How do paleontologists access the (non-open access) literature?
It is no secret to those who know me that I am strongly supportive of open access (OA)–published data and personal experience alike show that OA is strongly beneficial to science. That said, it’s not...
View ArticleWhich (non-open access) journals can paleontologists access?
In a previous post, I detailed the various ways in which paleontologists access the non-open access literature. Institutional subscription was the most commonly-used method (but not for all people who...
View ArticleAssembling the Aquilops Paper
In my previous post, I introduced Aquilops, a new little dinosaur from ancient Montana, and talked about some of the science behind establishing its identity. Here, I want to step back (or is that look...
View ArticleThe Open Access Dinosaurs of 2014
As we enter 2015, it’s a good time to reflect on the state of paleontology and the state of open access. Because I’m a dinosaur paleontologist (my apologies to the other 99% of life that ever lived),...
View ArticleWhat is the scientific literature used for?
For better or for worse, we paleontologists (and many other scientists) view the use and importance of the literature in terms of citations. Citations are what drives the ever-beloved impact factor, as...
View ArticlePreprints in Paleontology: Really That Radical?
Brain endocast of the duck-billed dinosaur Arenysaurus, originally described in a preprint prior to formal publication. Despite this, the paleontological community did not collapse in upon itself....
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