This week, we listen to a podcast that explores how science sleuths are safeguarding the scholarly literature. We signpost two upcoming webinars, one from HIFA that will explore the results of their 2023 consultation on universal access to healthcare information, and a second from the UN that will ask whether open science policy helps or hinders progress towards meeting the SDGs. Finally, we read about Kudos’s AI-generated summaries, journal branding as a proxy for research quality, and the introduction of preregistration as a new PLOS OSI.
To listen to:
How sleuths are safeguarding science via 7am | 20-minute listen
“The accumulated weight of these fake papers can threaten the integrity of all scientific research”, says Cheyne Anderson (Producer at 7am). Science sleuths are dedicated to identifying fake research papers in science journals. In this podcast, Cheyne reports on the efforts of these volunteer detectives to combat fake research, highlighting how fraudulent practices can contaminate the scientific record.a
To engage with:
Universal access to reliable healthcare information via HIFA.org
In 2023, Healthcare Information For All (HIFA) conducted a consultation to assess global perspectives on universal access to health information for the World Health Organization (WHO). On 30 July, join Isabelle Wachsmuth (Project Manager at WHO), Joseph Ana (Lead Senior Fellow and Medical Consultant at the Centre for Clinical Governance Research and Patient Safety in Calabar, Nigeria) and Neil Pakenham-Walsh (Coordinator of HIFA) to explore the results of the consultation and ask “What can WHO and HIFA do next?”.
Open science for the SDGs via Dag Hammarskjöld Library
Do open science policies help or hinder achievement of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? In this webinar, which is hosted by the UN’s Dag Hammarskjöld Library, Suchiradipta Bhattacharjee (Policy Engagement Specialist at the International Water Management Institute), Yensi Flores-Bueso (Co-Chair of the Global Young Academy Executive Committee), Elizabeth Gadd (Head of Research Culture & Assessment at Loughborough University), Geeta Swamy (Professor at Duke University) and Giannis Tsakonas (Vice President of LIBER Europe) will explore just that.
To read:
Kudos generates AI research summaries via Kudos | 2-minute read
Sheffield Hallam University has partnered with Kudos to produce artificial intelligence (AI)-generated plain language research summaries. The summaries, which are hosted on a dedicated research showcase page, aim to boost the visibility and influence of selected articles from the University’s repository. Eddy Verbaan (Head of Library Research Support at Sheffield Hallam University) says the partnership will help researchers “bring about real-world change” while “exploring responsible, ethical use of AI”.a
All show, no science? via LSE | 7-minute read
Are big-brand journals a marker of quality research? In this article, Damian Pattinson (Executive Director of eLife) and George Currie (Content Manager at eLife) discuss the shift in scholarly publishing towards open access and its unintended effect on journal branding. They suggest that the perceived brand value of some journals acts as a (potentially misplaced) proxy for the quality of the research they publish.
PLOS recognizes study registration as open indicator via PLOS Blogs | 4-minute read
PLOS have announced the introduction of a new measure to their Open Science Indicators (OSI). The new indicator – preregistration – monitors the deposition of research study plans in repositories. Research study plans can include research questions, details about study design and data analysis plans. The latest OSI results demonstrate that, while overall preregistration rates remain low, the proportion of preregistered studies has increased since 2018.
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aPaige – a generative AI tool created by Oxford PharmaGenesis – was used to create an early draft of this summary. Paige uses OpenAI’s GPT Large Language Models, securely and privately accessed from within Microsoft’s Azure platform. The AI-generated output was reviewed, modified or rewritten, and checked for accuracy by at least one member of the Open Pharma team. The news pieces included in the weekly digest are curated by the Open Pharma team without the use of AI.
