Introduction Promoting open access as a fundamental principle in disseminating knowledge is essential for democratizing information and fostering an environment of equality, innovation, and collaboration within the academic and research communities. Open access refers to making research findings freely available to anyone with an Internet connection, challenging the traditional subscription-based model of academic publishing that … Read more
Introduction Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are independent committees that review and oversee human subjects research. They play a pivotal role in upholding ethical standards and protecting the rights and welfare of research participants. What are Institutional Review Boards? IRBs are formal committees established by research institutions to review proposed studies involving human subjects. They comprise … Read more
The Evolution of Wikipedia and Academic Skepticism Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, has been a revolutionary force in how we access knowledge. Yet, this very openness has been a double-edged sword, leading to instances of misinformation amidst its many credible entries. From Misinformation to Credibility In the early days of Wikipedia’s … Read more
Introduction Understanding the business model behind academic publishing is key to unraveling the inner workings of the scholarly communication system. As gatekeepers to scientific knowledge, academic publishers play a pivotal yet often overlooked role in disseminating research. Examining how academic publishers generate profits provides insight into the incentives driving the publication process. This section sets … Read more
Introduction The risks of predatory journals must never be underestimated. Predatory journals prioritize profit over quality by charging publication fees to authors without providing the expected editorial services. This allows them to widely disseminate research papers without adequately vetting the quality of the work. Predatory journals actively solicit manuscripts from researchers and promise rapid publication … Read more