The deScier Ecosystem

A fair scientific publishing system will be revolutionary

Access to scientific knowledge is key for human development.

Research and development (R&D) go hand in hand. There is a positive correlation to those countries spending high on R&D and their gross domestic product-GDP. Increased investment in R&D can contribute to technological advancements, innovation, and economic growth, which can in turn further enhance a country's GDP.

Scientific articles also simply called “papers” are pieces of detailed information on a certain area.

Papers give access to other people’s experience and expertise in a very granular way.

When a scientist has an idea, the first step is to carry an extensive bibliographical search on all papers published on that certain subject. Often, you find from there a thread to be followed in that line of research.

Copyright in the traditional scientific publishing industry

It is all around the ownership of ideas put in written. But not all ideas, a certain kind of ideas pertaining exclusively to the exploration of science and the scientific method.

Scientists pay for publishing, pay for open access and universities and research institutions subscribe their libraries so that staff and alumni can have access to knowledge.

The impact factor

The so-called impact factor is a number created by the publishing houses for the publishing houses. Impact factor is calculated by the number of citations (REF) and has been intrinsically linked to the quality of a given scientific journal. The highest the impact factor the ‘best’ the journal.

Other factors were created on top of the impact factor. Take for example, the Qualis system created by the Brazilian Research Council’s.

We, in Academia, are happy to comply with this narrative. The impact factor narrative was bought not only by scientists, but head of laboratories, directors, presidents and even, funding agencies which abide to cite this factor as a filter element for their hiring and funding choices.

Impact factor is a completely biased element, completely interest-focused on selling more and more expensive space on ‘top’ journals.

But money is not enough.

Hidden under high rejection rates and outrageous publications fees, in the name of scientific quality many of these ‘top journals’ work as exclusive clubs or associations. In these closed circles admittance is via the right connection, belonging to the right university or lab or, under the supervision of the right advisor or mentor.

Nothing of this has to do with scientific quality.

Impact factor is a business model created to sell prestige.

The increasing number of scientific publishing houses and journals and the predatory behavior

It has been estimated that there are 50 thousand titles on scientific journals.

Even traditional journals which have been around for more than a century multiplied their titles to serve an ever-increasing multitude of scientific areas. Some journals are overwhelmingly specific (give example such as The Knee Journal-if exists).