Featuring the launch of the Dimensions database, UCL’s new megajournal and OUP’s new commitment to open citations.
Digital Science launches new Dimensions database via Nature
This week, Digital Science launched Dimensions, a database designed to link papers easily with information relating to research grants, other publications from the same research, relevant citations, clinical trial information and patents. This is an impressive step towards the realization of a fully layered publication platform. More information on using the database can be found here.
UCL launch their own megajournal via Times Higher Education
As dissatisfaction with traditional journals has intensified in recent years, the looming prospect of the megajournal as a model for publishing has come to the fore. The megajournal model, pioneered by PLoS One, is a large, online, open access journal covering a broad range of topics. Articles are selected for publication on the basis of their scientific soundness rather than novelty, and the journal is funded primarily by article processing charges.
Oxford University Press joins the Initiative for Open Citations via Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) announced this week that they will be joining the Initiative for Open Citations (I4OC); thus, all citations in the journals they publish will be freely available online. OUP is the latest of many publishers who have been joining the I4OC in order to help make all research accessible, and references transparent.
How to anonymize patient data via BMC Trials
Data sharing is an increasingly important part of research disclosure, but many companies are concerned that in some instances this sharing of data could compromise the anonymity of patients involved in clinical studies. This article provides practical guidelines on how best to anonymize patient data. Although the focus is on non-commercial funders, this is also an important question to ask on behalf of for-profit companies.
Principles of transparency and best practice in scholarly publishing, version 3 via DOAJ
These newly updated guidelines outline 16 principles of transparency and best practice for scholarly publications, designed as part of a collaboration between the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).
A multi-disciplinary perspective on peer review innovations via F1000 Research
This paper reviews conventional and innovative peer review methods used by researchers from diverse publishing backgrounds. Topics covered include an overview of the history of peer review as well as a thorough analysis of current and emergent trends in research evaluation.
