Is Peer Review A Big Bad Joke?

Is something rotten in the world of academic publishing? Yes, if you read a blockbuster piece in the latest issue of Science magazine showing how many open–access journals have little or no quality control, and apparently put hard cash (in the shape of author contributor fees) before time–honored quality control procedures. Impersonating a fictitious biologist named Ocorrafoo M. L. Cobange, the "gonzo scientist" John Bohannon created an erroneous paper reporting on the anti–cancer properties of a certain lichen. He submitted the work to 304 scientific publications that use an open–access model, which means they don't rely on paywalls and reader subscriptions that had been traditional in the academic publishing industry. More than half of the journals (157) accepted the egregiously flawed paper, often without asking for changes. For example, the Journal of International Medical Research, published by Sage, sent an immediate acceptance letter along with an invoice for $3,100. Bohannon says his "sting" calls into question the open–access movement, which has grown in response to the high cost, and perceived elitism, of traditional journal publishing:Read Full Story     Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2013-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #quality control #high cost

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Magazines Betting Big on Social Media

As their readers are spending more time online, publishers are trying to make social networking work for their advertisers. With a program launching Sept. 1, Marie Claire is betting that if readers are fans of the magazine, they will like its advertisers, too. Timed to coincide with the key... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-08-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WaPo Reorgs Book Reviews...Again

Marcus Brauchli, executive editor of the Washington Post, sent a memo to his staff announcing, among other changes, that the book reviewers will now be report to the editors of the their respective sections. Brauchli told PW that these moves will not affect the paper's coverage of books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Green Bookshop to hold riot benefit

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 08:57 The Big Green Bookshop is to hold a comedy gig to raise money for the victims made homeless by the "appalling behaviour" of rioters in Tottenham last weekend. London’s Wood Green where the bookshop is based was also hit by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Bad Is News Corp.?

In my biography of Rupert Murdoch, I referred to News Corporation as Mafia-like, provoking the annoyance of my publisher’s libel lawyers. I explained to them that I did not mean to suggest this was an organized crime family, but instead was using “mafia” as a metaphor to imply that News Corp.... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HC buys Big Fat Gypsy memoir

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 05/08/2011 - 11:07 HarperCollins has bought the life story of Thelma Madine, the dressmaker from the Channel 4 documentary series “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding”. World rights were bought by Vicky McGeown, commissioning editor for Harper non-fiction,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #life story #world rights #harper non-fiction


ALCS welcomes support for Hargreaves Review

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 04/08/2011 - 09:12 The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society has welcomed the government support for the Hargreaves Review into intellectual property and growth, though it expressed concern over the proposals to extend copyright... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Isle of Wight denied library closures review

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 26/07/2011 - 16:29 The High Court has rejected an application by an Isle of Wight resident to bring a judicial review claim over the island's library closures. At a hearing in London today [26th July], His Honour Judge Pearl said the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Telegraph ordered to pay damages over book review

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Tue, 26/07/2011 - 17:11 Telegraph Media Group has been ordered to pay £65,000 in damages after losing a high court case for libel and malicious falsehood over a Lynn Barber book review published in the Telegraph. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brent libraries judicial review: day two

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 21/07/2011 - 09:18 Brent council's plan to close six of its 12 libraries was made "with great care and expressed attention to the 1964 Act" and other relevant legislation, the High Court heard yesterday (20th July). The council had faced... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Three Golden Rules for book reviewing: What are they?

Possibly the most famous book review, ever, was written by the young Irish wit and polemicist John Wilson Croker. Croker is still remembered, though obscurely, as a founder of modern political conservatism. What's more, according to some sources, John Wilson Croker invented the very term... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2011-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brent libraries judicial review: day one

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 20/07/2011 - 09:10 Brent council failed to comply with its legal obligations under the 1964 Public Libraries and Museums Act when planning the closure of six of its libraries, the High Court was told on the first day of the judicial review... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Library campaigners win right to judicial review over closures

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 07/07/2011 - 15:47 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Legal aid body 'ignores appeals review' over library costs

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 06/07/2011 - 16:25 The Legal Services Commission, which handles legal aid, has been accused of "cynically changing the rules" by ignoring the decision of its own appeals panel that library campaigners pursuing judicial review claims should not... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gloucestershire campaigners await judicial review hearing

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Wed, 06/07/2011 - 08:02 A court hearing to decide whether permission will be given for a judicial review to proceed against Gloucestershire library cuts is to take place in Birmingham tomorrow (Thursday 7th July). If allowed to proceed, the judicial... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why E-Books Are Bad for You

By restricting purchases unnecessarily, ebooks and e-readers are a bad deal, says free software guru Richard Stallman. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agent Peter Cox offers 'impartial' review of author contracts

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Thu, 09/06/2011 - 10:05 Literary agent Peter Cox has offered to review "any" contract given to an author by an agent for free in order to ensure that the author has "impartial advice". The move is a response to agents setting up their own publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA: big ideas, B&N and global brands

Written By: Gayle Feldman Publication Date: Fri, 03/06/2011 - 08:50 Like much of our world, BEA has shrunk but also expanded. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Big Uneasy: ALA Preview 2011

Managing budget pressure is a way of life for library administrators. But as librarians gather in New Orleans for the 2011 ALA Annual Conference, a snapshot of public library budgets across the nation shows the lingering "Great Recession" is still devastating library services—even as demand for... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hargreaves says no to 'fair use' clause in copyright review

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 18/05/2011 - 09:55 Publishers appear to have got a reprieve in the Hargreaves Review into intellectual property with it recommending against imposing an American style 'Fair Use' defence for copyright exceptions. The report also suggested the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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High Court reviews for library closures

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 04/05/2011 - 09:15 Somerset and Gloucestershire county councils have been landed with a judicial review in the High Court over their plans to close over 20 libraries. Somerset County Council plans to withdraw funding for 11 libraries while... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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