The Online Laboratory of Kevin Zelnio » Doing Science http://www.zelnio.org Deep Sea Biology | Systematics & Taxonomy | Science Writing | Music Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:37:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 How to Retard Scientific Progress http://www.zelnio.org/2010/07/12/how-to-retard-scientific-progress/ http://www.zelnio.org/2010/07/12/how-to-retard-scientific-progress/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:42:52 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=494 I found a great quote and analogy from an essay published in Current Biology by Peter Lawrence titled The mismeasurement of science. This essay takes a look at how science is measured and examines the use of impact factors and other metrics that measure scientific progress for individual scientists, academic departments and [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2010/07/12/how-to-retard-scientific-progress/feed/ 2 Open Access Taxonomy and PLoS http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/19/open-access-taxonomy-and-plos/ http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/19/open-access-taxonomy-and-plos/#comments Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:44:56 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=405 Elements of this post are taken from my article “PLoS ONE Publishes First Taxonomic Paper” on The Other 95% on May 28, 2008. I’ve reposted it here as I am collecting my thoughts about open access publishing.

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Why should one support open access publishing of taxonomic papers? Visibility is important to the field of systematics, where [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/19/open-access-taxonomy-and-plos/feed/ 0 Repost: Is the World of Taxonomy Ready for PLoS Systematics? http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/04/repost-is-the-world-of-taxonomy-ready-for-plos-systematics/ http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/04/repost-is-the-world-of-taxonomy-ready-for-plos-systematics/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:27:05 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=383 This article was originally published February 20, 2008 at The Other 95%, where a good comment thread is also archived. I am reposting because I plan on discussing open access and electronic publishing in taxonomy more and feel this article sets the mood for my future thoughts. I recently posted an update on state of systematics [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2010/02/04/repost-is-the-world-of-taxonomy-ready-for-plos-systematics/feed/ 2 What Happened to PLoS Systematics? http://www.zelnio.org/2009/11/02/what-ever-happened-to-plos-systematics/ http://www.zelnio.org/2009/11/02/what-ever-happened-to-plos-systematics/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:27:32 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=284 Taxonomists move 2.718 times faster than ICZN, neither move fast enough.

In May of 2008 I enthusiastically lauded PLoS ONE for publishing their first open access paper that described some new species of ants. It has been a year and half since then, have there been other taxonomists taking to this new concept of a completely [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2009/11/02/what-ever-happened-to-plos-systematics/feed/ 3 The Joy of Uncertainty http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/23/the-joy-of-uncertainty/ http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/23/the-joy-of-uncertainty/#comments Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:08:32 +0000 Kevin Zelnio http://www.zelnio.org/?p=128 It is difficult to accept not knowing something. To have a definitive answer is to embrace certainty, to be in control of a situation. It is hard to blame a person for being wary of another for admitting not to know an answer, even an answer that a person should know. Can one be convinced by [...]]]> http://www.zelnio.org/2009/08/23/the-joy-of-uncertainty/feed/ 3