Publications

12 pages, 244 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Open Data Policies among Library and Information Science Journals

by Brian Jackson

Publications 2021, 9(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020025 - 11 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5059

Journal publishers play an important role in the open research data ecosystem. Through open data policies that include public data archiving mandates and data availability statements, journal publishers help promote transparency in research and wider access to a growing scholarly record. The library [...] Read more.

Journal publishers play an important role in the open research data ecosystem. Through open data policies that include public data archiving mandates and data availability statements, journal publishers help promote transparency in research and wider access to a growing scholarly record. The library and information science (LIS) discipline has a unique relationship with both open data initiatives and academic publishing and may be well-positioned to adopt rigorous open data policies. This study examines the information provided on public-facing websites of LIS journals in order to describe the extent, and nature, of open data guidance provided to prospective authors. Open access journals in the discipline have disproportionately adopted detailed, strict open data policies. Commercial publishers, which account for the largest share of publishing in the discipline, have largely adopted weaker policies. Rigorous policies, adopted by a minority of journals, describe the rationale, application, and expectations for open research data, while most journals that provide guidance on the matter use hesitant and vague language. Recommendations are provided for strengthening journal open data policies. Full article

16 pages, 2432 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fake News Reaching Young People on Social Networks: Distrust Challenging Media Literacy

by Ana Pérez-Escoda, Luis Miguel Pedrero-Esteban, Juana Rubio-Romero and Carlos Jiménez-Narros

Publications 2021, 9(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020024 - 02 Jun 2021

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 22383

Abstract

Current societies are based on huge flows of information and knowledge circulating on the Internet, created not only by traditional means but by all kinds of users becoming producers, which leads to fake news and misinformation. This situation has been exacerbated by the [...] Read more.

Current societies are based on huge flows of information and knowledge circulating on the Internet, created not only by traditional means but by all kinds of users becoming producers, which leads to fake news and misinformation. This situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic to an unprecedented extent through social media, with special concern among young people. This study aims to provide significant data about the youngest generation in Spain (Generation Z) regarding their media and information consumption, their social network use, and their relationship with fake news, all in relation to the feeling of reliability/trust. Focusing on a convenience sample of 408 young Spanish students from Generation Z aged 18 to 22, a descriptive exploratory study is presented. Data collection was performed with an adapted questionnaire. Results show that young Spanish people use networks for information, showing a surprising lack of trust in social networks as the media they consume the most. The content they consume the most since the occurrence of COVID-19 is related to politics, entertainment, humor, and music. On the other hand, distrust of politicians, media, and journalists is evident. The conclusion is that media literacy is still more necessary than ever, but with the added challenge of mistrust: maybe it is time to rethink media literacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research, Literacy, and Communication Education: New Challenges Facing Disinformation)

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17 pages, 1062 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Political Ideology on Fake News Belief: The Portuguese Case

by João Pedro Baptista, Elisete Correia, Anabela Gradim and Valeriano Piñeiro-Naval

Publications 2021, 9(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020023 - 27 May 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7834

Abstract

The relationship between a subject’s ideological persuasion with the belief and spread of fake news is the object of our study. Departing from a left- vs. right-wing framework, a questionnaire sought to position subjects on this political-ideological spectrum and demanded them to evaluate [...] Read more.

The relationship between a subject’s ideological persuasion with the belief and spread of fake news is the object of our study. Departing from a left- vs. right-wing framework, a questionnaire sought to position subjects on this political-ideological spectrum and demanded them to evaluate five pro-left and pro-right fake and real news, totaling 20 informational products. The results show the belief and dissemination of (fake) news are related to the political ideology of the participants, with right-wing subjects exhibiting a greater tendency to accept fake news, regardless of whether it is pro-left or pro-right fake news. These findings contradict the confirmation bias and may suggest that a greater influence of factors such as age, the level of digital news literacy and psychological aspects in the judgment of fake news are at play. Older and less educated respondents indicated they believed and would disseminate fake news at greater rates. Regardless of the ideology they favor, the Portuguese attributed higher credibility to the sample’s real news, a fact that can be meaningful regarding the fight against disinformation in Portugal and elsewhere. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research, Literacy, and Communication Education: New Challenges Facing Disinformation)

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16 pages, 552 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Russian University Teachers’ Perceptions of Scientometrics

by Andrei V. Grinëv, Daria S. Bylieva and Victoria V. Lobatyuk

Publications 2021, 9(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020022 - 27 May 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2169

Abstract

This article is devoted to the attitude of Russian university teachers toward scientometrics and its indicators, which have been imposed on them by university administrations and the state since 2012. In addition to substantiating the problem’s urgency, the article contains a brief critical [...] Read more.

This article is devoted to the attitude of Russian university teachers toward scientometrics and its indicators, which have been imposed on them by university administrations and the state since 2012. In addition to substantiating the problem’s urgency, the article contains a brief critical outline of the main scientometric parameters and their application in practice in Russia. To evaluate this, 283 people from leading universities in Russia (included in Program 5-100) were questioned. As the study showed, faculties of Russian universities understand the specifics of scientometrics, relate to it relatively positively, and over the past years have been able to adapt to the new requirements of the administration regarding implementing scientometric tasks and standards. The higher the position and scholarly qualification of a respondent, the more complete the knowledge about scientometrics. Scholars in the humanities know and relate comparatively better to scientometrics than representatives of technical and general scientific specialties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Problems of Scientometric Assessment of Publication Activity)

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22 pages, 591 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors to Improve Publication Productivity in Russian Universities

by Мarina V. Vasiljeva, Gennady V. Osipov, Vadim V. Ponkratov, Vitali Ju. Ivlev, Marina I. Ivleva, Svetlana G. Karepova, Zhanna R. Gardanova and Olesya V. Dudnik

Publications 2021, 9(2), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020021 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3225

Abstract

One of the most important conditions for the effectiveness of science is the motivation of academic staff of universities as key and direct producers of new knowledge. The purpose of the article was to substantiate the factors of efficiency in managing the publication [...] Read more.

One of the most important conditions for the effectiveness of science is the motivation of academic staff of universities as key and direct producers of new knowledge. The purpose of the article was to substantiate the factors of efficiency in managing the publication activity of Russian universities. The nature and density of the relationship between the number of scientific publications and the level of citation of 19 leading countries in the world, including Russia, were determined by means of statistical analysis and the method of clusters. It has been empirically proven that the priority model for the development of publication activity should be an intensive model, which aims at improving the quality of scientific publications and the level of their citation. Moreover, a survey of 1573 young scientists (under the age of 39) and 2461 senior scientists from 14 universities in Russia was conducted. It investigated the factors of effective management of the publication activity at Russian universities. The results contribute to a better understanding on how Russian universities can activate and foster the flow of high-quality publication outputs by their researchers. Full article

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13 pages, 259 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Representation of Indigenous Languages of Oceania in Academic Publications

by Eve Koller and Malayah Thompson

Publications 2021, 9(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020020 - 08 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4423

Abstract

Of the estimated 7117 languages in the world, approximately 1500 (21%) are indigenous to the Pacific. Despite composing approximately one-fourth of the world’s linguistic diversity, the representation of these languages in academic publication is scant, even in periodicals focused on Pacific Island studies. [...] Read more.

Of the estimated 7117 languages in the world, approximately 1500 (21%) are indigenous to the Pacific. Despite composing approximately one-fourth of the world’s linguistic diversity, the representation of these languages in academic publication is scant, even in periodicals focused on Pacific Island studies. We investigated 34 periodicals that focus on research in Oceania. We report on (1) journal names; (2) how many are currently in circulation; (3) how many accept submissions in Indigenous Pacific languages; (4) what percent of the most recent articles were actually in Indigenous languages of the Pacific and (5) which languages those were. Five of the 34 journals allowed submissions written in Indigenous Pacific languages. Three of the five journals specified Hawaiian as an accepted language of publication; one Sāmoan and one Tahitian and any other Indigenous language of Polynesia. We were able to collect data on four of the five journals, which averaged 11% of recent publications in an Indigenous language. None accepted submissions in Indigenous languages from the Pacific outside of Polynesia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Language Matters: The Geolinguistics of Academic Writing for Publication by Multilingual Writers)

4 pages, 190 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Introduction from the Guest Editor of Special Issue “Modern Problems of Scientometric Assessment of Publication Activity”

by Oleg V. Mikhailov

Publications 2021, 9(2), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020019 - 08 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1699

Abstract

In any branch of intellectual activity that claims to be called the word “science”, there are two approaches to describe the phenomena and objects associated with it; namely, qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Problems of Scientometric Assessment of Publication Activity)

14 pages, 901 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Trend of Scientific Productivity of Chinese, European Union, and United States Universities and Private Companies: Does the Future Belong to E-Technology Companies?

by Mauro G. Carta, Matthias C. Angermeyer and Silvano Tagliagambe

Publications 2021, 9(2), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020018 - 26 Apr 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2362

Abstract

The purpose is to verify trends of scientific production from 2010 to 2020, considering the best universities of the United States, China, the European Union (EU), and private companies. The top 30 universities in 2020 in China, the EU, and the US and [...] Read more.

The purpose is to verify trends of scientific production from 2010 to 2020, considering the best universities of the United States, China, the European Union (EU), and private companies. The top 30 universities in 2020 in China, the EU, and the US and private companies were selected from the SCImago institutions ranking (SIR). The positions in 2020, 2015, and 2010 in SIR and three sub-indicators were analyzed by means of non-parametric statistics, taking into consideration the effect of time and group on rankings. American and European Union universities have lost positions to Chinese universities and even more to private companies, which have improved. In 2020, private companies have surpassed all other groups considering Innovation as a sub-indicator. The loss of leadership of European and partly American universities mainly concerns research linked to the production of patents. This can lead to future risks of monopoly that may elude public control and cause a possible loss of importance of research not linked to innovation. Full article

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17 pages, 2934 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Educational Landscape of Virtual Reality in Higher Education: Bibliometric Evidences of Publishing Patterns and Emerging Trends

by Shaista Rashid, Amira Khattak, Murtaza Ashiq, Shafiq Ur Rehman and Muhammad Rashid Rasool

Publications 2021, 9(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020017 - 25 Apr 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5180

Abstract

This bibliometric study examines the overall research trends and productivity in the field of virtual reality (VR) in higher education. Bibliometric data were retrieved from Scopus databases. The findings suggest a rising trend in terms of citations and publications showing increased interest in [...] Read more.

This bibliometric study examines the overall research trends and productivity in the field of virtual reality (VR) in higher education. Bibliometric data were retrieved from Scopus databases. The findings suggest a rising trend in terms of citations and publications showing increased interest in the VR domain have been seen during the last few decades. The year in which the most citations of this type occurred was 2009, in which 1913 citations were recorded, whereas 2019 was the most productive year, as 127 documents on this subject were published in that year. The data analysis revealed that all the top ten researchers belong to Australia. Further, the top three researchers (Gregory S., Lee, M.J.W., and Wood, D.), countries (United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia), organizations (Charles Sturt University, Queensland University of Technology, and University of New England, Australia), journals (Computers and Education, International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, and Journal of Surgical Education) and collaborations (Australia and New Zealand, United States and the United Kingdom, and Australia and the United Kingdom) belong to developed countries. Virtual reality, virtual worlds, augmented reality, e-learning, and simulations are the top keywords used in the VR domain. The thematic evolution of the keyword shows the importance of “Virtual Reality” as a keyword throughout the 27 years of its existence (1994–2020). Furthermore, the main finding of the study is the interdisciplinary nature of the VR domain, which extends from the field of computer sciences to other disciplines. Full article

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5 pages, 428 KiB

Open AccessViewpoint

Conference Accreditation and Need of a Bibliometric Measure to Distinguish Predatory Conferences

by Pooyan Makvandi, Anahita Nodehi and Franklin R. Tay

Publications 2021, 9(2), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020016 - 22 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2497

Abstract

Academic conferences offer scientists the opportunity to share their findings and knowledge with other researchers. However, the number of conferences is rapidly increasing globally and many unsolicited e-mails are received from conference organizers. These e-mails take time for researchers to read and ascertain [...] Read more.

Academic conferences offer scientists the opportunity to share their findings and knowledge with other researchers. However, the number of conferences is rapidly increasing globally and many unsolicited e-mails are received from conference organizers. These e-mails take time for researchers to read and ascertain their legitimacy. Because not every conference is of high quality, there is a need for young researchers and scholars to recognize the so-called “predatory conferences” which make a profit from unsuspecting researchers without the core purpose of advancing science or collaboration. Unlike journals that possess accreditation indices, there is no appropriate accreditation for international conferences. Here, a bibliometric measure is proposed that enables scholars to evaluate conference quality before attending. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Problems of Scientometric Assessment of Publication Activity)

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11 pages, 3325 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Article Characteristics on Citation Number in a Diachronic Dataset of the Biomedical Literature on Chronic Inflammation: An Analysis by Ensemble Machines

by Carlo Galli and Stefano Guizzardi

Publications 2021, 9(2), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020015 - 06 Apr 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2584

Abstract

Citations are core metrics to gauge the relevance of scientific literature. Identifying features that can predict a high citation count is therefore of primary importance. For the present study, we generated a dataset of 121,640 publications on chronic inflammation from the Scopus database, [...] Read more.

Citations are core metrics to gauge the relevance of scientific literature. Identifying features that can predict a high citation count is therefore of primary importance. For the present study, we generated a dataset of 121,640 publications on chronic inflammation from the Scopus database, containing data such as titles, authors, journal, publication date, type of document, type of access and citation count, ranging from 1951 to 2021. Hence we further computed title length, author count, title sentiment score, number of colons, semicolons and question marks in the title and we used these data as predictors in Gradient boosting, Bagging and Random Forest regressors and classifiers. Based on these data, we were able to train these machines, and Gradient Boosting achieved an F1 score of 0.552 on classification. These models agreed that document type, access type and number of authors were the best predicting factors, followed by title length. Full article

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19 pages, 526 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Open Research Data and Open Peer Review: Perceptions of a Medical and Health Sciences Community in Greece

by Eirini Delikoura and Dimitrios Kouis

Publications 2021, 9(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020014 - 30 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2957

Abstract

Recently significant initiatives have been launched for the dissemination of Open Access as part of the Open Science movement. Nevertheless, two other major pillars of Open Science such as Open Research Data (ORD) and Open Peer Review (OPR) are still in an early [...] Read more.

Recently significant initiatives have been launched for the dissemination of Open Access as part of the Open Science movement. Nevertheless, two other major pillars of Open Science such as Open Research Data (ORD) and Open Peer Review (OPR) are still in an early stage of development among the communities of researchers and stakeholders. The present study sought to unveil the perceptions of a medical and health sciences community about these issues. Through the investigation of researchers‘ attitudes, valuable conclusions can be drawn, especially in the field of medicine and health sciences, where an explosive growth of scientific publishing exists. A quantitative survey was conducted based on a structured questionnaire, with 179 valid responses. The participants in the survey agreed with the Open Peer Review principles. However, they ignored basic terms like FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and appeared incentivized to permit the exploitation of their data. Regarding Open Peer Review (OPR), participants expressed their agreement, implying their support for a trustworthy evaluation system. Conclusively, researchers need to receive proper training for both Open Research Data principles and Open Peer Review processes which combined with a reformed evaluation system will enable them to take full advantage of the opportunities that arise from the new scholarly publishing and communication landscape. Full article

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