Introduction Few websites in the academic world spark as much heated debate as Sci-Hub. Launched in 2011 by Alexandra Elbakyan, a then-graduate student from Kazakhstan frustrated by her lack of access to scholarly articles, Sci-Hub promised what publishers could not: free and immediate access to millions of research papers locked behind expensive paywalls. For many … Read more
Introduction Academic publishing often presents itself as an objective system, portraying a framework in which research is evaluated solely based on its scientific merit. The peer review process, impact factors, and citation metrics are held up as proof of neutrality, a system that supposedly separates rigorous scholarship from noise. Yet anyone who has spent time … Read more
Introduction Few numbers hold as much sway in academia as the impact factor. For decades, this little metric has determined careers, influenced funding decisions, and made or broken the reputations of journals. It looks neat and simple, giving the impression of objectivity in a system that is otherwise messy and political. But beneath its polished … Read more
Introduction Few words carry more weight in academia than “Nature,” “Science,” and “Cell.” To publish in one of these journals is to secure a ticket to recognition, promotion, and sometimes even tenure. They are the crown jewels of academic publishing, the equivalent of the Oscars in research. But beneath the prestige lies a set of … Read more
Introduction Sci-Hub has been called everything from the “Robin Hood of science” to the “greatest threat to academic publishing.” It is a website that provides free access to millions of scholarly articles that would otherwise sit behind expensive paywalls. Depending on who you ask, it is either a heroic effort to democratize knowledge or outright … Read more