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Articles on Research incentives

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Predatory publishers are vultures feeding on academics’ worries about output and incentives. Ondacaracola/Shutterstock

Why developing countries are particularly vulnerable to predatory journals

If there’s a general sense that academic publication is about knowledge dissemination rather than meeting performance targets, academics and universities become less vulnerable to predatory journals.
The National Research Foundation doesn’t have enough money for the growing number of researchers who qualify for “incentive” funding. Shutterstock

Money woes force South Africa to revisit how it rewards researchers

South Africa’s National Research Foundation will dramatically scale back “incentive” funding to rated researchers, both those who already have a rating and those who will be rated in the future.
People seem to think industry-funded research belongs in the garbage. mllejules/Shutterstock.com

People don’t trust scientific research when companies are involved

Scientists need funding to do their work. But a new study finds turning to industry partners taints perceptions of university research, and including other kinds of partners doesn’t really help.
Experiment design affects the quality of the results. IAEA Seibersdorf Historical Images

Why isn’t science better? Look at career incentives

Embracing more rigorous scientific methods would mean getting science right more often than we currently do. But the way we value and reward scientists makes this a challenge.
Nine out of ten surveyed researchers said they engage with end-users to translate their work into practice. from www.shutterstock.com

Academics do want to engage with business, but need more support

Financial incentives alone won’t increase research collaboration between universities and business. Academics say they need time, support and an environment encouraging of engagement.
If scientists’ knowledge is segregated in non-overlapping silos, there can’t be cross-pollination between fields. Doc Searls

Scientists tend to superspecialize – but there are ways they can change

Scientists often prioritize deep goals over broad ones. But today’s “wicked” problems demand an interdisciplinary approach. A new study shows how they can tweak work styles to alter their deep/broad ratio.

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