salisbury

  University College London is publishing Archaeology International as an open access journal.

  http://www.ai-journal.com/index

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    Arunachalam Subbiah replied

    The Wellcome Trust plans a foray into the online publishing arena, with the launch of its own freely-available online journal later this year. IWR news desk, Information World Review 11/04/2012 TheThe Wellcome Trust plans a foray into the online publishing arena, with the launch of its own freely-available online journal later this year. IWR news desk, Information World Review 11/04/2012 The UK’s largest funder of medical research will provide funding for a new web-based life science journal called eLife for the next three years under a joint venture with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the US and the Max Plack Society of Germany. Reed Elsevier, one of the main publishers of paid-for academic titles, faces a boycott from thousands of academics who allege that high subscription fees for its publications limits access to much of their work. http://www.iwr.co.uk/professional-and-library/3011271/Wellcome-Trust-to-launch-online-journal Arun

    Apr 17, 2012
• Katarzyna Szkuta

  What are the best scientific papers on impact of science 2.0 (open science, citizen science, data-intensive science)?

  I'm looking for evidence that the science 2.0 really changes the way we do science today (in positive and negative sense). Can we prove that the change already took place? If yes, in what areas? DoesI'm looking for evidence that the science 2.0 really changes the way we do science today (in positive and negative sense). Can we prove that the change already took place? If yes, in what areas? Does it happen only in natural sciences? More information on our study on http://science20study.wordpress.com/

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    Arunachalam Subbiah replied

    Friends: Here are three papers I and two colleagues wrote on the importance of open access repositories for developing countries a few years ago. Friends: Here are three papers I and two colleagues wrote on the importance of open access repositories for developing countries a few years ago. 1. From Bulletin of WHO http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/8/09-064659/en/index.html Open access: a giant leap towards bridging health inequities Leslie Chan, Subbiah Arunachalam & Barbara Kirsop 2. http://www.openmedicine.ca/article/viewArticle/298/245 Open Medicine, Vol 3, No 3 (2009) ANALYSIS AND COMMENT The chain of communication in health science: from researcher to health worker through open access LESLIE CHAN, SUBBIAH ARUNACHALAM, BARBARA KIRSOP 3. http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue52/kirsop-et-al/ Ariadne, Issue 52, July 2007 Access to Scientific Knowledge for Sustainable Development: Options for Developing Countries Barbara Kirsop, Subbiah Arunachalam and Leslie Chan consider the impact of donor access and open access to research publications on the sustainable development of science in developingcountries. Arun

    Apr 17, 2012
• Wouter Gerritsma

  I made an analysis of OA deposit rates at Dutch universities. http://wowter.net/2012/02/10/a-census-of-open-access-repositories-in-the-netherlands/

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    Wouter Gerritsma replied

    Dear Arunchalam Subbiah, there is quite a large difference in the interests of the universities involved in this study and the Commercial publishers. Perhaps of interest to you is the most recentDear Arunchalam Subbiah, there is quite a large difference in the interests of the universities involved in this study and the Commercial publishers. Perhaps of interest to you is the most recent report by Dr. Alma Swan on behalf of Unesco Swan, A. (2012). Policy guidelines for the development and promotion of open access. Paris, UNESCO. 76p. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/resources/publications-and-communication-materials/publications/full-list/policy-guidelines-for-the-development-and-promotion-of-open-access/ which also points out that the Netherlands is doing more than average to increase the availability of OA. Fruthermore two large, by some account -Dutch- publishing houses, Elsevier and Springer, allow green road archiving of published articles.

    Apr 12, 2012
• Taro Kiritani

  How do you organize your experimental data?

  Science is all about data, but we scientists (at least biologists) are not specialists of data. I spend so much time organizing data, and wonder if we can use Ruby on Rails-like approaches toScience is all about data, but we scientists (at least biologists) are not specialists of data. I spend so much time organizing data, and wonder if we can use Ruby on Rails-like approaches to organize, analyze, and visualize data? I want to handle my data in a simpler way. I guess I could use MVC, DRY or RESTful approach.. That way, other people can understand your data more easily. Does anyone use rails in research?

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    Pablo de Castro replied

    In order to provide a diiferent angle to the discussion, let me express my own set of regrets about how hard it is for research data management project developer teams (based at the UniversityIn order to provide a diiferent angle to the discussion, let me express my own set of regrets about how hard it is for research data management project developer teams (based at the University Research Office, Library, etc) to reach researchers and to disseminate research data management (RDM) initiatives and opportunities at an institutional level (meaning university or research centre). There is a large number of ongiong RDM projects at institutional, national, international and discipline-based levels that seem unable to raise awareness about the need for a systematic research data management to be carried out by research groups everywhere. The technical infrastructure is increasingly available (see LabArchives, http://www.labarchives.com/ to add just one additional example to the ones that were already mentioned), the policies are often there as well (for instance the NSF data sharing mandate in the US, see http://blog.datadryad.org/2010/11/15/nsf-policy-on-dissemination-and-sharing-of-research-results/) and the international networks are already collaborating for harmonising the different national approaches (see "Research Data Management: Activities and Challenges" Workshop held last Nov in Bonn by the Knowledge Exchange, http://www.knowledge-exchange.info/Default.aspx?ID=475, with attached report), so everything seems ready for a broad movement towards an accountable research data management activity to flourish. But we need researchers to be aware of those efforts! Maybe the publishers are actually the most appropriate stakeholders to look upon for getting these initiatives widely disseminated. Some good news came up last week in this regard, see "LabArchives and BioMed Central: a new platform for publishing scientific data" at http://blogs.openaccesscentral.com/blogs/bmcblog/entry/labarchives_and_biomed_central_a

    Apr 12, 2012
• Soenke Bartling

  Reference manager

  I used Endnote, however, after a while I stumbled upon Zotero that I´m using now. I like its library sharing function, its flexibility, its open-sourceness and how well the import function works.I used Endnote, however, after a while I stumbled upon Zotero that I´m using now. I like its library sharing function, its flexibility, its open-sourceness and how well the import function works. Furthermore, I like the one-click idea for reference import. Today, I was a amazed by the fact that one can just drag&drop the "download"-PDF button onto the reference to include the fulltext with the reference. The library sharing function works well to sync references in my group, at home and within my research group.

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    Roi Paz replied

    Hope it was useful

    Apr 11, 2012
• Roderick Salisbury

  The PLoS blog Neuroanthropology weighs in on Open Access and anthropology

  http://blogs.plos.org/neuroanthropology/2012/03/07/new-issue-of-anthropologies-occupy-and-open-access/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+plos%2Fblogs%2Fmain+%28Blogs+-+Main%29