Publications

4 pages, 180 KiB

Open AccessLetter

The Splendors and Miseries of Open Access Scientific Publishing in Ukraine

by Andriy Novikov

Publications 2020, 8(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010016 - 20 Mar 2020

Viewed by 3823

The letter represents the author’s opinion on the reasons and background of the actively developing practice of unconscientious open access scientific publishing, as well as briefly discussing the current condition of academic publishing and indexation in Ukraine. Full article

18 pages, 1131 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Clinicians’ Publication Output: Self-Report Survey and Bibliometric Analysis

by Kurubaran Ganasegeran, Alan Swee Hock Ch’ng, Mohd Fadzly Amar Jamil and Irene Looi

Publications 2020, 8(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010015 - 05 Mar 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3332

Abstract

The uncertainties around disease management and control measures have not only motivated clinicians to keep abreast of new evidence available in the scholarly literature, but also to be rigorously engaged in medical research, dissemination and knowledge transfer. We aimed to explore clinicians’ publication [...] Read more.

The uncertainties around disease management and control measures have not only motivated clinicians to keep abreast of new evidence available in the scholarly literature, but also to be rigorously engaged in medical research, dissemination and knowledge transfer. We aimed to explore clinicians’ publication output from the Malaysian perspective. A self-report survey and bibliometric analysis was conducted. A total of 201/234 clinicians participated in the survey. Items consisted of demographics, researching habits, publication output and level of importance of journal selection metrics. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Bibliometric analysis using retrieved records from PubMed between 2009 and October 2019 was conducted and co-occurrence and co-authorship analyses were executed. Self-reported publication output was 16.9%. In the logistic regression model, publication output was significantly higher amongst consultants or clinical specialists (aOR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.1–10.0, p = 0.023); clinicians previously involved in research (aOR = 4.2, 95% CI 1.5–11.4, p = 0.004); clinicians who ever used reference citation managers (aOR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.3–7.7, p = 0.010); and journal publication speed (aOR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.2–7.1, p = 0.019). Most clinicians published original research papers (76.4%) in international journals (78.2%). Published papers were mostly observational studies, genetic, stroke and health services or systems research. In conclusion, socio-demographics, researching habits and journal selection metrics were significantly associated with self-reported publication output. Real outputs from bibliometrics were predominantly focused across five clusters. Full article

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19 pages, 917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Disparate Environmental Monitoring as a Barrier to the Availability and Accessibility of Open Access Data on the Tidal Thames

by Julia Lanoue

Publications 2020, 8(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010006 - 02 Mar 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3245

Abstract

Open Access data plays an increasingly important role in discussions of environmental issues. Limited availability or poor quality data can impede citizen participation in environmental dialogue, leading to their voices being undermined. This study assesses the quality of Open Access environmental data and [...] Read more.

Open Access data plays an increasingly important role in discussions of environmental issues. Limited availability or poor quality data can impede citizen participation in environmental dialogue, leading to their voices being undermined. This study assesses the quality of Open Access environmental data and barriers to its accessibility in the Thames Estuary. Data quality is assessed by its ability to track long-term trends in temperature, salinity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. The inconsistencies found in the data required analyses and careful interpretation beyond what would be expected of a citizen. The lack of clear documentation and centralized database acted as a major barrier to usability. A set of recommendations are produced for estuarine monitoring, including defining minimum standards for metadata, creating a centralized database for better quality control and accessibility, and developing flexible monitoring protocols that can incorporate new hypotheses and partnerships. The goal of the recommendations is to create monitoring which can encourage better science and wider participation in the natural environment. Full article

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20 pages, 1109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comfortably Numb? Researchers’ Satisfaction with the Publication System and a Proposal for Radical Change

by Hans van Dijk and Marino van Zelst

Publications 2020, 8(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010014 - 02 Mar 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3408

Abstract

In this preregistered study we evaluate current attitudes towards, and experiences with, publishing research and propose an alternative system of publishing. Our main hypothesis is that researchers tend to become institutionalized, such that they are generally discontent with the current publication system, but [...] Read more.

In this preregistered study we evaluate current attitudes towards, and experiences with, publishing research and propose an alternative system of publishing. Our main hypothesis is that researchers tend to become institutionalized, such that they are generally discontent with the current publication system, but that this dissatisfaction fades over time as they become tenured. A survey was distributed to the first authors of papers published in four recent issues of top-15 Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) journals. Even among this positively biased sample, we found that the time it takes to publish a manuscript is negatively associated with whether authors perceive this time to be justifiable and worthwhile relative to the amount their manuscript has changed. Review quality and tenure buffer the negative relationship with perceived justifiability, but not for perceived worth. The findings suggest that untenured (WOP) researchers are dissatisfied with the publishing times of academic journals, which adds to the pile of criticisms of the journal-based publication system. Since publishing times are inherent to the journal-based publication system, we suggest that incremental improvements may not sufficiently address the problems associated with publishing times. We therefore propose the adoption of a modular publication system to improve (WOP) publishing experiences. Full article

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24 pages, 934 KiB

Open AccessArticle

International Collaboration in Open Access Publications: How Income Shapes International Collaboration

by Michael Cary and Taylor Rockwell

Publications 2020, 8(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010013 - 28 Feb 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4396

Abstract

Does the rise of open access journals change the way researchers collaborate? Specifically, since publishing in open access journals requires a publication fee, does income affect how researchers form international collaborations? To answer this question, we create a new data set by scraping [...] Read more.

Does the rise of open access journals change the way researchers collaborate? Specifically, since publishing in open access journals requires a publication fee, does income affect how researchers form international collaborations? To answer this question, we create a new data set by scraping bibliographic data from Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) journals. Using the four income group classifications from the World Bank Analytical Classifications, we find that researchers from low-income nations are more likely to form international collaborations than researchers from wealthier nations. This result is verified to be significant using a series of pairwise Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. We then study which nations most frequently form international collaborations with other nations and find that the USA, China, Germany, and France are the most preferred nations for forming international collaborations. While most nations prefer to form international collaborations with high-income nations, some exceptions exist, where a nation most often forms international collaborations with a nearby nation that is either an upper-middle-income or lower-middle-income nation. We further this analysis by showing that these results are apparent across the six different research categories established in the Frascati Manual. Finally, trends in publications in MDPI journals mirror trends seen in all journals, such as the continued increase in the percentage of published papers involving international collaboration. Full article

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13 pages, 2702 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Funding Sources for Open Access Article Processing Charges in the Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities in the United States

by Melissa H. Cantrell and Juleah A. Swanson

Publications 2020, 8(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010012 - 28 Feb 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5329

Abstract

Article processing charges (APCs) are one method of many to ensure open access to research literature, but studies that explore the funding sources for such payments, especially as related to open access publications in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, have been limited. [...] Read more.

Article processing charges (APCs) are one method of many to ensure open access to research literature, but studies that explore the funding sources for such payments, especially as related to open access publications in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, have been limited. This study seeks to understand the range of funding sources that are available and used by faculties in these disciplines to pay for APCs associated with publishing in open access journals, as well as attitudes towards and awareness of available institutional funds that may inflect future engagement with open access publishing. The authors distributed a survey to faculty who had an open access journal article published in 2017 from three doctoral granting, high research activity universities in the United States. Twenty-two scholars participated in the final survey, ten of whom indicated that they paid an APC for their publication. While the results cannot make generalizations about funding sources, they do suggest that both the prevalence of APCs as well as attitudes about open access engagement may be influenced by disciplinary self-identification. This research contributes to discussions around the future of open access funding models as well as to disciplinary outreach regarding APC funding for journal publications. Full article

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30 pages, 4118 KiB

Open AccessArticle

What Is Going on with the Research into the Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)? An Intellectual Structure Analysis into the State-of-the-Art (1990–2018)

by María del Pilar Casado-Belmonte, Gema María Marín-Carrillo, Eduardo Terán-Yépez and María de las Mercedes Capobianco-Uriarte

Publications 2020, 8(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010011 - 25 Feb 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4458

Abstract

The internationalization of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) is a topic of constant research interest due to the impact these have on economic growth and employment in developed, emerging and developing countries. A desire to understand and a growing interest in the study [...] Read more.

The internationalization of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) is a topic of constant research interest due to the impact these have on economic growth and employment in developed, emerging and developing countries. A desire to understand and a growing interest in the study of the internationalization process of SMEs has provoked a significant increase in the production of manuscripts in this field in the last decade. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out periodic reviews on the state-of-the-art of this phenomenon in order to highlight advances and limitations, to motivate reflections and stimulate progress in future research. Thus, the main objective of this study is to describe the state-of-the-art of the research into SME Internationalization based on a bibliometric analysis of 1152 manuscripts published from 1990 to 2018. The results enable the identification of the main agents that are constantly developing this field through an analysis of scientific production and collaboration indicators. Furthermore, through a co-word analysis, this research establishes hot-spot research trends that need to be developed in future research. The main contribution of this research is the configuration of a knowledge map on SME Internationalization research. Full article

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15 pages, 302 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Change in Format, Register and Narration Style in the Biomedical Literature: A 1948 Example

by Carlo Galli and Stefano Guizzardi

Publications 2020, 8(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010010 - 07 Feb 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2796

Abstract

Scientific communication has evolved over time and the formats of scientific writing, including its stylistic modules, have changed accordingly. Research articles from the past fit a research world that had not been taken over by the internet, electronic searches, the new media and [...] Read more.

Scientific communication has evolved over time and the formats of scientific writing, including its stylistic modules, have changed accordingly. Research articles from the past fit a research world that had not been taken over by the internet, electronic searches, the new media and even the science mass production of today and reflect a reality where scientific publications were designed to be read and appreciated by actual readers. It is therefore useful to have a look back to what science looked like in the past and examine the biomedical literature from older archives because several features of those publications may actually harbor vital insights for today’s communication. Maintaining a vivid awareness of the evolution of science language and modalities of communication may ensure a better and steadfast progression and ameliorate academic writing in the years to come. With this goal in mind, the present commentary set out to review a 1948 scientific report by I.L. Bennett Jr, entitled “A study on the relationship between the fevers caused by bacterial pyrogens and by the intravenous injection of the sterile exudates of acute inflammation”, which appeared in the Journal of Experimental Medicine in September 1948. Full article

14 pages, 1076 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Data Analysis Methods in Dental Publications: Is There Evidence of a Methodological Change?

by Pentti Nieminen and Hannu Vähänikkilä

Publications 2020, 8(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010009 - 06 Feb 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4684

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate how data analysis methods in dental studies have changed in recent years. Methods: A total of 400 articles published in 2010 and 2017 in five dental journals, Journal of Dental Research, Caries Research, Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, Journal of [...] Read more.

Objectives: To evaluate how data analysis methods in dental studies have changed in recent years. Methods: A total of 400 articles published in 2010 and 2017 in five dental journals, Journal of Dental Research, Caries Research, Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, Journal of Dentistry, and Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, were analyzed. The study characteristics and the reporting of data analysis techniques were systematically identified. Results: The statistical intensity of the dental journals did not change from 2010 to 2017. Dental researchers did not adopt the data mining, machine learning, or Bayesian approaches advocated in the computer-oriented methodological literature. The determination of statistical significance was the most generally used method for conducting research in both 2010 and 2017. Observational study designs were more common in 2017. Insufficient and incomplete descriptions of statistical methods were still a serious problem. Conclusion: The stabilization of statistical intensity in the literature suggests that papers applying highly computationally complex data analysis methods have not meaningfully contributed to dental research or clinical care. Greater rigor is required in reporting the methods in dental research articles, given the current pervasiveness of failure to describe the basic techniques used. Full article

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17 pages, 701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Content Discovery of Open Repositories: An Analytics-Based Evaluation of Repository Optimizations

by George Macgregor

Publications 2020, 8(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010008 - 06 Feb 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5593

Abstract

Ensuring open repositories fulfil the discovery needs of both human and machine users is of growing importance and essential to validate the continued relevance of open repositories to users, and as nodes within open scholarly communication infrastructure. Following positive preliminary results reported elsewhere, [...] Read more.

Ensuring open repositories fulfil the discovery needs of both human and machine users is of growing importance and essential to validate the continued relevance of open repositories to users, and as nodes within open scholarly communication infrastructure. Following positive preliminary results reported elsewhere, this submission analyses the longer-term impact of a series of discovery optimization approaches deployed on an open repository. These approaches were designed to enhance content discovery and user engagement, thereby improving content usage. Using Strathprints, the University of Strathclyde repository as a case study, this article will briefly review the techniques and technical changes implemented and evaluate the impact of these changes by studying analytics relating to web impact, COUNTER usage and web traffic over a 4-year period. The principal contribution of the article is to report on the insights this longitudinal dataset provides about repository visibility and discoverability, and to deliver robust conclusions which can inform similar strategies at other institutions. Analysis of the unique longitudinal dataset provides persuasive evidence that specific enhancements to the technical configuration of a repository can generate substantial improvements in its content discovery potential and ergo its content usage, especially over several years. In this case study, COUNTER usage grew by 62%. Increases in Google ‘impressions’ (266%) and ‘clicks’ (104%) were a notable finding too, with high levels of statistical significance found in the correlation between clicks and usage (

t = 14.30, df = 11, p < 0.0005

). Web traffic to Strathprints from Google and Google Scholar (GS) was found to increase significantly with growth on some metrics exceeding 1300%. Although some of these results warrant further research, the article nevertheless demonstrates the link between repository optimization and the need for open repositories to assume a proactive development path, especially one that prioritises web impact and discovery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 14th International Conference on Open Repositories 2019 – All The User Needs)

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17 pages, 2679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reviewing Research Trends—A Scientometric Approach Using Gunshot Residue (GSR) Literature as an Example

by Catarina Sobreira, Joyce K. Klu, Christian Cole, Niamh Nic Daéid and Hervé Ménard

Publications 2020, 8(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010007 - 02 Feb 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4632

Abstract

The ability to manage, distil and disseminate the significant amount of information that is available from published literature is fast becoming a core and critical skill across all research domains, including that of forensic science. In this study, a simplified scientometric approach has [...] Read more.

The ability to manage, distil and disseminate the significant amount of information that is available from published literature is fast becoming a core and critical skill across all research domains, including that of forensic science. In this study, a simplified scientometric approach has been applied to available literature on gunshot residue (GSR) as a test evidence type aiming to evaluate publication trends and explore the interconnectivity between authors. A total of 731 publications were retrieved using the search engine ‘Scopus’ and come from 1589 known authors, of whom 401 contributed to more than one research output on this subject. Out of the total number of publications, only 35 (4.8%) were found to be Open Access (OA). The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for years 2006 and 2016 reveals a much higher growth in publications relating to GSR (8.0%) than the benchmark annual growth rate of 3.9%. The distribution of a broad spectrum of keywords generated from the publications confirms a historical trend, in particular regarding the use of analytical techniques, in the study of gunshot residue. The results inform how relevant information extracted from a bibliometric search can be used to explore, analyse and define new research areas. Full article

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3 pages, 244 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Publications in 2019

by Publications Editorial Office

Publications 2020, 8(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010005 - 21 Jan 2020

Viewed by 1714

Abstract

The editorial team greatly appreciates the reviewers who have dedicated their considerable time and expertise to the journal’s rigorous editorial process over the past 12 months, regardless of whether the papers are finally published or not[...] Full article

9 pages, 1952 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Many Papers Should Scientists Be Reviewing? An Analysis Using Verified Peer Review Reports

by Vincent Raoult

Publications 2020, 8(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010004 - 20 Jan 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7197

Abstract

The current peer review system is under stress from ever increasing numbers of publications, the proliferation of open-access journals and an apparent difficulty in obtaining high-quality reviews in due time. At its core, this issue may be caused by scientists insufficiently prioritising reviewing. [...] Read more.

The current peer review system is under stress from ever increasing numbers of publications, the proliferation of open-access journals and an apparent difficulty in obtaining high-quality reviews in due time. At its core, this issue may be caused by scientists insufficiently prioritising reviewing. Perhaps this low prioritisation is due to a lack of understanding on how many reviews need to be conducted by researchers to balance the peer review process. I obtained verified peer review data from 142 journals across 12 research fields, for a total of over 300,000 reviews and over 100,000 publications, to determine an estimate of the numbers of reviews required per publication per field. I then used this value in relation to the mean numbers of authors per publication per field to highlight a ‘review ratio’: the expected minimum number of publications an author in their field should review to balance their input (publications) into the peer review process. On average, 3.49 ± 1.45 (SD) reviews were required for each scientific publication, and the estimated review ratio across all fields was 0.74 ± 0.46 (SD) reviews per paper published per author. Since these are conservative estimates, I recommend scientists aim to conduct at least one review per publication they produce. This should ensure that the peer review system continues to function as intended. Full article

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14 pages, 1637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Business as Usual with Article Processing Charges in the Transition towards OA Publishing: A Case Study Based on Elsevier

by Sergio Copiello

Publications 2020, 8(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010003 - 06 Jan 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6917

Abstract

This paper addresses the topic of the article processing charges (APCs) that are paid when publishing articles using the open access (OA) option. Building on the Elsevier OA price list, company balance sheet figures, and ScienceDirect data, tentative answers to three questions are [...] Read more.

This paper addresses the topic of the article processing charges (APCs) that are paid when publishing articles using the open access (OA) option. Building on the Elsevier OA price list, company balance sheet figures, and ScienceDirect data, tentative answers to three questions are outlined using a Monte Carlo approach to deal with the uncertainty inherent in the inputs. The first question refers to the level of APCs from the market perspective, under the hypothesis that all the articles published in Elsevier journals exploit the OA model so that the subscription to ScienceDirect becomes worthless. The second question is how much Elsevier should charge for publishing all the articles under the OA model, assuming the profit margin reduces and adheres to the market benchmark. The third issue is how many articles would have to be accepted, in an OA-only publishing landscape, so that the publisher benefits from the same revenue and profit margin as in the recent past. The results point to high APCs, nearly twice the current level, being required to preserve the publisher’s profit margin. Otherwise, by relaxing that constraint, a downward shift of APCs can be expected so they would tend to get close to current values. Accordingly, the article acceptance rate could be likely to grow from 26–27% to about 35–55%. Full article

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2 pages, 130 KiB

Open AccessLetter

New Money-Making Tactic by Predatory Publishers

by Shahryar Sorooshian

Publications 2020, 8(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010002 - 23 Dec 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3556

Abstract

This letter is an inquiry into the money-making by predatory publishers. The author discusses new tactics adopted by a few unprofessional publishers to abuse their authors’ trust and make money. To overcome the publication misconduct, the author closes this letter with an alarm [...] Read more.

This letter is an inquiry into the money-making by predatory publishers. The author discusses new tactics adopted by a few unprofessional publishers to abuse their authors’ trust and make money. To overcome the publication misconduct, the author closes this letter with an alarm for the scientific community to be aware of the new tactics that predatory publishers are using. Full article

11 pages, 232 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Common Ground of Open Access and Interdisciplinarity

by Patrick Gamsby

Publications 2020, 8(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications8010001 - 19 Dec 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5224

Abstract

In recent years, Open Access and interdisciplinarity have emerged as two prevalent trends in academia. Although seemingly separate pursuits with separate literature, goals, and advocates, there are significant interconnections between these two movements that have largely gone unnoticed. This paper provides a philosophical [...] Read more.

In recent years, Open Access and interdisciplinarity have emerged as two prevalent trends in academia. Although seemingly separate pursuits with separate literature, goals, and advocates, there are significant interconnections between these two movements that have largely gone unnoticed. This paper provides a philosophical inquiry into the unexplored relationship between these two trends and makes the case that there is an intrinsic affinity between Open Access and interdisciplinarity and, as such, concludes that all interdisciplinary research, to remain true to the foundational tenets of interdisciplinarity, ought to be Open Access. Full article

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