Scientists are rewarded with funding and publications when they come up with innovative findings. But in the midst of a 'reproducibility crisis,' being new isn't the only thing to value about research.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Academic journals
Displaying 1 - 20 of 43 articles
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.
In our institutions of higher education and our research labs, scholars first produce, then buy back, their own content. With the costs rising and access restricted, something's got to give.
The low share of women revealed in this data is problematic for two reasons: a lack of diversity, and what it shows about women's participation in the social network of informal collaboration.
Scientific truth is based on a body of research which has been tried and tested by many researchers over time. Peer review filters the good science from the bad.
Women can often draw attention to dimensions of thinking that their male perspective may miss. But this will only work if they are in positions that allow them to lead and drive the research agenda.
More must be done to develop mechanisms based on intrinsic motivations of committed, quality academics. It's important to limit the harms currently being caused by rent seeking.
There are major systemic problems associated with peer review that are negatively affecting scientific credibility.
The scientific impact of a research paper increases with every additional commenter who provides feedback – particularly if the comment came from a well-connected academic.
Medical entries on Wikipedia are widely consulted across the world. Doctors and medical researchers need to make efforts to ensure the content on the online collaborative encyclopedia is accurate.
When several South African universities merged, it was hoped this would improve access and equality. It had the opposite effect.
Knowledge is power. If you own it, you can control those without it. Since so much knowledge about Africa doesn't sit on the continent, it's apparent that Africa lacks power in this regard.
Some water researchers are ignoring the evidence offered by sampling if it doesn't fit their preconceived notions. But science should always be honest and open.
The unavoidable regime of publication pervades contemporary academic life across the world. While presented as a virtuous thing, it can actually suffocate the academic profession.
African Studies remains a colonised space rife with misrepresentation, homogenisation and essentialising about Africa.
The academic medical community largely views Wikipedia with suspicion. But some traditional journals are starting to take the site more seriously – and some journals work very closely with it.
Sci-Hub, a free online repository of academic articles, is the subject of a battle at the heart of open access.
Very few academics do a great deal to share their often important and relevant research with the general public. What's holding them back?
Prime Minister Turnbull has signalled a desire to move away from a 'publish or perish' academic culture toward one that prioritises public impact and engagement. It's a challenge scholars should embrace.
African research is largely invisible, kept in the shadows by publishing barriers and structural obstacles. A platform built in Brazil and rolled out across the developing world could be the solution.
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PhD Candidate in Economics, University of Cape Town
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Professor of Management, University of Johannesburg
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Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
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Professor of Astrophysics, University of Sydney
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Macquarie University
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PhD Candidate, Swinburne University of Technology
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Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University
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Executive Editor, Neurology Journal
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Editor-in-Chief of Neurology; Professor of Neurology and Pharmacology & Physiology, University of Rochester
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