mastodon 4.6.8Ph.D. in Social Communication. My research interests: Bibliometrics, Scientometrics, Scholarly Communication, and Library Science.
Bad papers, incorrect references, and superficial reviews existed long before #ChatGPT. AI did not invent poor scholarship – it simply made it scalable.
In our new paper, we argue that the debate should move beyond AI slop toward the broader concept of academic slop: low-quality scholarship produced without sufficient care, whether by humans or machines.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10875301.2026.2685154
#AcademicSlop #AISlop #ResearchIntegrity #AcademicPublishing #GenerativeAI
https://doi.org/10.1515/jdis-2026-0058
#ResearchEvaluation #Scientometrics #ResearchAssessment #ChatGPT #LLM #AI #SciencePolicyWho are the "ideal immigrants"? A massive study in @scienceadvances@bird.makeup pooled data from 100 immigration experiments across 36 countries and 1.5 million immigrant profiles.
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adz2271
Perhaps most interestingly: people care much more about WHO an immigrant is than where they COME FROM. In short: your CV often matters more than your passport.
#ScienceAdvances #Migration #Immigration #PublicOpinion #PoliticalScience #SocialScience
We evaluate science mostly through papers. But researchers report that up to 75% of project effort is data work — collecting, cleaning, documenting, and preparing datasets. A reminder that research outputs ≠ research work.
New paper in Research Evaluation: https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvag008
#ResponsibleMetrics #OpenScience #DataCitation #ResearchEvaluation
Science is often presented as something distant. Something that starts after a PhD, funding, or the "right" connections. But it doesn’t. I’ve put together a short presentation on how research actually begins – with a simple moment: "I don’t understand this."
👉 https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23368.69126
#OpenScience #Research #EarlyCareerResearchers #PhD #AcademicLife #Science #HigherEducation #AI #Zotero #OpenAlex
Most university rankings focus on Harvard, Oxford, and a handful of global stars. A recent paper takes a different approach - compares entire #HigherEducation systems:
📄 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2026.101839
One interesting finding is that countries such as the UK, Spain, and Italy show a more evenly distributed level of institutional performance, whereas systems like the US and China rely more heavily on a smaller group of elite universities.
A nice surprise: the CUNY AI Lab has launched an AI Use Disclosure tool based on the GAIDeT (Generative AI Delegation Taxonomy) framework.
👉 https://tools.ailab.gc.cuny.edu/ai-disclosure/
Researchers can now generate publication-ready, structured disclosures of how generative #AI was used across different stages of the research workflow: from idea generation and literature review to data management and writing.
#OpenScience #ResearchIntegrity #GenAI #AcademicPublishing #GAIDeT #MITLicense
The Lancet has published a short editorial on the state of Ukraine’s health system after four years of war. A few numbers worth noting:
Over 47,000 civilian casualties.
2,591 attacks on health infrastructure.
359 health workers killed.
68% of Ukrainians report a decline in health.
Among health workers: 81% burnout, 69% anxiety, 61% depression, and only 17% have access to psychosocial support.
👉 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00355-7/
#Ukraine #HealthSystem #WarImpact #PublicHealth #HealthWorkers #Resilience
A new preprint introduces SI-hacking (Special Issue hacking): when guest editors turn a special issue into a publication venue for themselves.
:oa: https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.07563
Yet over 1,000 "hacked" special issues are still published every year. Strikingly, #MDPI accounts for 85% of all SI-hacked special issues in the dataset, while #Frontiers contributes another 13%.
Grateful to #VUIAS for the opportunity to present my workshop "Ranked but Not Heard: Metrics and the Position of Ukrainian Scholarship" during the Academic and Public Positioning for Ukrainian Scholars workshop in Vienna.
The presentation explored academic visibility, scientometrics, open scholarly infrastructures, and the challenges Ukrainian researchers face within global systems of research evaluation.
Can a great song title make your paper more visible? In our new study, we explored how famous song titles appear in Scopus-indexed article titles.
🎧 https://doi.org/10.1177/01655515261437409
We found that in most cases, these titles are used as catchy rhetorical signals to attract readers. But here’s the catch: they don’t necessarily lead to higher citations. So yes, your title can sound like a rock hit… but impact still depends on more than style.
Gave a short online lecture on altmetrics today. Main point: altmetrics measure attention, not quality. Sometimes they capture real interest - sometimes just noise. Attention ≠ impact.
👉 https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.30154.12488
#Altmetrics #ResearchImpact #OpenScience #ScholarlyCommunication #Scientometrics
A new study analysing 248 CoARA action plans suggests that many organizations still treat Open Science more as a set of values than as concrete research practices.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-026-05650-w
Open Access remains the dominant and most institutionalized form of Open Science, appearing in 41% of plans. Meanwhile, key UNESCO-promoted practices such as Open Evaluation or Open Methods are barely mentioned at all.
My latest article has been published in Research Integrity and Peer Review. The paper examines how scientific misconduct, questionable research practices, research climate, and supervision are studied across disciplines & research systems.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-026-00214-1
One key takeaway: research integrity risks are shaped not only by individual behaviour, but also by research environments, supervision, evaluation systems.
#ResearchIntegrity #AcademicIntegrity #MetaResearch #SciencePolicy
Honoured to be named “Leader of the Year – 2025” 🏆 at my university for research activity. Grateful to colleagues, leadership, co-authors, and to those who make it possible for us to keep working, teaching, and doing science. This recognition is a motivation to move forward. #MyAcademicLife
New blog post on @lseimpactblog@bird.makeup about our project. Why global databases are not enough, and why national scholarly infrastructures matter more than we think.
The solution is not to replace global systems, but to connect national ones into a network of interoperable, open infrastructures.
#OpenScience #Bibliometrics #OpenInfrastructure #ResearchPolicy
New paper in Research Evaluation explores how researchers actually cite data. Key insight: data citations are far more complex than simple indicators of data reuse.
:oa: https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvag008
They reflect scientific practice, community norms, attribution, and even reputation-building. A timely reminder: metrics alone cannot capture the real value of data work.
#OpenScience #DataCitation #ResearchEvaluation #ResponsibleMetrics #Scientometrics
Our correspondence in @Nature@mstdn.social is out today - “AI used in warfare needs a strong ethical framework”.
📄 https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01008-7
We argue that the real question is not how effective AI is in war, but:
Who does it actually protect?
Who controls these systems?
Who is accountable for their failures?
And are decisions that risk civilian harm ever acceptable?
An interesting study on how warfare affects birds in #Ukraine. The authors combined open-source intelligence, field observations, and eyewitness reports to show that even highly mobile species often remain in combat-affected areas: they die from explosions, lose nesting sites, and face the destruction of habitats and changes in water systems.
https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2025.2531125
In many ways, this is one of the first attempts to systematically document the real-time impact of #war on #biodiversity.
In this presentation, I explore the idea of "AI plagiarism" not as a simple violation, but as a mismatch between new modes of text production and outdated systems for assessing knowledge and contribution.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25560.87049
If text no longer reliably reflects thinking, what exactly are we evaluating?
This is part of my workshop at the Science Festival 2026.
#OpenScience #AcademicIntegrity #GenerativeAI #ResearchEthics #ScholarlyCommunication #SciencePolicy #HigherEducation
Today I had the pleasure of presenting my fellowship research at the weekly interdisciplinary #VUIAS seminar.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35582.55364
One of the key messages was simple: metrics often reveal symptoms, but understanding integrity problems requires looking at research environments, incentives, and organisational cultures.
#ResearchIntegrity #Scientometrics #ResearchEthics #OpenScience #AcademicIntegrity #ScholarlyCommunication #HigherEducation #Science
Russian disinformation does not succeed because people simply believe lies. It succeeds because it exploits existing fears, prejudices, and social divisions.
https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v31i5.14649
A recent study shows how false stories about Ukrainian refugees were designed to activate stereotypes, fuel hostility, and turn vulnerable groups against one another. The goal was not only to spread misinformation but also to weaken solidarity and trust across Europe.
Today I gave a talk on @OpenAlex@mastodon.social — the largest open database of scholarly metadata. #OpenAlex offers a broader and more inclusive view of science, making previously “invisible” research more visible.
At the same time, it raises important questions about metadata quality, data completeness, and how we interpret metrics.
👉 https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.31061.79847
A key takeaway: research evaluation can vary significantly depending on the data source and analytical choices.
A new paper by Ioannidis & Baas highlights an uncomfortable shift: most scientific publications today come from countries that are not full democracies and have limited press freedom. In 2006, about two-thirds of global science was produced in full democracies. In 2024 – only 22%.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-026-00190-6
Even more striking – 78% of publications come from countries with problematic press freedom, and there is no link between democracy and scientific productivity.
In our new short letter, we explored where real discussion on complex scientific issues actually happens. Instead of articles or reports, we analysed letters to the editor in journals – using #geoengineering as a case.
https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2025-0161
These short texts turn out to be one of the few spaces where science becomes a dialogue: not only experts, but also broader publics engage, and discussions move beyond technical details to #ethics risks, and governance.
Where do bibliometricians come from? 🤔 A new international study suggests a simple answer: mostly from academic libraries. Around 60% of people doing bibliometric work at universities are based there.
https://doi.org/10.1177/01655515261417634
The catch? Over 70% say they never had formal training in bibliometrics. People simply grow into the role while working with databases, indicators and research analytics.
#bibliometrics #scientometrics #researchmetrics #responsiblemetrics #openscience
#Scientometrics is a direct translation of the Soviet term naukometriya, introduced through the 1969 monograph by Vasily Nalimov and Zinaida Mulchenko. A new paper in @QSS_ISSI@scicomm.xyz reveals that around 15% of that monograph consists of fragments from Mulchenko’s PhD thesis on information flows in science — meaning that many core ideas of Soviet scientometrics were actually hers. Yet she almost disappeared from the historical record = #MatildaEffect
This paper explores the fascinating phenomenon of “zombie journals” – journals that continue to exist after their editorial boards resign and launch rival “breakaway journals.”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2026.105519
Using cases from linguistics and bibliometrics, the study shows that journal brands can survive institutional crises, but often with dramatically changed author communities, citation patterns, and academic identities.
#AcademicPublishing #OpenScience #Scientometrics #JournalMetrics
Almost skipped a new paper in #Scientometrics - glad I didn’t. A key point: fundamental research is often too uncertain for the market, so universities become crucial for helping ideas survive through startups, accelerators, and entrepreneurial networks. #Patent licensing, meanwhile, depends more on real long-term collaboration with industry than on fancy “technology transfer offices”.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-026-05648-4
#HigherEducation #Innovation #Startups #Technology #Transfer
Virginia Tech published something many universities still lack: Practical guidance on how to use AI responsibly in research - step by step, across the entire research lifecycle.
Not abstract principles. Concrete prompts. Clear warnings about IP, confidentiality, hallucinations, and dual-use risks. #AI should support thinking — not replace it.
#ResponsibleAI #ResearchIntegrity #OpenScience #AIinResearch #AIinScience #AIethics #universities
Nature's latest feature argues that the EU is trying to turn the current turmoil in US science into a historic opportunity:
👉 https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01955-1
A few striking facts:
• Europe publishes more research papers than the US.
• Horizon Europe could grow to €175–200 billion.
• Nearly 45% of EU research output involves international collaboration.
• Countries from Canada to Japan and Australia are joining parts of Horizon Europe.
New commentary published in #Scientometrics: “Scientific collaboration without flights: Ukraine’s wartime adaptation.”
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-026-05576-3
Since 2022, #Ukraine has had no civilian air travel, severely limiting academic mobility. Yet, international co-authorship involving Ukrainian institutions has not declined — it has increased. A small piece on resilience, digital collaboration, and global academic solidarity.
#ResearchCollaboration #OpenScience #ScienceResilience #GlobalScience
Analysing more than 30K cell biology papers 📄, the authors found that after performance-based evaluation systems began emphasizing first and corresponding authorship, the number of co-first and co-corresponding authors increased substantially.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2026.101838
Interestingly, team sizes did not grow in the same way = credit was simply redistributed among more researchers.
#Scientometrics #ResearchEvaluation #Authorship #AcademicPublishing #ResearchPolicy
A recent Journal of Informetrics study shows – There is no universal number of “too many authors.”
In some fields, 3–6 may already be unusual.
In medicine – dozens are common.
In physics – large teams are often the norm.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2026.101803
Yes, #hyperauthorship can signal problems (e.g., honorary authorship, metric inflation). But the key question is not “how many authors?” 👉 it is: Is this abnormal for this field and time?
Our new 📄 in Current Alzheimer Research looks at a strange, and worrying, phenomenon in scientific writing: tortured phrases. Instead of blood-brain barrier, some papers use bizarre alternatives like blood-brain obstruction or blood-cerebrum boundary.
https://doi.org/10.2174/0115672050460224260206052444
These are not just language errors, they can signal deeper issues such as weak #PeerReview or even #PaperMills.
#OpenScience #ResearchIntegrity #Bibliometrics #Neuroethics #AcademicPublishing
Rare earth elements are at the core of today’s technological and geopolitical competition – from EVs to defence systems. #Ukraine is increasingly part of this landscape.
📊 Ukraine has strong scientific expertise, but it is concentrated in fundamental research, with limited capacity in processing, technology, and patents.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14631377.2026.2634631
💬 Ukraine has a rare window of opportunity. The question is: quarry or strategic actor?
A real case of how administrative interpretation can block international research collaboration. A Ukrainian researcher was deemed ineligible because a municipal (public) university was not considered “state” 🤯 under a specific interpretation.
This raises important questions about consistency and transparency in international funding schemes.
More details: 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nazarovets_nwo-nrfu-researchpolicy-activity-7432388975899852800-19Un/
#OpenScience #ResearchPolicy #HigherEducation #NWO #NRFU #Science #Transparency #ScholarlyCommunication
Make #AI use transparent & machine-readable. 🙌 We’re looking for journal editors ready to pilot GAIDeT in their submissions - even a few DOIs can set a new standard!
It’s simple to try - and if you don’t believe it, check the instruction: 👉 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17101228
The results of a large survey that investigated data citation practices, preferences and motivations of authors:
https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00264
BIG question - When should research practice be adapted to current technical requirements and recommendations for data citation, and when should requirements and recommendations be adapted to reflect actual practice? 🤔
@QSS_ISSI@scicomm.xyz #data #citation #reuse #openscience #survey
A recent study shows that the same paper can appear nearly twice as “impactful” in Scopus compared to Web of Science - not because it is cited more, but because each database defines the benchmark differently.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2026.101810
This leads to a strange situation: the same researcher can be both “above average” and “below average” at the same time - like a kind of scientometric Schrödinger’s cat. 🙂
An interesting study on humour in scientific talks (531 presentations, 870 jokes):
67% of jokes failed.
Only ~9% got real laughter.
Men joke slightly more, and native English speakers are more likely to succeed.
🙂 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.3000
O yes... Joking in a foreign language is hard, and even in your own, it only works if the audience truly gets it.
#AcademicHumor #ConferenceLife #AcademicLife #ResearchCulture #ScholarlyCommunication
