Within a couple of weeks of each other, two decisions have been made that will shape business research and education for years to come – but for very different reasons. One decision is a bold, risky decision that is global in reach and open in outlook; the other is small-minded and narrow, which nevertheless sends a strong message to those it will impact. The first decision has been taken by the … Continue reading Research doesn’t happen in a vacuum – and here’s the proof
Study highlights AI-fueled increase in references to fake sources
Recent reporting from the respected Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant highlights a growing problem in scholarly publishing: the rise of AI-generated fake citations appearing in academic papers. According to the article, authored by Stan van Pelt, fabricated references — studies, articles, or journals that do not actually exist — have increased significantly alongside the widespread adoption … Continue reading Study highlights AI-fueled increase in references to fake sources
What’s in a name?
Imagine you wake up one morning with a set of unusual symptoms. Nothing to worry about, you think, but you had better check online just to make sure. Once you scroll through a few plausible-sounding, non-serious possibilities, your eyes alight on an illness you have never heard of before. But it sounds serious – really serious. You click on the link … Continue reading What’s in a name?
Research? It’s a social enterprise
How do you choose the right journal? Some people might suggest this is an art rather than a science, only possible with years of publishing experience or a wide network of contacts of those at the top of a given field. Others might suggest that you can plan and execute a publication with near certainty, using data to proceed to a positive outcome. The truth, as with all … Continue reading Research? It’s a social enterprise
Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
A little-examined consequence of the predatory publishing phenomenon is the damage done to legitimate publishers that got swept up in it – not because they were truly predatory, but because they were listed alongside journals that were. Beall’s List, the well-intentioned and perhaps the most famous predatory publisher and journal list, has long been shuttered. … Continue reading Accusations frozen in time: How Beall’s List still hurts publishers in 2026
Out of time
This week, hundreds of librarians, publishers, and vendors have congregated in the UK city of Glasgow to attend the annual UK Serials Group (UKSG). A fixture on the scholarly communications events circuit for many years, there was a clear sense this year that things are under strain, and a once vibrant industry is going through … Continue reading Out of time
Finding your compass
When US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld uttered his now-famous speech about what we know and don’t know in the early 2000s, it is fair to say there was a good deal of mockery. Not only did it sound extremely odd, it also didn’t seem to make sense initially. What on earth are ‘known unknowns’ … Continue reading Finding your compass
Next-level decisions
After several years in development, Cabells launches its new Journalytics STEM product today, offering the same next-level journal data as its companion Academic and Medicine products to support the best possible decision-making across STEM subjects. It’s taken time to put together Journalytics STEM simply because there are a lot of journals to review, curate, and assess in this field, with well over 7,000 journals included across science, … Continue reading Next-level decisions
Who can you trust?
Think back, if you can, 25 years ago to January 2001, and what do you remember? To jog your memory, that month saw the inauguration of George W. Bush as U.S. President, the launch of iTunes from Apple, and the appointment of the England football team’s first foreign manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson. While you sit there thinking how old you feel, this will make you … Continue reading Who can you trust?
Ghosts in the machine
Breaching research integrity is often regarded as, at worst, a white-collar crime reserved for nerdy types who couldn’t quite cut it intellectually; at best, it’s not even regarded at all – it is simply invisible to most people as they go about their lives. However, this may be about to change with the release of a new documentary that may bring the problem … Continue reading Ghosts in the machine