Science rankings rely on papers in academic journals. Broadening the view to include many more open-access journals will upend the usual order – thanks to China’s vast number of publications.
We all need to understand that ranking is not objective and true. University rankings are massively overvalued, and reinforce global, regional and national inequalities.
While some worry “wokeist” ideology could corrupt scientific merit, it could be our problematic understanding of the latter poses an even greater threat to science, two philosophers argue.
Some open access journals — those that don’t charge their readers a fee — require that researchers pay to publish with them. Removing author fees helps more researchers to publish their work.
Lack of free access to research leads to discrimination, both in academia and for us all. The new guidance from the US is a huge step in the right direction.
Peer review is an essential part of academic publishing, but it can be exploitative, opaque and slow. There’s plenty journals, publishers and universities can do to make the system work better.
Three-quarters of the academic journals that folded served the arts, social sciences and humanities. The losses weaken the academic communities and activities that formed around these journals.
Open access to COVID-19 research accelerated the development of solutions. The urgency of climate change demands the same approach, but more than half of Australian research is still behind paywalls.
The idea is publicly funded Australian research should be free for the public to read when published. But if it means taking money from universities struggling for research funding, that poses risks.
Expectations that academics raise funds themselves and aim to publish in certain ‘quality’ publications are shaping research and where it is published.
The rejection culture of academia is damaging. Rejections are inevitable, but there are better ways of managing the process that don’t leave individuals to bear the whole burden of coping.
In many other countries, a majority of research publications are now open access, but the system of paying for access still dominates academic publishing in Australia.
Budget cuts and outsourcing content have affected the amount and quality of science journalism. Scientists should learn to communicate their own findings directly and clearly to the public.
Director of Centre for Postgraduate Studies, Rhodes University & Visiting Research Professor in Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, Rhodes University