Zul M

Zul Musa has over a decade of experience in publishing, working with one of the biggest scholarly publishers in a Malaysian research university. His interests lie in publishing trends and technology, open access and digital publishing. Zul has served in various capacities throughout many years, including editing, copyediting, journal administration, designing, and marketing. A book author and a keen writer, he was one of the recipients of the Malaysia Website Awards 2017.

10 Major Academic Publishing Challenges in 2026

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Academic publishing challenges in 2026

Introduction Welcome to the chaotic, brilliant, and perpetually cash-strapped world of academic publishing. If you’re picturing dusty libraries and quill pens, you’re about a century out of date. Today, the scholarly communication ecosystem is a high-stakes arena, a swirling vortex of multi-billion-dollar corporate publishers, fiercely independent university presses, unfunded activist researchers, and disruptive technology that’s … Read more

Turning Your Thesis into a Book People Will Actually Read

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Turning your thesis into a book people will actually read

Introduction Ah, the doctoral thesis. That monolithic document, the capstone of years of sacrifice, late nights fueled by questionable coffee, and an almost pathological devotion to a niche subject. It represents the pinnacle of your academic achievement, a testament to your original research and scholarly rigor. Congratulations! You’ve scaled Mount Everest, academically speaking.  But now … Read more

Which Open Access Models are the Best?

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What are the best open access models

Introduction The scholarly publishing landscape is undergoing a revolutionary transformation, driven by the ideals and practicalities of open access. For centuries, the business of sharing academic research relied on a subscription model, erecting paywalls that turned the fruits of publicly funded research into commodities accessible only to those—or their institutions—who could afford hefty fees.  Open … Read more

Is Blockchain in Peer Review an Imminent Reality?

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Blockchain in peer review

Introduction Peer review stands as the cornerstone of academic publishing. It’s the gatekeeper, the quality control mechanism that (well, ideally) separates sound scholarship from the dubious or flawed. Yet, despite its importance, the process is plagued by challenges: sluggish turnaround times, a lack of transparency, the administrative burden on journals, and the ever-present problem of … Read more