I'm the Problem: My Generation's Addiction to Bibliometrics

The Edge for Scholars

Publication-based measures of scientific impact provide little of value to the research community. Despite assertions that bibliometrics can improve the evaluation of scientists and their establishments, we lack a qualitative or quantitative argument that substantive problems were solved following their introduction. I am unconvinced that hiring, tenure, or promotion decisions became more accurate after journal […]

Making Lemonade: A Retraction Watch Interview

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

Retraction. Its a word that for many scientists is synonymous with phrases like ‘failure’, ‘dishonesty’, and ‘career ending’. A recent Retraction Watch features an interview with Pamela Roland, a Professor from UC Davis, who retracted two high profile papers on plant immunity two years ago. Prior to her retractions, Roland was at a career high. She […]

Face It: Your Decks Will Never Be Cleared

Rebecca Helton, MA

One of the most widespread myths in academic writing is that you can, and should, try to “clear the decks”—that is, finish all of your other obligations before you can focus on your scholarship. The reality is: Things never clear up. They don’t even reliably settle down. Your in box is always full. The decks […]

Random Reflections on Getting Published

The Edge for Scholars

Kirsten Bell, associate editor for Critical Public Health, spills the beans on what it takes to get published, including strategic submission dates, how to challenge an editorial decision, and doing your part as a reviewer.  Here’s an excerpt: It’s my belief that when you submit your paper affects how long the review process takes—and, potentially, […]

Writing Environments

The Edge for Scholars

Writing is an inherently social activity — we write for others — that we most often undertake in solitude. This is one of writing’s great contradictions. We write for an audience, even if that audience is a private note to our future selves. Academic writing, though, whether it is scholarly writing or the functional writing […]

Expectations for Trainee Publication Output

Rebecca Helton, MA

A question arrived about publication expectations for trainees at the blog mailbox recently. “I was wondering if you would consider a blog post and perhaps encouraging discussion on a related topic, on how do you evaluate your student/postdoc performance and how common is the 1 paper/yr ‘rule’?” From DrugMonkey: Expectations for trainee publication output

PLoS One and Stupid CV Tricks

Rebecca Helton, MA

More is better, yes, when it comes to publications. But beyond that, that you should have some idea of the expectations for your field. Especially when it comes to first-author vs. multi-author collabs, senior author vs penultimate vs communicating author, IF cachet, etc. From DrugMonkey: PLoS One and stupid CV tricks

Shut Up and Write

Rebecca Helton, MA

As we head into a new semester, you may be making writing goals for the new year.  The following article has some great suggestions for how to motivate and keep yourself on track. Shut Up and Write by Kerry Ann Rockquemore If you can accept the fact that you don’t have to change who you […]

The I in Team

The Edge for Scholars

A recent Chronicle of Higher Ed article argues that “team science leaves many researchers lost in the crowd.”  Though the article centers on the challenges of assigning appropriate credit for discovery of the Higgs bosun—papers describing which frequently list some 2,800+ authors—the problem of assigning credit and the tenure and promotion benefits that flow from […]

Author, Author, Who's Got the Author?

The Edge for Scholars

Authorship on a paper is obvious and will easily, automatically, and fairly be decided, right?  If you’re laughing right now, you probably don’t need to read further.  If you nodded your head, stop what you’re doing and read Small Pond Science‘s Terry McGlynn on how and why to negotiate authorship at the start of a […]