Brian  

The greatest #academia hack I ever learned is to just email the author of a paper if you don't have access to the journal.

I found an article I wanted to read for a project, but the publisher wanted $60. I found the author and got a pdf in my inbox a couple hours later.

Nov 30, 2022 at 8:48pmWeb
Show threadpetersuberNov 30, 2022

@brianb It works and readers facing paywalls should use it.

Note to authors: "If one of your past articles is #paywalled and a reader asks for a copy by email, send one. But [also] deposit a copy in an #openaccess #repository. That will help all who need access, not just the tiny subset willing to hunt you down, write, and ask."
https://poynder.blogspot.com/2017/12/realising-boai-vision-peter-suber.html

Realising the BOAI vision: Peter Suber's Advice

This year marks the 15 th anniversary of the Budapest Open Access Initiative ( BOAI ), the meeting that led to the launch of the open a...

Show threadAlex🇺🇦Dec 1, 2022
@brianb I believe publishers in academia are the only legal business that have margins as high as drug dealers. They are not doing any quality control. All they do is to accept proceedings from conferences and such and sell the containing papers for a lot of money.
Paywalls in science is so strange..
Show threadJulio 🏳️‍🌈 🇨🇺 🇪🇸 🇺🇸Dec 1, 2022
@brianb Did you thank the author?
Show threadBrian  Dec 1, 2022
@Blanco sure did!
Show threadMathijsDec 1, 2022
@brianb for all other cases there is sci-hub. I even once downloaded a paper I was a coauthor on from sci-hub, because I didnt have access. Fuck academic journals.
Show threadBrian  Dec 1, 2022
@mvgorcum I have Unpaywall installed, which helps. But yeah, since I'm not enrolled in higher Ed any more, I don't have access to most platforms.
Show threadDavid AllenDec 1, 2022
@brianb I once had an author write back to reject me. I decided I didn't really need to cite his paper after all
Show threadBrian  Dec 1, 2022
@davidallen That's so weird ... Why not share the publication?
Show threadsofticecreamlesleyDec 1, 2022
@brianb This is what I loved about Twitter. It was so easy to find and tweet at academics to get papers. In my case, they were always so pleased someone was interested.
Show threadcytokine_stormDec 1, 2022

@softicecreamlesley @brianb

I feel like we could achieve the same on Mastodon with the judicious use of hashtags.

Since you can directly follow hashtags it would be a great way to get to exactly the topics you want.

Show threadsofticecreamlesleyDec 1, 2022
@cytokine_storm @brianb More like I could look up a certain person’s name and easily find them to ask.
Show threadcytokine_stormDec 2, 2022
@softicecreamlesley @brianb ah, you need the network effect of everyone on the same platform.
Show threadDr Scott Chaussée Dec 1, 2022
@brianb 100% every time I've asked, or been asked, for copies of work it's always been with incredible support and gratitude
Show threadCheekyBadger☭Dec 1, 2022
@brianb some great advice. Ideally #OpenAccess failing that there is always #SciHub and #LibraryGenesis
I actually heard of library genesis from a professor who recommended it, add that as she was employed by the university she received very little from publications. And besides, her motivation, like most people in academia was not profit but interest.
Show threadBrian  Dec 1, 2022
@frechdachs I hadn't heard about #LibraryGenesis, so thanks for sending that along. Added to my bookmarks...
Show threadkazysDec 22, 2022
@frechdachs Ha ha, I said the same thing to my students. I also gave them readers made up of PDFs since I know my essays were included in those crazy readers made up by the scammers and never saw a cent.
Show threadGareth StackDec 1, 2022
@brianb @[email protected] Just wait until you hear about Sci-Hub
Show threadBrian  Dec 1, 2022
@garethstack @clauselholm I use that for some things, this was an educational journal, so it isn't included there.
Show threadcytokine_stormDec 1, 2022
@brianb why not just use sci-hub? Emails require opening and writing a whole damn letter. Sci-hub requires I copy the article's URL into the sci-hub search bar! #scihub #paywall
Show threadBrian  Dec 1, 2022
@cytokine_storm It's from an education journal, so didn't come up.
Show threadBrian  Dec 2, 2022
@cytokine_storm So, I found the paper on Sci Hub after looking more closely and using the DOI number instead of searching by name, so I just failed at looking the first time.
Show threadcytokine_stormDec 2, 2022
@brianb yeah I find it’s sometimes challenging to get the paper. Emailing the author is definitely an effective alternative!
Show threadSigyn Kjarr (she/her)Dec 2, 2022
@brianb This. One of my professors recommended doing this and does this all the time.