Rigging the System Collusion between bogus reviewers to improve the chances of an article getting published, also known as a “peer review and citation ring,” is becoming a serious issue for journal editors. Arguably, these efforts to…

When new undergraduate students contemplate the academic career path ahead of them, the journey can appear to be quite steep. Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree enables entry into a graduate or Master’s program, with successful…

METRICS: A Little Backdrop In 2005, the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Medicine journal published a paper by Greek researcher Dr. John Ioannidis entitled “Why most published research findings are false.” The paper went on to become the…

What’s the Purpose of A Patent? A patent is a legal title granting any person who “invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof,” the right to…

The anonymity of the peer review process has always been regarded as a key tenet of the quality and integrity of academic publishing. The freedom to comment openly and without fear of retribution, it is argued, frees reviewers from the…