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Natural selection of academic papers

Author

Listed:
  • Pandelis Perakakis

    (University of Granada)

  • Michael Taylor

    (Institute for Space Applications and Remote Sensing (ISARS), National Observatory of Athens (NOA))

  • Marco Mazza

    (Stranski-Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin)

  • Varvara Trachana

    (Institute of Biological Research and Biotechnology (IBRB), National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF))

Abstract

Academic papers, like genes, code for ideas or technological innovations that structure and transform the scientific organism and consequently the society at large. Genes are subject to the process of natural selection which ensures that only the fittest survive and contribute to the phenotype of the organism. The process of selection of academic papers, however, is far from natural. Commercial for-profit publishing houses have taken control over the evaluation and access to scientific information with serious consequences for the dissemination and advancement of knowledge. Academic authors and librarians are reacting by developing an alternative publishing system based on free-access journals and self-archiving in institutional repositories and global disciplinary libraries. Despite the emergence of such trends, the journal monopoly, rather than the scientific community, is still in control of selecting papers and setting academic standards. Here we propose a dynamical and transparent peer review process, which we believe will accelerate the transition to a fully open and free-for-all science that will allow the natural selection of the fittest ideas.

Suggested Citation

  • Pandelis Perakakis & Michael Taylor & Marco Mazza & Varvara Trachana, 2010. "Natural selection of academic papers," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 85(2), pages 553-559, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:85:y:2010:i:2:d:10.1007_s11192-010-0253-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-010-0253-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gualberto Buela-Casal & Pandelis Perakakis & Michael Taylor & Purificación Checa, 2006. "Measuring internationality: Reflections and perspectives on academic journals," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 67(1), pages 45-65, April.
    2. Leslie Chan, 2006. "Open Access Archiving: The Fast Track to Building Research Capacity in Developing Countries," Working Papers id:527, eSocialSciences.
    3. Gualberto Buela-Casal & Pandelis Perakakis & Michael Taylor & Purificación Checa, 2006. "Measuring internationality: Reflections and perspectives on academic journals," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 67(1), pages 45-65, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Lei Li & Yan Wang & Guanfeng Liu & Meng Wang & Xindong Wu, 2015. "Context-Aware Reviewer Assignment for Trust Enhanced Peer Review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-28, June.
    2. L. Egghe, 2011. "Problems with “natural selection of academic papers”," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 88(2), pages 663-667, August.
    3. Pandelis Perakakis & Michael Taylor & Marco G. Mazza & Varvara Trachana, 2011. "Understanding the role of open peer review and dynamic academic articles," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 88(2), pages 669-673, August.
    4. Marcel Knöchelmann, 2019. "Open Science in the Humanities, or: Open Humanities?," Publications, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-17, November.

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