A study piqued my curiosity in a news feed recently. Yoga could reduce depression symptoms, researchers said – but only if you expected it to (Uebelacker 2018). Yoga for depression, it turns out, isPosted by: Hilda Bastian
Yoga, Depression, & Clinical Trial Critique 101
A study piqued my curiosity in a news feed recently. Yoga could reduce depression symptoms, researchers said – but only if you expected it to (Uebelacker 2018). Yoga for depression, it turns out, isPosted by in clinical trials, Evidence, featured, Health, Mental health, Study critique
Europe Expanded the “No Elsevier Deal” Zone & This Could Change Everything
A couple of heavy-duty battering rams have hit the journal subscription system in Europe. And they are so big, this will likely set off a chain reaction that changes the scholarly communicationPosted by in featured, journals, open access, science communication
What Does the PREDIMED Trial Retraction & Re-Boot Mean for the Mediterranean Diet?
A very influential nutrition trial just tanked. It was retracted from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on 13 June, and re-published with new analyses and toned-down conclusions. Both Gina Kolata, writingPosted by in clinical trials, Evidence, featured, Health, nutrition, Scientific controversy, Study critique
Building a Great Scientific Abstract: A Quick Checklist
It should never be a rushed afterthought. An awful lot is riding on the quality of scientific abstracts. Most readers will rely on that summary, delving in no further. And a conferenceAn Author Rights Perspective on Scientific Editors
By Hilda Bastian What should scientific editors be able to do well? We would all be able to agree easily on some basics. Last year, a group led by David Moher and colleaguesSystematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses: A 5-Step Checkup
It’s easy to be a little blinded by the specialized statistical techniques in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. As with any type of study, though, there are bad ones that can lead you down aPosted by in Bias, Evidence, featured, Listicles, meta analysis, Study critique
A Reality Check on Author Access to Open Access Publishing
0000-0002-8715-2896 Technically, the “most journals don’t charge authors” statement could well be true. Most open access journals may not charge authors. The source that’s used to support the claim is generally DOAJ –Posted by in featured, journals, open access, science communication
Signing Critical Peer Reviews & the Fear of Retaliation: What Should We Do?
0000-0002-8715-2896 There’s a sort of Godwin’s Law for discussions on open peer review. Sooner or later, someone’s going to say, “We can’t expect early career researchers to sign peer reviews, because of fear of retaliation”. AndBlack History Month: Mathematicians’ Powerful Stories
0000-0002-8715-2896 It was a turning point. The previous year, the US Civil Rights Act had passed. On 26 January 1969 in New Orleans, 17 African-American mathematicians gathered at the annual national mathematical meeting.Posted by in Black History Month, diversity, featured, gender, history, racism, Science culture, women in science
Principles, Open Access, & Everyday Choices
0000-0002-8715-2896 It’s not enough to mean well, is it? Principles matter, but so do the effects of acting on our strongly held beliefs. We need to keep re-visiting our values in considering the impactPosted by in Early career researchers, featured, journals, open access, open science, science communication