Research systems are under pressure from multiple directions at once. Knowledge exchange, research infrastructure, open access, global participation - these aren't separate trends. To find out more sign up for our next newsletter, incoming next week: https://www.research-consulting.com/newsletter/
Rob Johnson
@rschrobUK
- 149 Followers
- 254 Following
- 166 Posts
Managing Director of Research Consulting. I help universities, funders, publishers and not-for-profits manage, disseminate and deliver impact from research.
Ludo WaltmanI just published a blog post arguing that the reform movements for research assessment and scientific publishing need to better align their agendas. This is crucial for the success of both movements.
Assessment reform and publishing reform need to go hand in hand
The need to reform research assessment and scientific publishing practices is widely recognized. However, Ludo Waltman argues that the assessment and publishing reform movements will be successful only if they manage to align their agendas.
Center for Open ScienceThe Metascience Alliance is launching at #Metascience2025! This new cross-sector network is building collaboration to better understand & improve the research system. We want your input! Here's how to get involved:
🔍 Read the concept: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EKSIc7V1gsM7g5_JBuNWtU20abm6x7BhIHI7N6wbrkg/edit?usp=sharing
💡 Share feedback: https://forms.gle/aRA4v3etaFwvmyPx5
📬 Join the mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/c1fc9c67fa5f/metascience-alliance
Metascience Alliance - Initial Concept and Request for Feedback
Metascience Alliance - Initial Concept and Request for Feedback Contents Introduction Metascience Alliance Activities Initial Structure of the Metascience Alliance Timeline Next steps Introduction Interest in the field of metascience is growing but coordination is hampered as metascience acti...
Why is Microsoft setting up a publishing imprint? A thought experiment: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robjohnsonresearchconsulting_microsoft-launches-imprint-that-aims-to-be-activity-7266747773750853632-AFj3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
renebekkersSince 2016 or so I spend Saturday mornings doing 'professional volunteer work'. Writing reviews of articles and grant proposals, recommendation letters, that sort of thing. You know, the tasks that don't fit in the regular work week, and cannot be charged to a project budget, but are nice to do.
Usually these things serve only one or at best a handful of people. [1/6]
Usually these things serve only one or at best a handful of people. [1/6]
Delighted to see our new report for cOAlition S on 'Towards Responsible Publishing' released today, there are a wealth of insights into #scholcomm to be found in our findings, all fully open and reusable:
https://www.growkudos.com/projects/towards-responsible-publishing-findings-from-a-global-stakeholder-consultation
https://www.growkudos.com/projects/towards-responsible-publishing-findings-from-a-global-stakeholder-consultation
‘‘Towards Responsible Publishing”: Findings from a global stakeholder consultation
This project presents the findings of a global multi-stakeholder consultation conducted between November 2023 and May 2024 on behalf of cOAlition S. The consultation was led by a partnership between Research Consulting and Leiden University's Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), with input and advice from Stephen Pinfield (University of Sheffield Information School), Joy Owango (Founding Director, Training Centre in Communication) and Lin Zhang (Professor of Information Management, Wuhan University). The consultation aimed to assess the research community's appetite for the transformative changes to the scholarly communication system proposed in cOAlition S' "Towards Responsible Publishing" (TRP) initiative. The key objectives of this work were to understand how the TRP proposal could be modified to better resonate with stakeholders, identify potential barriers and unintended consequences and determine whether the existing infrastructure can support cOAlition S' vision of a community-driven publishing ecosystem. Based on the findings from this consultation, it was concluded that there is support for some of the principles and practices encouraged in the TRP proposal. This highlights opportunities for cOAlition S to make progress in their desired direction of travel, building on select parts of the proposal.
Scientific publishing is at a crossroads. To coincide with #FEBS2024, I explore the potential for three alternative models to disrupt the status quo: 1. Funder Platforms 2. Publish, Review, Curate 3. Deconstructed Publishing
Beyond the journal: The future of scientific publishing
The scientific publishing system is buckling under increased pressure from soaring article output, affordability issues, and threats from AI and paper mills. Amid widespread calls for reform, new models are emerging to reshape scholarly communication.
I shared some thoughts on Open access: The price of diamond in this new @ResProfNews article https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-europe-infrastructure-2024-6-open-access-the-price-of-diamond/
In the podcast below, with Anthony Haynes, I talk about our work at Research Consulting and share my top 3 lessons on #researchcommunications - 1. Infrastructure matters 2. Marketing matters and 3. Incentives matters #scholcomm #openaccess #greylitcafe
Key insights on research communications, with Rob Johnson - The Grey Lit Café
Anthony Haynes writes: It was a treat for this episode to be able to interview Rob Johnson, founder and Managing Director of Research Consulting Ltd. RC is a long-established organisation dedicated to improving the effectiveness and impact of rese...
📈 Independent society publishers saw median revenue GROWTH of 21% 2014-2022.
😔 Societies who outsourced their journals publishing saw a median DECLINE of 30%.
To find out why (and what it has to do with a big yellow taxi and #openaccess) check out: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10933141 #UKSG2024
😔 Societies who outsourced their journals publishing saw a median DECLINE of 30%.
To find out why (and what it has to do with a big yellow taxi and #openaccess) check out: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10933141 #UKSG2024
You don't know what you've got till it's gone: The changing landscape of UK learned society publishing
This study draws on a longitudinal dataset of 277 UK learned societies covering the period 2015-2023 to provide evidence-based insights into the changing landscape of society publishing. It identifies a rapid decline in the number of self-published societies and an increasingly complex outsourcing landscape. New publishing partnerships are emerging with university presses and other not-for-profit entities rather than commercial publishers, while all but the largest UK societies have seen their publishing revenues decline in real terms since 2015. In general, UK learned society publishers are seeing their influence wane as market conditions favour publishing models focussed on quantity rather than quality. The decline of independent society publishers represents an unintended consequence of the transition to open access, but the trend towards increased outsourcing may be based on flawed assumptions. Analysis of financial data for a subset of 21 societies indicates that self-published societies have achieved sustained growth in their revenues from publishing while societies with publishing partners have seen a significant decline. For those societies with the means and the will to publish journals in their own right, this study provides compelling evidence for retaining, or even reclaiming, their independence.