Various branches of Science have spearheaded the latest advancements we witness in our world. The field of Science is ever-evolving because researchers and scientists work rigorously; churning out compelling developments to ensure that life on Earth thrives in terms of longevity and universally beneficial conditions. While Science evolves, it has not always been the most welcoming field to diversity; even now, women and minorities struggle to break through scientific fields in several parts of the world. While setting foot in a research laboratory in itself is a recognised achievement, this blog highlights the work of 5 influential women who trailblazed their scientific disciplines at a time when their very presence was not accepted in these settings.
Katherine Johnson – Mathematician
As a pioneering Mathematician, Katherine Johnson was one of the first African American women to work for NASA. Her role at NASA entailed calculating and analysing the flight paths of NASA space crafts. She is best known for generating the revolutionary calculations that enabled the first Americans to launch into the Earth’s orbit and set foot on the moon in 1962. This involved a complex networking system that linked worldwide communications and tracking stations to the IBM computers in Washington. The calculations that ran through the computers were thoroughly analysed and double-checked by Katherine Johnson because the astronauts were wary of trusting machines. In 2015, at the age of 97, Katherine Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama in an effort to recognise her pivotal contributions to NASA’s first human space flight.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson – Doctor/Physician
Making significant strides in Medicine, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was the first female doctor in England. She practised Medicine when women were not allowed to, and she spent 6 months at Middlesex Hospital and had to leave when male students began to protest against her on the basis of her gender. However, she received an honours certificate in Chemistry & Material media due to her incredible scores. After applying to several Medical schools and being rejected on grounds of gender, she was finally accepted into the Society of Apothecaries.
In early 1865, Elizabeth went on to establish her very own practice. However, the general public was reluctant to be treated by a female doctor so her patients were often poor or female. This changed in late 1865 when the cholera epidemic caused a demand for doctors and the traffic at her practice showed a steady increase. In 1870, Elizabeth found out that the University of Sorbonne in Paris was welcoming female admissions into their medical programmes; this encouraged Elizabeth to learn French and attain her medical degree to become a qualified doctor.
Finally, in 1874, she recognised how scarce female doctors were in Britain and how beneficial they were to treating female medical conditions. This led to her co-founding the London School of Medicine for Women which was the first teaching hospital for women.
Chein-Shuing Wu – Physicist
Nicknamed the “First Lady of Physics” – Chein-Shuing Wu was a Chinese-American immigrant that grew to be recognised as a pioneer in the field of Physics. She is widely recognised for the Matthan Project which led to the creation and development of nuclear weapons in war research; however, her most notable work is the Wu experiment which proved that identical particles do not always behave and react in the same manner. In 1978, Wu was awarded the inaugural Wolf Prize in Physics for her revolutionary discovery.
Rosalind Franklin – Scientist
The very photographer of the famous “Photo 51” – Rosalind Franklin is now widely known for discovering the double helix structure of DNA and RNA by utilising X-ray crystallography. While her impact on Science is critical, the credit for discovery was given to James Watson and Francis Crick who were her male colleagues at the time.
Due to the lack of recognition, Rosalind Franklin moved on to Birkbeck College and thoroughly studied the molecular structures of viruses, coal and graphite. Her most notable work was on the structure of the Tobacco Mosaic Virus which enabled her to travel the globe and deliver seminars about the coal & virus molecular structure.
Marie Curie – Physicist & Chemist
Taking the world of Physics & Chemistry by storm, the discoveries and contributions of Marie Curie are invaluable. She conducted crucial research on radioactivity and discovered 2 chemical elements, radium and polonium.
Marie also led the first research project on the impact of radiation treatment on tumours, her generous work specialising in cancer research resulted in her spearheading the Curie Institute which was formerly known as the Radium Institute. The establishment is the leading medical research centre in Paris which focuses on cancer research and radiation therapy, now, it has also expanded to cell biology and biophysics.
Furthermore, Marie Curie is the first person and only woman to win the Nobel Prize twice and the only person to have won the esteemed award in 2 scientific categories, those being Physics and Chemistry.
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Our monthly Top Reads series is here! We showcase five intriguing research papers from various disciplines that have significantly contributed to their respective fields. This past June brought about research papers that highlighted breakthroughs and discoveries that have emerged from the world of academia. From the realms of psychology to aerospace, from healthcare to economics, these papers encompass a wide range of topics and offer unique insights into the ever-evolving landscape of research.
The Psychology of Money and Public Finance
This book consists of the primary papers written by Günter Schmölders, who specialised and pioneered in economic psychology. In the 1950s, Schmölders conducted socio-economic research at the University of Cologne in Germany. The book dives into the financial mindset and responsibilities of a private household and the philosophy of an entrepreneur, while also touching on the psychology of taxation, public finance and macroeconomics.
Software Performance Monitoring: An Approach for Aerospace
This journal article proposes the implementation of software applications for aerospace manufacturing firms. The article highlights how critical softwares are for the aerospace industry and proposes a monitoring method based on traditional business intelligence architecture. The researchers also conduct a case study that utilises secondary research and interviews with aerospace professionals.
Examining the Co-relation Between Academic Performance and Antisocial Behaviour in Teenagers
This study profoundly examines the role of schools and the causes of anti-social behaviour by comparing these factors to teenagers’ academic performance. The sample consisted of 127 students aged 13-15 from different schools across the US. The primary data suggested a negative relation between antisocial behaviour and academic performance and finds a significant difference between male and female academic performance regardless of their involvement in anti-social activity and behaviour.
Exercise Dose & Diabetes Risk in Overweight and Obese Children
This article details an experiment conducted on overweight and obese children to see how aerobics training affected their weight loss journey. This long-term study ran from 2003 to 2007 and tested different doses of aerobics on children across other races and genders. The children were randomly assigned a low or high dose of aerobics or a controlled condition of their usual physical activity. The study found that after 13 weeks, aerobics training improved their fitness.
This article discusses how significantly genomic technology has advanced biomedical research. It argues that every medical speciality is affected by genomic advancements while highlighting the positive impact of genomic breakthroughs and several applications across healthcare. Genomics is a branch of biology focused on the structure, function, evolution, mapping and editing of genomes; in the context of healthcare, this allows professionals to identify genetic alterations that could be responsible for inherited or acquired diseases which potentially determines routes of treatment.
Writing research papers is a fundamental aspect of academia that plays a key role in developing and disseminating knowledge accurately. It serves to communicate new findings, ideas, and theories to a broader audience within the scholarly community. Research paper writing is a systematic approach to investigating, analysing, and synthesising information.
The importance of research papers lies in their ability to enhance the collective understanding of a subject, generate new insights, and encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In this blog, we venture into the meticulous process and various aspects of research paper writing; from carefully choosing a research topic to overcoming common challenges, this blog is your pocket guide to advancing your research writing skills.
Choosing an Appropriate Topic
The first step to choosing a research topic is to identify the specialism and subject area that your research would be relevant to and thoroughly study the research that is already available within the field; this will reveal the gaps of research within the subject.
There are 2 ways in which the gaps in research can be approached; either by adding new aspects to prevalent topics or moving away from the trending topics and venturing into a lesser-explored part. Working on new research provides the subject with a fresh perspective that can lead to newer advancements than adding to a prevalent topic. However, working on a prevalent topic offers an array of credible citations and previous research.
The way your research question is phrased should invoke exploration and inquiry from readers, while also accurately describing the matter that the research paper will be exploring and investigating.
Conducting the Research
To execute reliable scholarly research there are a number of measures to be taken. From laying the initial research framework to executing primary research, it is beneficial to place careful strategies at every phase of the research process. The following steps break down the recommended research flow.
Execute preliminary exploration: Before diving into primary and secondary research, conduct a preliminary exploration of the topic. Familiarize yourself with existing knowledge, theories, and research findings related to your area of interest.
Develop a research plan: Create a research plan that outlines how to efficiently gather the required information. Identify the sources you will require (e.g., scholarly articles, books, primary sources) and research methods you will apply (e.g., surveys, experiments, interviews). A well-structured plan will ensure a systematic approach to your research.
Utilise credible sources: Rely on credible sources to gather information. Academic journals, databases, books, and reputable websites are excellent starting points. Evaluate the credibility of sources by considering factors such as author expertise, publication date, peer-review process, and the reputation of the publishing platform. Here are some recommended reliable databases: Google Scholar, Zendy, IEEE, EBSCO
Take effective notes: As you gather information, take organized and concise notes. Summarize key points, record bibliographic details, and note any relevant concepts or ideas. Properly cite and reference your sources to avoid plagiarism and ensure accurate attribution.
Analyze and synthesize information: Once you have collected a substantial amount of data, analyze and synthesize the information to draw meaningful conclusions. Identify patterns, trends, and relationships within the data and critically evaluate the findings in relation to your research question. Identify any gaps in the existing literature that your research could address.
Ethical considerations: Adhere to ethical guidelines throughout your research process. Obtain necessary permissions, protect participant confidentiality, and ensure the ethical use of data. Familiarize yourself with the ethical standards set by your institution or discipline and maintain integrity in your research practices.
Structuring the Research Paper
The structure of the research paper ensures a smooth flow of research. This showcases the author’s thoroughness on the available literature and how their own research affects the trajectory of the subject. Each component of the research paper presents evidence-based explanations of the approaches to the methodology, analysis and literature review sections. The structure is designed to present the transition of the research stages appropriately.
A) Title and Abstract
The title and abstract page of the research paper is the reader’s first impression. It should be written in a completely objective tone and should allow the reader to accurately skim and gain insight into the gist of the research aims and findings.
B) Introduction
The introduction section gives the reader a thorough background into your research area. Your topic can be introduced as a broad subject and then narrowed down to your specific research question, this provides the reader with an understanding of your positioning within your field of study.
The introduction section has 5 main goals:
Introduce the field of study
Present and summarise existing literature
Establish your approach
Describe the problem statement that the paper will investigate
Provide an overview of the research paper’s structure
Example:The field of Marine Biology gains more traction as debates on marine pollution cause controversy in media outlets (Introduction to field). According to Smith (2022), one of the leading causes of marine pollution is the increase in plastic within the oceans, which leads to habitat destruction. This suggests that human water activities are contributing to the decline in the longevity of marine life (Present and summarize literature). This research paper aims to thoroughly investigate the extent of sea tourism in key regions and establish a comprehensive comparison of the state of the marine life within these regions (Establish approach). Furthermore, this paper highlights the threats that water activities pose to the trajectory of research within marine biology and investigates whether potential safety measures or ceasing human water activities would be more effective in preserving marine life (Description of problem statement). This research paper will present a comprehensive literature review that analyses recent debates, findings and incidents in marine life that have been directly caused by human activities and then highlight the key methodologies utilised to investigate and compare water tourism against the state of marine life in key regions; additionally, the paper consists of a thorough analysis of the findings and proposes safer practices (Structure of research paper).
C) Literature Review
The literature review is an important component of any research paper, it serves as a thorough analysis and evaluation of the available sources, debates, themes and gaps within the respective field of study. This section is the researcher’s opportunity to discuss and present all the relevant sources to exhibit their own familiarity and positioning on the subject.
A well-written literature review depicts and presents a thorough analysis, criticism and identification of on-going debates and studies within the field, this information is not just presented and cited but also dissected.
Listed below are a few beneficial questions to cross-check when writing a literature review.
Trends: Which theories and methodologies are more referenced and utilised?
Themes: What concepts and debates persist across the sources?
Debates and conflicts: Where do the sources disagree and why?
Critical publications: Any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
Gaps: What is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?
It is important to note that within certain disciplines there is an abundance of sources, debates and findings; to conduct an efficient literature review in these cases, the author can simply stick to the specialism or sources that are directly relevant to the research paper rather than approaching it as a broad topic.
D) Methodology
The research methodology section depicts the data collection and analysis process of the research. In this component of the paper, the researcher has to explain the selected data collection methods and how they are appropriate and efficient for the kind of research that was conducted. This needs to be written in detail specifying the method, sample size, measures taken to ensure objectivity and other relevant variables.
The methodology section needs to include the following:
The type of research conducted
How the data was collected and analysed
Any tools or materials the research utilized
How research biases were avoided
Why these methods were selected
This section solves the ‘How?’ and allows readers to evaluate the reliability and credibility of the findings.
E) Results & Analysis
The findings section in an academic research paper is where the results of the research are presented. Firstly, start by clearly stating the research objectives and hypothesis or research questions that guided your study. Then, present the data and findings in a logical and organized manner, using tables, charts, or graphs if appropriate. Interpret the findings by discussing their implications, relating them to existing literature, and addressing any limitations or potential biases. Finally, conclude the section by summarizing the key findings and their significance in relation to the research objectives.
When writing the findings section, ensure clarity and conciseness by using a straightforward and objective writing style. Avoid interpretation or speculation in this section; save that for the discussion section. Use subheadings to divide the findings into sections to ensure easy navigation for readers.
F) Discussion
The discussion section of the research paper is where the researcher presents an in-depth analysis of the importance, relevance and description of the results. It should focus on the evaluation of the findings and associate back to the literature review and subject area, this section should discuss how the findings support your initial hypothesis.
You may include the following in your discussion section:
Summary: A brief recap of the key results and research output
Interpretations: What do the results mean?
Implications: Why do the results matter?
Limitations: What can’t the results depict?
Recommendations: Slight modifications for further studies to get more accuracy
G) Conclusion
The conclusion is the last part of the research paper. It should be concise yet engaging, leaving the reader with a thorough recap and understanding of your findings, as well as the answer to the initial research question.
Your conclusion should include:
The answer to your main research question
A summary of the research process
Depict any new knowledge you have contributed
Wrap up your thesis or dissertation
H) References & Citations
After the conclusion, the research paper must consist of a reference list. This has to be in alphabetical order and in the correct citation format that the respective institution or discipline follows. The citation list allows readers and researchers to create a framework of knowledge and refer to articles that further support your research and argument, this allows for more educational awareness around your area of research.
Proofreading and Editing
In the world of academia, accuracy and precision is the core of the dissemination of research. Research papers are read and referenced by researchers globally hence there’s little room for error. The proofreading and editing process within academia is rigorous, everything from the format to the grammar is carefully reviewed repeatedly.
Listed below are recommended proofreading practices:
Review grammar: Grammatical mistakes are common and often missed, it is crucial to review the placement of grammatical marks while proofreading the content. For example, s small misplacement of a comma can lead to contextual misinterpretations
Review Clarity: The academic language is designed to eliminate bias and room for misunderstanding. It is classified as a tone of voice of it’s own to maintain it’s objective and factual nature, to avoid the lack of clarity in research papers; it is recommended to re-read and review all the written content to assess whether it is widely comprehensive.
Seek Feedback: A fresh set of eyes on a research paper is always beneficial. Feedback can expose mistakes and misinterpretations that the author could have missed due to rigorously working on the research paper.
Writing research papers is a craft that requires thorough attention to detail. Each section of a research paper is tackled and approached in a unique way to ensure the flow of information is smooth. The methodology section ensures the reliability of the research, while the results and analysis section presents the findings in a clear and organized manner.
The discussion section provides an in-depth analysis and interpretation of the results, while the conclusion summarizes the key findings and their implications. Proper referencing and citations are essential for acknowledging the contributions of other researchers. Lastly, the proofreading and editing process ensures accuracy and clarity in the final research paper. By following these steps, researchers can effectively contribute to their respective fields, drive progress, and foster academic excellence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a research paper be?
The length of research papers varies greatly depending on the topic. Research papers are in-depth, but it is common to find short research papers ranging between 2,000 and 4,000 words. More comprehensive research papers range between 10,000 to 20,000 words.
How do I choose a good research topic?
Always choose a topic you have an interest in. When you care about the topic, the research process will be more in-depth and enjoyable. Once you have a broad idea of the topic, you can then narrow down your idea by immersing yourself in reading material. It’s essential to review new and old literature on the same topic to help you understand different perspectives.
What are the common mistakes to avoid in research paper writing?
Always avoid plagiarism first and foremost, as it will impact your credibility as a researcher and writer, no matter how interesting your idea is. Other common mistakes include grammatical errors, repetition, inconsistent formatting, a weak abstract, and overly complex language.
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[United Arab Emirates, July] – Zendy, the AI-powered research library, has signed a licensing agreement with leading international academic publisher, IGI Global. With this agreement, IGI Global’s extensive collection of Open Access content, including their fully transformed OA journal portfolio (175+ e-Journals) as well as book content across subject areas including Business & Management; Scientific, Technical, Medical (STM); and Education, will become available to Zendy’s fast-growing user base.
By working with publishers, Zendy continues to strengthen its dedication to promoting accessibility and fostering collaboration among the global research community.
“We are delighted to partner with IGI Global to enhance the accessibility of open access books and journals through Zendy. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to breaking down barriers to access knowledge and empowering researchers worldwide. We can create a more inclusive and equitable scholarly ecosystem through collaboration,” said Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan.
Melissa Wagner, Vice President of Editorial for IGI Global, mentions, “Integrating with Zendy supports our mission of equality and accessibility of innovative research for all, which has been at the forefront of our company’s values for over 35 years. This partnership will enable our open access authors to benefit from even wider discoverability, usage, and citations of their work from readers worldwide.”
Zendy is dedicated to contributing towards Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). By working with publishers to increase accessibility to academic research, Zendy aims to bridge the knowledge gap and promote equitable access to scholarly resources worldwide.
For more information about Zendy, please visit www.zendy.io.
About Zendy
Zendy is a product of Knowledge E. Since its inception in 2019, Zendy has connected over 200,000 users to academic journals, proceedings, articles, e-books, and more. Zendy is on a mission to make academic literature more affordable and accessible for students, researchers, and professionals worldwide. Zendy was awarded Best Startup – Education at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2022. To learn more, visit www.zendy.io.
About IGI Global
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA with a subsidiary office (IGI Science and Technology, Ltd.) operating out of Beijing, China, IGI Global is a leading medium-sized and independent international academic publisher of scholarly reference sources. They are committed to facilitating the discovery of pioneering scientific research that enhances and expands the body of knowledge available to the research community through traditional and open access publishing workflows. Working in close collaboration with more than 200,000+ expert researchers and professionals from leading institutions, IGI Global publishes quality peer-reviewed content in three major academic subject areas: Business & Management; Scientific, Technical, & Medical (STM), and Education. To learn more, visit www.igi-global.com/about/.
In the landscape of academia, where breakthroughs and discoveries shape our understanding of the world, scientific academic journals serve as gateways to knowledge. As the pursuit of knowledge intensifies, certain countries have emerged as beacons of research, generating an impressive volume of scientific output. From the bustling laboratories of the United States to the innovative corridors of China, this blog is an exploration of the foremost journals in countries where research thrives, illuminating global scientific collaboration.
China
Citations of Chinese research escalated significantly in 2020 due to the sequencing of the covid-19 genome, this caused China to overtake the US to become the biggest academic research contributor in the fields of physical sciences, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences. Globally, China is also the biggest research collaborator. Many of the most cited papers are developed in collaboration with international researchers, gaining its 1st rank as the country with the highest research output globally.
As of June 2023, the top journal within China is AI Open specializing in computer science and covering important subject areas like artificial intelligence, computer science applications
Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, human-computer interaction, and information systems.
Journal
Discipline
SJR
H-Index
AI Open
Computer Science
4.726
10
Mycosphere
Agricultural & Biological Science
3.918
34
Protein and Cell
Molecular Biology, Medicine & Pharmaceutics
3.367
82
Engineered Regeneration
Biomedical Engineering
3.250
19
Communications in Transportation Research
Engineering & Social Sciences
3.188
15
Top 5 Academic Journals in China
United States of America
Following the second world war, the US government excelled in becoming a prominent source of research funding through the National Health Institute and National Science Foundation, including the Departments of Defence, Energy, Agriculture and Education. Through these significant funding opportunities, the US has made several note-worthy contributions to the field of science like laser technology which is now utilised considerably in telecommunications and medical technology. Additionally, the PageRank algorithm’s development eventually led to Google’s formation.
As of June 2023, the top journal in the US is the Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Covering significant research content from the 1950s to 2022, the journal has an impressive h-index score of 198.
Journal
Discipline
SJR
H-Index
Cancer Journal for Clinicians
Hematology & Oncology
86.091
198
Cell
Biochemistry
26.494
856
New England Journal of Medicine
Medicine
26.015
1130
MMWR Recommendations and Reports
Environmental & Social Sciences
23.962
151
American Economic Review
Economics & Finance
21.833
337
Top 5 Academic Journals in US
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is globally ranked 3rd with nearly 200,000 citable publications in just 2020. The nation is home to the world’s most historic universities and colleges originating from the 12th and 13th centuries. The UK’s strong legacy within education is a global benchmark to this day. The country has made significant scientific contributions like the invention of the incandescent light bulb, the unification of electromagnetism, and the discovery of penicillin.
The top journal within the UK as of June 2023 is the Quarterly Journal of Economics. The journal covers important economic and financial research studies from 1886 to 2022, gaining an h-index score of 198.
Journal
Discipline
SJR
H-Index
Quarterly Journal of Economics
Economics & Finance
36.730
292
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry & Genetics
34.201
485
Nature Medicine
Biochemistry & Medicine
24.687
605
Nature Biotechnology
Chemical Engineering & Molecular Biology
22.781
491
Nature Reviews Materials
Energy & Materials Science
21.927
156
Top 5 Academic Journals in UK
India
India has made significant scientific and technological advancements globally, ranking 4th. The country has built satellites and launched probes to the Moon and Mars, established nuclear power stations, revolutionised railway computerisation applications and developed the field of oceanography to ensure optimal utilisation of resources and maintaining marine life.
Germany is home to significant inventors who contributed to the fields of science and technology. Konrad Zuse built the first electronic computer, Johannes Gutenbury invented movable type printing, and Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll invented the first electronic microscope.
Publications Mathematiques de l’Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques
Mathematics
6.582
46
Top Academic Journals in Germany
Concluding the exploration of the best journals in countries with the highest research output, this blog highlighted the remarkable intellectual landscapes around the globe. These countries, with their thriving research environments, contribute to the advancement of science and inspire researchers worldwide to push the boundaries of their respective fields. As the world progresses with significant advancements, it is evident that the best journals in high-output countries will continue to be at the forefront of disseminating groundbreaking research and fostering collaborations that shape the world.
Need a faster, more efficient way to do a literature review? AI summarisation and Keyphrase Highlighting are designed to help you understand key concepts in seconds. Simply click on an article and you’ll find options to generate a summary on demand and see all the key concepts within any given publication. Read more to see how it works.
The Power of Summarisation
AI-powered summarisation is the mechanism of condensing a piece of text into a concise summary while retaining the meaning and key points. Summarising extracts key information and main ideas from the original text, to allow readers to quickly grasp the main points without having to read the entire document. Summaries typically provide an overview of the main topic, the central arguments, findings and supporting evidence.
The main benefit of AI-powered summarisation is efficiency, speed, objectivity, and consistency. Due to AI-based algorithms relying on predefined rules, linguistic patterns and statistical models to extract relevant information from text, this eliminates subject bias that can occur in manual or human summarisation. These complex algorithms also ensure consistency in the generated summaries which may not always be the case within manual summarisation because of the differences in interpretation. The added benefit of speed is evident as AI-powered algorithms can process large volumes of text and provide thoroughly analysed summaries in seconds.
How to Use Zendy’s Summarisation Feature
The AI-powered summarisation feature is developed to boost research efficiency and objectivity while also increasing the researcher’s productivity.
To summarise research papers, journal articles, e-books, proceedings and much more on Zendy, you can locate the “summarise” drop-down on the sidebar of the PDF viewer. Once you click the arrow, you’ll be met with a summary of the research paper you’ve selected.
Keyphrase Highlighting: Defining Primary Focus
Keyphrase highlighting spotlights key concepts within research papers. It’s an essential tool that concisely presents the main themes and core concepts within a piece of text, facilitating information retrieval, and document categorisation.
By implementing keyphrase highlighting, readers quickly identify the central themes and important terms within the text, making it easier to skim text during literature review. The benefit of AI-powered keyphrase highlighting is the enhanced accuracy the feature is designed to deliver, this can help readers identify new concepts that they might not be aware of. Furthermore, this AI-powered feature can adapt to specialisms and disciplines over time. This will deliver subject-specific keyphrases to help readers grasp specialised concepts much more efficiently.
How To Use Zendy’s Keyphrase Highlighting Feature
To highlight keyphrases on research papers, journal articles, e-books, proceedings and more on Zendy, you can simply find the “key phrases” drop-down. Once you’ve clicked on the arrow, you’ll be met with all the keywords detected throughout the piece. Moreover, each word will direct you to its own search page for you to understand the term and concept thoroughly.
The Future of Research Consumption with Zendy
At Zendy, we envision an efficient and immersive reading experience for our users. By harnessing the power of AI, we strive to revolutionise the way people access and engage with scientific research. From personalised recommendations to intelligent search functionalities, AI empowers users to discover, navigate, and interact with scientific findings effortlessly.
Take advantage of Zendy’s AI-powered summarisation and keyphrase highlighting features and discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy now.
Research is the foundation upon which progress and innovation are built, pushing the boundaries of knowledge in various fields. From healthcare to art, government to advertisement, and education, research papers across disciplines offer valuable insights. In this blog, we embark on a multidisciplinary journey, where we delve into five distinct research papers from different areas of study. Each paper provides a unique perspective, addressing critical challenges, uncovering societal issues, or presenting novel approaches to enhance understanding and drive change.
The Challenges in Child Health Research
This research paper thoroughly recognises the advancements in child healthcare and suggests that child health research stands as a model for developing knowledge in healthcare. However, the quality and quantity of child research are restricted in several ways, making healthcare professionals rely on adult health studies. The study finds that in 5 high-impact journals, adult trials and studies increased by 4.71% per year while child trials increased by 0.4% per year. This paper advocates for pediatric researchers to intensively consider a child’s age and development stage when prescribing medication or treatment.
Gender-based Portrayal in Global Television Advertisements
This case study conducts a comparative analysis within the sphere of television advertising. Observing the differences in the portrayal of men and women within commercials, the researchers especially took into consideration the primary character’s age, voiceover, products associated, home and work settings and working role. Sampling data from 13 Asian, American and European countries, the study found that gender stereotyping was prevalent globally in television advertisements regardless of the state of gender equality within the respective countries.
Dissecting Multiple Production of Artworks: Authenticity & Gremline Editing
This paper considers the ethical concerns and questions about artwork reproduction and its potential applications to gremline editing. As a starting point, the author references the 1935 Walter Benjamin essay titled; the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. The paper goes on to discuss the concept of the ethical and aesthetic relevance of art pieces with regard to the original artist’s vision.
This chapter introduces disaster risk management, stating that the process relies on the institution, policy, and scientific and technological progress. It suggests that increasing disaster risk management capacity is key to improving the utilisation effectiveness of disaster reduction resources, the text also reflects on Ulrich Beck’s risk society theory which is that risk society is a systematic way of dealing with hazards and insecurities induced and introduced by modernisation itself.
Integration of Photovoice to Build Student’s Confidence in Public Speaking
This case study observes the extent of confidence photovoice is capable of building in students when it comes to public speaking. The indicators focused on within this study are eye contact, enthusiasm improvement, body language, critical thinking and fluency, the study was conducted on 2 students in the second grade of language major. This research utilised 3 key methods of measurement; a rubric of public speaking, classroom observation and student self-reflection.
United Arab Emirates – June 2023 – Zendy, a UAE-based education technology startup, announced the addition of metadata from IEEE open access content to its digital research library.
IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, will add its metadata to Zendy’s growing platform. This agreement helps to further increase the discoverability of IEEE’s top-cited content which covers a wide range of technologies including aerospace, artificial intelligence, computing, power systems, renewable energy, robotics, semiconductors, and more. With this agreement, IEEE open access content is now discoverable within the Zendy platform, enabling any users to link through to access the full-text from the IEEE Xplore Digital Library.
Zendy is an intuitive digital academic library hosting millions of Open Access resources that make the research process easier with the use of AI. Zendy’s AI-based summarisation and keyphrase highlighting tools comprehends the underlying meaning of research papers, resulting in more accurate information for the researcher.
A combination of machine learning algorithms, content-based filtering, and collaborative filtering combine to deliver personalised search results for the end user based on their area of interest.
Zendy provides access to an international offering with resources in more than 75 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
IEEE’s metadata addition to Zendy’s Open Access offering, which features over 43 million Open Access publications, further strengthens both companies’ mission to enhance and empower lifelong learning opportunities for knowledge communities globally.
CEO of Knowledge E and Zendy Co-Founder, Kamran Kardan, commented, “Zendy’s agreements with leading publishers such as IEEE are a core step in our vision to empower discoverability and accessibility to top-tier content. These agreements play a crucial role in providing inclusive access to academic research, and it’s great to see the industry creating an ecosystem of collaboration that ensures more people can leverage evidence-based research to further their knowledge in any respective field.”
Zendy is a product of Knowledge E. Since its inception in 2019, Zendy has connected over 150,000 users to academic journals, proceedings, articles, e-books, and more. Zendy is on a mission to make academic literature more affordable and accessible for students, researchers, and professionals worldwide. Zendy was awarded Best Startup – Education at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2022.
The SJR (Scimago Journal Rank) is a metric that measures the prestige and impact of scientific journals. It is based on the concept of prestige transfer via citation links. Developed by the Scimago Lab, the metric ranks journals based on the citations received by their articles and the SJR scores of the citing journals. The SJR metric considers not only the total number of citations but also the quality of the citing journals as the subject field, quality and reputation of the journal have a direct effect on the citation of SJR.
A higher SJR score indicates that a journal has received more citations from other prestigious journals, signifying a higher level of influence and impact within the scientific community. However, the Scimago Journal Rank is just one of many metrics utilised to evaluate the quality and impact of scientific journals, and it should be considered alongside other measures such as the impact factor, h-index, and expert opinion when assessing the significance of a journal.
Why should you utilise SJR?
The Scimago Journal Rank is a public resource, meaning no subscription is needed to access and view any journal’s rank or score. SJR covers all disciplines, taking into account all relevant aspects of a journal tailored to the subject area. Moreover, the rankings are optimised to factor in the differences in citation behaviour between disciplines. It can be argued that SJR is a well-rounded metric, here are some key benefits of utilising it:
Evaluate journal quality
SJR provides a quantitative measure of the prestige and impact of scientific journals. The score considers both the number of citations received by a journal and the quality of the citing journal. By utilising SJR, you can easily assess the relative importance and influence of different journals within a discipline.
Identify influential journals
SJR scores journals based on their impact and visibility within the scientific community. The score can identify the most influential journals in your area of research, allowing you to target your publications to maximise their impact and reach.
Compare journals within a field
SJR provides a comprehensive comparison of different journals within a discipline. You can assess the standing and ranks of journals based on their SJR scores and determine which ones are more widely recognised by the scientific community.
Benchmark research output
SJR also provides rankings at national and institutional levels. It can assist in benchmarking the research output of different countries or institutions, enabling you to assess their scientific productivity.
Stay updated on scientific trends
By regularly consulting SJR, you can keep track of the evolving landscape of scientific journals, including emerging journals, new research areas, and trends within your field of interest.
How is SJR calculated?
The SJR (Scimago Journal Rank) is calculated using a methodology that counts the number of citations a journal receives. The source of citations is also taken into account; citations from prestigious citing journals. The steps involved in calculating the SJR score are:
Collection of data: The methodology is initiated by collecting data on citations from Scopus, which is a comprehensive bibliographic database of scientific literature.
Weighting citations: Each citation received by an article within the journal is weighted based on the importance of the citing journal. The methodology considers the SJR of the citing journal as an indicator of its prestige. Higher-ranked journals contribute more to the SJR score of the journal being evaluated.
Normalisation: To account for differences in citation practices between fields of study, the SJR algorithm implements a normalisation process. This process adjusts variations in citation patterns and citation potential across different disciplines.
Prestige of the citing journals: Journals that receive citations from more prestigious and influential journals are given higher weight in the calculation.
Journal self-citations: Self-citations, which are citations made by a journal to its own articles, are excluded from the SJR calculation. This ensures that self-referencing does not influence a journal’s SJR score.
Iterative calculation: The Scimago Journal Rank is calculated iteratively, taking into account the rank scores of the citing journals. This iterative process helps adjust the scores and establish a relative ranking of journals within specific subject categories.
What are the limitations of SJR?
While the SJR (Scimago Journal Rank) metric is widely used and provides valuable insights regarding the impact of scientific journals, it is important to consider its limitations. Some of the limitations of the SJR metric are:
Subjectivity of Journal Rankings
The rankings provided by SJR are based on algorithms that consider citation data and the prestige of citing journals. However, the determination of prestige is subjective and can vary across different research communities or disciplines. The choice of specific journals in the Scopus database can also have biases in the rankings.
Limited Coverage
SJR relies on the Scopus database for citation data, which may not include all journals across all disciplines. Certain fields or niche journals may be underrepresented in the database, leading to an incomplete representation of the research landscape.
Focus on Citations
SJR heavily relies on citation data as the primary focus of a journal’s impact. While citations can be a significant unit of measurement, they do not capture other aspects of a journal’s quality, such as editorial standards, scientific rigour, or societal impact. The metric does not assess factors like the published research’s novelty, originality, or practical applicability.
Time Lag
SJR scores are updated annually, which means there can be a time lag in reflecting the most recent developments and impact of journals. This delay may not capture the immediate influence of newly published research.
Field Normalisation Challenges
While the Scimago Journal Rank attempts to normalise citations across different fields, variations in citation practices and publishing patterns can still have biases. Certain disciplines may have higher citation rates due to their nature or popularity, leading to potential imbalances in the rankings.
Limited Transparency
The specific details of the algorithm used to calculate SJR scores, including the weighting and normalisation methods, are proprietary information and not publicly disclosed. This lack of transparency can make it difficult to fully understand and critique the metric.
What is the difference between Scimago Journal Rank and Journal Impact Factor?
The journal impact factor is a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year. It is used to measure the importance or rank of a journal by calculating the times its articles are cited. The calculation is based on a two-year period and involves dividing the number of times articles were cited by the number of articles that are citable.
The main differentiating point of SJR and Journal Impact Factor is that the Scimago Journal Rank measures prestige and Journal Impact Factor measures citation impact. Both metrics utilise citations to settle a journal’s score. Moreover, both metrics rely on different databases, SJR relies on Scopus while Journal Impact Factor relies on Journal Citation Reports (JCR), these well-reputed databases assist the algorithms with which each score is decided. Additionally, SJR scores are optimised to compare journals across disciplines while the journal impact factor is not; using this metric you may only compare journals within one discipline.
In conclusion, the Scimago Journal Rank is a valuable metric that determines the prestige of a specific journal. This article explored why as researchers, you should be utilising SJR and how it is calculated while highlighting the metric’s limitations. To help you gain a better understanding, the article also included a brief comparison between the Scimago Journal Rank and Journal Impact Factor. While SJR is arguably a well-rounded metric, it should not be the only method of analysis and should be considered along with other metrics and expert opinions to draw final conclusions about a specific journal.
Research is the systematic study of knowledge or information on a specific topic of interest. The advancement of technology we see in our world today across the fields of engineering, medicine, architecture, agriculture and more is possible because of the contribution of researchers. If you have a natural curiosity for exploring new ideas, a career in research might be the perfect fit for you. However, getting started in this field can seem daunting, as there are various paths you can take.
In this blog, we will guide you through the measures you can take to launch a career in the ever-growing field of research; we discuss everything from identifying your research interests to obtaining the necessary qualifications and exploring different job opportunities.
Educational Requirements to Have A Career in Research
A career in research is immensely beneficial for postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers. The beauty of having a career in research is all the different branches of subjects that are open to exploration; scientific research and a plethora of commercial and public sector research are great examples of the variety. To excel in research, the key quality is to have knowledge and dedication towards your chosen specialism; since research is a field heavily associated with academia and education, a strong educational background is also required, you must have a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree.
A career in research can also be obtained with just a bachelor’s degree. As you progress within your education, you may also climb up the career ladder within research, most positions in the field of research require a master’s degree and experience with research coursework.
Potential Jobs and Industries To Pursue
Launching a career in research opens doors across various industries like educational institutions, government institutions, industrial laboratories, corporate institutions, hospitals, insurance companies, private companies and industries. These fields can advance their policies, technology and progress because of the research conducted to find solutions and further improve practices.
Listed below are the positions you can take on to build your career in research.
Research Psychologist: As a researcher in psychology, you will be working across studies and research projects specialising in the study of human and animal behaviour. This area of study is usually beneficial to the health sector and experiments are typically conducted under the supervision of universities and relevant health organisations.
Medical Research Scientist: The field of medicine is always evolving. As a researcher in medicine, you will be tasked to develop medicinal cures for diseases; the responsibilities that come with this role are to plan, conduct, record & derive solutions from relevant experiments. This area of study is typically required in research institutions, hospitals, and government laboratories.
Biological Science Researcher: The field of biology leads you to discoveries and explorations that are directly connected to organisms. The scope of research within this field is to closely study the life cycle of organisms and find effective solutions to issues they may face. This area of study is usually utilised in government agencies.
Market Research Analyst: This role assesses consumer behaviour to analyse and predict the suitability of a product or service within the relevant market and demographic. This role also delves into the financial information of companies to analyse and derive profits and losses.
Agriculture and food scientist: This role is dedicated to researching methods to improve the efficiency and safety of agricultural establishments and products. Agriculture and food scientists usually work in food manufacturing facilities, research & development in life sciences and universities and government entities.
Physical scientist: Specialising in sciences dedicated to non-living objects, physical scientists are involved in physics, chemistry, astronomy and geology. The research involved in these disciplines focuses on physical properties and energies. Physical scientists usually work in academic settings and private industry or research organisations.
Research mathematician: As a research mathematician, you would be involved in providing abstract theorems, and developing mathematical descriptions to interpret and predict real-life concepts. You would also be involved in the application of mathematical principles to identify key trends in data sets. This role presents the opportunity to pursue a particularly diverse range of pure and applied maths like algebra, combinatorics and numerical analysis to name a few. Research mathematicians usually work in research or commercial organisations.
Economic research analyst: The role of an economic research analyst is to review and analyse economic data to prepare reports detailing the results of executed research. This role also requires you to conduct surveys to determine and analyse occupational employment statistics, wage information, labour supply and demand, tax revenues, agriculture production and insurance and utility rate structures. Being an economic research analyst is a well-rounded role that is in demand in an array of sectors.
How can you conduct effective research within your discipline?
Conducting adequate research is a crucial skill for academics and professionals. The process of conducting research can be complex and time-consuming, requiring careful planning, attention to detail, and critical thinking skills. To execute effective research, you must be able to identify your research question or objective, locate and evaluate relevant sources, and synthesise information into a meaningful and coherent body of knowledge. However, to stay on top of the exchange of information and research within your area of study, you must implement the following practices and strategies:
Work on important problems
To build a successful career in research, it’s imperative to develop an acute sense of importance to assess which problems are worth solving. As conducting research is not simply answering a question, it is a deep exploration of all aspects of a single issue; with limited resources, the most pressing issue is awarded a solution. Furthermore, the research you take on builds your portfolio as a researcher. Addressing and working on important and prevailing issues gives noteworthy results that can improve your leverage as a researcher within your field.
Be welcoming to new issues
While researching a specific topic, as a researcher, you may encounter another issue that does not have as much research on it. It’s important to look for new questions and aspects of research within problem areas in your respective field as these are usually motivated by current affairs within the discipline. You will need to acquire the skill to explore something entirely new within an area of study, not only will this bring your research more visibility as it will give new insight and perspective but it will also be a topic that you explored first.
Know the literature
The best practice to stay informed within your discipline is to read the available academic literature. This will sharpen your ability to not only write your own research but also recognise which topics are emerging and what has been previously done. As a researcher, the best habit you can create for yourself is to read. Any research paper that is accessible to you will potentially provide not only new aspects of research to you but also become more knowledgeable of your discipline.
In conclusion, starting a career in research can be daunting, however, with these key strategies and roles; you can map out which sector and position your abilities and qualifications are best suited for. Due to research being an ever-growing field, there are endless discoveries to be made and with the growth of the open access movement; the field of research is becoming more diverse and open to the contribution of all relevant demographics.
