Publications

3 pages, 150 KiB

Open AccessOpinion

by Stephen Kenneth Donovan

Publications 2023, 11(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020034 - 07 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1501

What are the essential abilities that make proficient book review editors? They should preferably be a seasoned reviewer themselves, with the ability to read a book and write a review in short time in an emergency. They will develop a group of trusted [...] Read more.

What are the essential abilities that make proficient book review editors? They should preferably be a seasoned reviewer themselves, with the ability to read a book and write a review in short time in an emergency. They will develop a group of trusted reviewers—the ‘regulars’—which may include the editors themselves. However, there will also be a blacklist of failed reviewers not to be approached again. Recognising that book reviews were dropped by many journals, which were commonly wanting more printed space for research articles, does not mean that they will not be needed in the future. In the age of online publication, page space is no longer a valid limitation. If they are not on board already, electronic journals should be appointing new book review editors and expecting an influx of copy. Full article

26 pages, 774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evaluation Gap in Astronomy—Explained through a Rational Choice Framework

by Julia Heuritsch

Publications 2023, 11(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020033 - 02 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1764

Abstract

The concept of evaluation gaps captures potential discrepancies between what researchers value about their research, in particular research quality, and what metrics measure. The existence of evaluation gaps can give rise to questions about the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to perform [...] Read more.

The concept of evaluation gaps captures potential discrepancies between what researchers value about their research, in particular research quality, and what metrics measure. The existence of evaluation gaps can give rise to questions about the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to perform research, i.e., how field-specific notions of quality compete with notions captured via evaluation metrics, and consequently how researchers manage the balancing act between intrinsic values and requirements of evaluation procedures. This study analyses the evaluation gap from a rational choice point of view for the case of observational astronomers, based on a literature review and 19 semi-structured interviews with international astronomers. On the basis of the institutional norms and capital at play in academic astronomy, I shed light on the workings of the balancing act and its consequences on research quality in astronomy. I find that astronomers experience an anomie: they want to follow their intrinsic motivation to pursue science in order to push knowledge forward, while at the same time following their extrinsic motivation to comply with institutional norms. The balancing act is the art of serving performance indicators in order to stay in academia, while at the same time compromising research quality as little as possible. Gaming strategies shall give the appearance of compliance, while institutionalised means to achieve a good bibliometric record are used in innovative ways, such as salami slicing or going for easy publications. This leads to an overall decrease in research quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Looking Forwards and Backwards: 10 Years of Publications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 328 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Roles and Responsibilities for Peer Reviewers of International Journals

by Carol Nash

Publications 2023, 11(2), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020032 - 02 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1841

Abstract

There is a noticeable paucity of recently published research on the roles and responsibilities of peer reviewers for international journals. Concurrently, the pool of these peer reviewers is decreasing. Using a narrative research method developed by the author, this study questioned these roles [...] Read more.

There is a noticeable paucity of recently published research on the roles and responsibilities of peer reviewers for international journals. Concurrently, the pool of these peer reviewers is decreasing. Using a narrative research method developed by the author, this study questioned these roles and responsibilities through the author’s assessment in reviewing for five publishing houses July–December 2022, in comparison with two recent studies regarding peer review, and the guidelines of the five publishing houses. What should be most important in peer review is found discrepant among the author, those judging peer review in these publications, and the five publishing houses. Furthermore, efforts to increase the pool of peer reviewers are identified as ineffective because they focus on the reviewer qua reviewer, rather than on their primary role as researchers. To improve consistency, authors have regularly called for peer review training. Yet, this advice neglects to recognize the efforts of journals in making their particular requirements for peer review clear, comprehensive and readily accessible. Consequently, rather than peer reviewers being trained and rewarded as peer reviewers, journals are advised to make peer review a requirement for research publication, and their guidelines necessary reading and advice to follow for peer reviewers. Full article

17 pages, 2000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measuring the Impact and Influence of Scientific Activity in the Humanities and Social Sciences

by Daniela De Filippo, Fernanda Morillo and Borja González-Albo

Publications 2023, 11(2), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020031 - 01 Jun 2023

Viewed by 2301

Abstract

Scientific activity in the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) presents special characteristics that require the use of various sources and methodologies to adequately assess its impact and influence on both academic and non-academic audiences. This study aims to explore the validity of traditional [...] Read more.

Scientific activity in the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) presents special characteristics that require the use of various sources and methodologies to adequately assess its impact and influence on both academic and non-academic audiences. This study aims to explore the validity of traditional and alternative information sources for the analysis of the characteristics of HSS research and its academic impact and influence (considering social, media, informative and political influence). It is also intended to highlight the differences between Humanities (H) and Social Sciences (SS) and analyse the variables that determine the different types of impact and influence of research in each of them. The following sources of information are used: Web of Science, conCIENCIA (institutional database), Google Scholar, Unpaywall, Altmetric.com and Overton, focused on the study of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The results obtained show that institutional sources make local research visible, which has high percentages of open access. The usefulness of alternative sources to measure social, media, informative and political influence is verified, since HSS publications have an important number of mentions. Significant differences are observed between H and SS in terms of publication coverage (higher in H in the institutional database), language (more Spanish in H), open access (higher percentages in SS) and impact measured through conCIENCIA (the greatest number of documents with a high impact is found in H). In addition, the influence on non-academic audiences is increased by the international orientation of research, the greater academic impact, the participation of SS centres and the immediacy of publications. This study is a starting point for future research, as it explores several tools and data sources to analyse the influence of HSS research on different audiences. A comprehensive analysis will also facilitate the proposal of new metrics applied to the HSS assessment, highlighting its importance for society as a whole. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 3319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Panorama of Undergraduate Research in Brazil: Profile, Scientific Production, and Perceptions

by Angélica Ferreira Melo, Woska Pires da Costa, Rhanya Rafaella Rodrigues, Lorena de Almeida Cavalcante Brandão Nunes, Priscilla Rayanne E Silva Noll and Matias Noll

Publications 2023, 11(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020030 - 26 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1598

Abstract

Undergraduate Research (UR) is an institutional program that introduces undergraduate students to scientific research. The program selects research projects proposed by advisors and students for execution. Despite the importance of knowing the stages of research activities in undergraduate research, only a few studies [...] Read more.

Undergraduate Research (UR) is an institutional program that introduces undergraduate students to scientific research. The program selects research projects proposed by advisors and students for execution. Despite the importance of knowing the stages of research activities in undergraduate research, only a few studies have evaluated data on this subject. Therefore, this study aims to outline an overview of UR in a Brazilian educational institution, considering the profiles of students and advisors, students’ scientific productions, and perceptions about the experience of both. The study was a mixed-approach case study conducted through a questionnaire and interviews. The sample consisted of 213 undergraduate students and 167 UR supervisors. The results show that the largest group of students were aged 21 and 22 (46.6%) and supervisors 33 to 38 years (38.9%). Regarding the scientific productions of students, those who participated twice or more in undergraduate research had higher indicators compared to those who were participating for the first time. Students’ perceptions of their evolution and perceptions of the advisors were mostly positive, with a greater number of responses classified as very good to good. Thus, the satisfaction of researchers in being part of this experience was perceived and the need to improve the scientific production indicators of students, mediated by the advisors stimulating the writing of articles, abstracts, and books, as well as participation in events and patent development, was shown. We conclude that undergraduate research activities promote the integral development of students’ academic, scientific, personal, and professional terms, which ultimately reflect critical and emancipatory actions in society. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1393 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Transformation of the Green Road to Open Access

by Joachim Schöpfel, Stéphane Chaudiron, Bernard Jacquemin, Eric Kergosien, Hélène Prost and Florence Thiault

Publications 2023, 11(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020029 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2460

Abstract

(1) Background: The 2002 Budapest Open Access Initiative recommended the self-archiving of scientific articles in open repositories, which has been described as the “green road” to open access. Twenty years later, only one part of the researchers deposits their publications in open repositories; [...] Read more.

(1) Background: The 2002 Budapest Open Access Initiative recommended the self-archiving of scientific articles in open repositories, which has been described as the “green road” to open access. Twenty years later, only one part of the researchers deposits their publications in open repositories; moreover, one part of the repositories’ content is not based on self-archived deposits but on mediated nonfaculty contributions. The purpose of the paper is to provide more empirical evidence on this situation and to assess the impact on the future of the green road. (2) Methods: We analyzed the contributions to the French national HAL repository from more than 1000 laboratories affiliated with the ten most important French research universities, with a focus on 2020, representing 14,023 contributor accounts and 164,070 deposits. (3) Results: We identified seven different types of contributor accounts, including deposits from nonfaculty staff and import flows from other platforms. Mediated nonfaculty contributions (deposits by libraries, import of bibliographic records, migration from other platforms, etc.) account for at least 48% of the 2020 deposits. We also identified differences between institutions and disciplines. (4) Conclusions: Our empirical results reveal a transformation of open repositories from self-archiving and direct scientific communication towards research information management. Repositories like HAL are somewhere in the middle of the process. The paper describes data quality as the main issue and major challenge of this transformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring Open Access Uptake: Databases, Metrics, and International Comparisons)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 484 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Politics of Rights Retention

by Samuel A. Moore

Publications 2023, 11(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020028 - 12 May 2023

Viewed by 18375

Abstract

This article presents a commentary on the recent resurgence of interest in the practice of rights retention in scholarly publishing. Led in part by the evolving European policy landscape, rights retention seeks to ensure immediate access to accepted manuscripts uploaded to repositories. The [...] Read more.

This article presents a commentary on the recent resurgence of interest in the practice of rights retention in scholarly publishing. Led in part by the evolving European policy landscape, rights retention seeks to ensure immediate access to accepted manuscripts uploaded to repositories. The article identifies a trajectory in the development of rights retention from something that publishers could previously ignore to a practice they are now forced to confront. Despite being couched in the neoliberal logic of market-centric policymaking, I argue that rights retention represents a more combative approach to publisher power by institutions and funders that could yield significant benefits for a more equitable system of open access publishing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Open Access and Equity, Justice, and Diversity)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 3624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Teaching Workload on Scientific Productivity: Multidimensional Analysis in the Complexity of a Mexican Private University

by Maria Soledad Ramirez-Montoya, Hector G. Ceballos, Sandra Martínez-Pérez and Luis M. Romero-Rodríguez

Publications 2023, 11(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020027 - 04 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2291

Abstract

Researchers primarily dedicate their time to teaching in Latin American universities. For this reason, it is essential to determine how teaching time affects (or contributes to) the scientific productivity of researchers working under these conditions. We analyzed the incidence of gender, groups taught [...] Read more.

Researchers primarily dedicate their time to teaching in Latin American universities. For this reason, it is essential to determine how teaching time affects (or contributes to) the scientific productivity of researchers working under these conditions. We analyzed the incidence of gender, groups taught at undergraduate and graduate levels, the researcher proficiency level, and the number of thesis students advised, among others, for the impact on the scientific productivity (annual publications) of a group of professors. We analyzed the data using both statistical and regression methods. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the number of groups taught does not significantly influence research productivity; it is affected by other factors such as belonging to the Mexican Researcher System (SNI) or having a researcher or administrative position at the institution. Our results can help guide the formulation of academic and research policies that contribute to the scientific productivity of Latin American universities. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolution of Narrativity in Abstracts of the Biomedical Literature between 1989 and 2022

by Stefano Guizzardi, Maria Teresa Colangelo, Prisco Mirandola and Carlo Galli

Publications 2023, 11(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020026 - 28 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1139

Abstract

Previous analysis has shown that the use of narrative devices in the biomedical literature has changed over time. The purpose of the present study was to measure the degree of narrativity in corpora of scientific abstracts obtained from Pubmed through the use of [...] Read more.

Previous analysis has shown that the use of narrative devices in the biomedical literature has changed over time. The purpose of the present study was to measure the degree of narrativity in corpora of scientific abstracts obtained from Pubmed through the use of a proprietary software LIWC 2022, which, based on pre-set dictionaries, attributes scores for Staging, Plot Progression and Cognitive Tension to texts. Each text is automatically divided into a number of segments, so that the score change can be assessed throughout the different parts of a text, thus identifying its narrative arc. We systematically applied the scoring system to a corpus of 680,000 abstracts from manuscripts of any kind and genre published in the years 1989–2022 and indexed in MEDLINE, an independent corpus of 680,000 abstracts of Primary studies published in the same years, and finally a corpus of 680,000 abstracts of Review papers that appeared in the 1989–2022 interval. We were able to create plots of the pattern of how these three scores changed over time in each corpus and observed that the prototypical pattern observed in narrative texts, e.g., novels, is not seen in abstracts of the scientific literature, which, however, mostly possess a diverse but quite reproducible pattern. Overall, Reviews better conform to a higher degree of narrativity than Primary studies. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 927 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sociocultural Causes of Ambiguity in Arab Academic Writings

by Abdulrahman Essa Al Lily, Abdelrahim Fathy Ismail, Rahima Aissani, Fathi M. Abunasser, Samia M. Shahpo, Ali Khalifa Atwa Abdullatif and Ghada N. Elmorsy

Publications 2023, 11(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020025 - 07 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1732

Abstract

Although ambiguity in written, oral, and visual communication is inevitably present across all human societies and cultures, variation among these societies and cultures occurs in the sociocultural causes of its existence. This study helps formulate a conceptual framework that enables the enrichment of [...] Read more.

Although ambiguity in written, oral, and visual communication is inevitably present across all human societies and cultures, variation among these societies and cultures occurs in the sociocultural causes of its existence. This study helps formulate a conceptual framework that enables the enrichment of knowledge about this variation. It takes a first step by highlighting Arab-specific reasons behind ambiguity in academic writings in humanities and social sciences. The investigation entails thematically analysing the thoughts of 905 Arabs in academia. The findings point to a ‘doing-the-minimum’ mentality, whereby one may act hastily and impatiently and do just enough for one’s manuscript to be published in any journal, thereby rushing into publication while skimping on quality and diminishing attention to manuscript clarity. Another finding is the ambition for rewards that Arab institutions assign to publication, whereby one may boost their publication records to reap these rewards, resulting in high quantity while sacrificing quality (e.g., clarity). Another reason discovered is the conceptualisation of writing as a formulaic and ‘fill-in-the-blanks’ task (templates to be completed and, thus, manuscripts to be constructed), instilling a focus on technicality instead of cognitive depth and clarity. An additional reason found is the passive application of foreign theories and conceptual frameworks without subjecting them to critical reflection, reapplying foreign surveys and mimicking survey-based articles, thereby making their articles culturally shallow, suffer from cultural irrelevance, and thus, ambiguity. This is along with the integration of poetry (wherein ambiguity is culturally viewed as desirable and showing poets to be sophisticated) into Arabs’ daily social and educational lives and mindsets, encouraging the acceptability of ambiguity as a possible linguistic quality in scholarly writing as well. The social context lacks direct, explicit, and free articulation, encouraging one to resort to roundabout ways of composing their manuscripts, thus, making the manuscripts fall into ambiguity. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1126 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alive Publication

by Mikhail Gorbunov-Posadov

Publications 2023, 11(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020024 - 07 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2778

Abstract

An alive publication is a new genre for presenting the results of scientific research, where the scientific work is published online, and then is constantly being developed and improved by its author. Serious errors and typos are no longer fatal, nor do they [...] Read more.

An alive publication is a new genre for presenting the results of scientific research, where the scientific work is published online, and then is constantly being developed and improved by its author. Serious errors and typos are no longer fatal, nor do they haunt the author for the rest of his or her life. The reader of an alive publication knows that the author is constantly monitoring changes occurring in this branch of science. Alive publication faces the inertia of scientific publishing traditions and, in particular, traditional bibliometrics. Unfortunately, at present, the author who supports an alive publication is dramatically losing out on many generally accepted bibliometric indicators. The alive publication encourages the development of the bibliography apparatus. Each bibliographic reference will soon have to contain on-the-fly attributes such as attendance, number of external links, date of the last revision, etc. In the opinion of the writer of these lines, as the alive publication spreads over to the scientific world, the author’s concern for the publication’s evolution will become like a parent’s care for the development of a child. The Internet will be filled with scientific publications that do not lose their relevance with time. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

3 pages, 186 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

One Secret for a High Citation Rate

by Gianfranco Carotenuto and Francesca Nicolais

Publications 2023, 11(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020023 - 04 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1494

Abstract

The relevance of the technical results included in a scientific paper is proved by the quantity of citations received by the article over the years [...] Full article

15 pages, 4243 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Constraints on Research in Biological and Agricultural Science in Developing Countries: The Example of Latin America

by Carlos S. Galina, José F. Martínez and Bruce D. Murphy

Publications 2023, 11(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020022 - 03 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1536

Abstract

Science is an international effort, receiving contributions from researchers across the globe. The capacity of a country or a region to generate and publish quality research varies greatly according to the location examined. Among the factors that dictate the quantity and quality of [...] Read more.

Science is an international effort, receiving contributions from researchers across the globe. The capacity of a country or a region to generate and publish quality research varies greatly according to the location examined. Among the factors that dictate the quantity and quality of scientific research are the availability of infrastructure and human resources, the traditions related to research endeavors, and, most significantly, local governmental support for research. There are several conditions that both individually and cooperatively limit research activities in Latin America, such as insufficient governmental support, a paucity of material and technical resources, heavy teaching loads, the absence of peer networks, and multiple constraints on publication. This commentary has been developed to discuss each of the issues that permit and, more frequently, limit biological and agricultural research endeavors in Latin America. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 447 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Gold Open Access Citation Advantage in Clinical Medicine: Analysis of Hybrid Journals in the Web of Science

by Chompunuch Saravudecha, Duangruthai Na Thungfai, Chananthida Phasom, Sodsri Gunta-in, Aorrakanya Metha, Peangkobfah Punyaphet, Tippawan Sookruay, Wannachai Sakuludomkan and Nut Koonrungsesomboon

Publications 2023, 11(2), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020021 - 27 Mar 2023

Viewed by 2707

Abstract

Biomedical fields have seen a remarkable increase in hybrid Gold open access articles. However, it is uncertain whether the hybrid Gold open access option contributes to a citation advantage, an increase in the citations of articles made immediately available as open access regardless [...] Read more.

Biomedical fields have seen a remarkable increase in hybrid Gold open access articles. However, it is uncertain whether the hybrid Gold open access option contributes to a citation advantage, an increase in the citations of articles made immediately available as open access regardless of the article’s quality or whether it involves a trending topic of discussion. This study aimed to compare the citation counts of hybrid Gold open access articles to subscription articles published in hybrid journals. The study aimed to ascertain if hybrid Gold open access publications yield an advantage in terms of citations. This cross-sectional study included the list of hybrid journals under 59 categories in the ‘Clinical Medicine’ group from Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports (JCR) during 2018–2021. The number of citable items with ‘Gold Open Access’ and ‘Subscription and Free to Read’ in each journal, as well as the number of citations of those citable items, were extracted from JCR. A hybrid Gold open access citation advantage was computed by dividing the number of citations per citable item with hybrid Gold open access by the number of citations per citable item with a subscription. A total of 498, 636, 1009, and 1328 hybrid journals in the 2018 JCR, 2019 JCR, 2020 JCR, and 2021 JCR, respectively, were included in this study. The citation advantage of hybrid Gold open access articles over subscription articles in 2018 was 1.45 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24–1.65); in 2019, it was 1.31 (95% CI, 1.20–1.41); in 2020, it was 1.30 (95% CI, 1.20–1.39); and in 2021, it was 1.31 (95% CI, 1.20–1.42). In the ‘Clinical Medicine’ discipline, the articles published in the hybrid journal as hybrid Gold open access had a greater number of citations when compared to those published as a subscription, self-archived, or otherwise openly accessible option. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring Open Access Uptake: Databases, Metrics, and International Comparisons)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Authorship in Communication Science Journals: Mapping Romanian Practices

by Mariana Cernicova-Buca

Publications 2023, 11(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications11020020 - 23 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1206

Abstract

Scientific authorship is an evolving concept, being challenged by the numerous varieties in definition and practice of its ideational form. Variations in interpretation occur not only along the traditional demarcation line between hard sciences and the social sciences and humanities but also within [...] Read more.

Scientific authorship is an evolving concept, being challenged by the numerous varieties in definition and practice of its ideational form. Variations in interpretation occur not only along the traditional demarcation line between hard sciences and the social sciences and humanities but also within the same science branch, along parameters such as geography or institutional representation. This article explores the websites of internationally indexed communication science journals in Romania, from the point of view of authorship definitions, authorship requirements, and author-related ethical provisions. The web-based analysis is supplemented by opinions shared by editors of seven journal publishing venues. Findings show that less than half of the Romanian communication science journals allude to the international debate concerning authorship vs. contributorship models. A data-based critique of the self-presentation of the selected journals on their main page is also formulated. The findings of this study can help improve the journals’ self-presentation and self-promotion and set a benchmark for science communication among disciplines in SSH. In addition, it opens the floor for debate on scientific publishing patterns and practices in the given domain in Romania, making room for comparisons and filling in gaps in information on the topic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Looking Forwards and Backwards: 10 Years of Publications)

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Publications, Volume 11, Issue 2 (June 2023) – 15 articles

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI