Valuable scientific research papers are usually stored behind paywalls. Sci-Hub is a platform that emerged in 2011 as a means to ‘remove all barriers in science’ while the initiative and establishment of Sci-Hub made strides within the open access movement, various questions and concerns have been raised about piracy and intellectual rights infringements as well is how the future of research will be impacted. From individual authors and researchers to publishing giants, this blog presents a comprehensive framework of the strengths and limitations of platforms like Sci-Hub.
What is Sci-Hub?
Sci-Hub is a website that provides free access to scientific research papers and academic articles that are behind paywalls. It was founded by Alexandra Elbakyan in 2011, with the goal of making scientific knowledge accessible to anyone, regardless of their financial resources or institutional affiliations. The site uses proxy servers to bypass the paywalls of major scientific publishers and provide users with free access to articles that would otherwise require a paid subscription. The use of Sci-Hub is controversial, as it is illegal in many countries and has been the subject of lawsuits by major publishers. However, it has also gained a large following among researchers and scholars who see it as a way to access scientific research.
Why so many are attracted to Sci-Hub?
An eminent argument is that Sci-Hub disseminates scientific research papers within emerging regions globally, this is done with no restrictions and in an effort to enhance the accessibility of research. As an open access platform, the establishment of Sci-Hub adds pressure on publishers, libraries and databases alike to provide open access alternatives to level the field within academia.
Providing access to high-quality scientific research in emerging countries not only promotes equality within academia but also has the potential to increase the contribution from these countries and provide new perspectives and areas of study within research communities. Moreover, research papers are undoubtedly impacted positively by increased visibility and transparency.
Why is Sci-Hub controversial?
As Sci-Hub gains popularity, it is a controversial platform known to part-take in copyright infringement. The platform operates by providing free access to scientific research papers that are behind paywalls. By bypassing these restrictions, Sci-Hub has published and disseminated a vast collection of copyrighted material without the permission of publishers, making it a hub for copyright infringement.
Due to Sci-Hub operating outside the traditional publishing model and obtaining its content illegally, this flags significant quality control issues; without the peer review process and editorial supervision provided by reputable journals, there is a concern about the research being disseminated by Sci-Hub.
While Sci-Hub has gained popularity; Sci-Hub also does not provide key metrics. This impacts the revenue streams of publishers and individual authors as the metrics to track and produce credibility are not taken into account. This lost data has the potential to negatively impact current and future research communities. Metrics like downloads and citations are significant to assessing a researcher’s credibility and career, Sci-Hub does not allow researchers or readers to access this information which creates a roadblock for research communities to operate on reliable metrics.
Furthermore, Sci-Hub undermines traditional publishing methods. Due to the platform not relying on article fees and subscriptions; the platform cannot fund the dissemination of quality scientific research. While Sci-Hub’s mission is to increase accessibility, this can be challenging as the platform has been banned in several countries because of Sci-Hub’s illegal methods of obtaining content, it is worth mentioning that the platform has been accused of using email phishing methods and gaining access to 42 university databases. In addition, the research available on Sci-Hub is not reviewed or updated making the research old and less relevant.
What actions can the research industry take?
Undoubtedly, platforms like Sci-Hub exist because of the gaps present in the research sector. To discourage the use of illegal platforms like Sci-Hub, the research industry can take several significant actions, such as making research papers more affordable and widely available, improving the quality and scope of open access research papers, negotiating better deals with publishers, and substantially increasing public funding for research. Additionally, researchers can publish their work in open access journals or deposit their manuscripts in institutional repositories, which can make their work more accessible. An increase in awareness about the implications on the research community of using pirated content can also help discourage the use of sites like Sci-Hub by readers and learners.
In conclusion, the principle that Sci-Hub was built on is to grant access to emerging regions, low-income students and researchers to the world of scientific research. While this is an admirable foundation, the dismissal of the established processes in the industry is harmful to the future of researchers. To significantly reduce the usage of pirated platforms, all stakeholders in the publishing spectrum must work together to create and promote affordable and accessible models of dissemination.
Discover millions of journal articles, e-books, proceedings and so much more now on Zendy.
In the current data-driven era, the importance of analytics in academic research cannot be overstated. Analytics help determine editorial decisions and give publishers insight into how their publications are being consumed, making analytics an indispensable tool for researchers across both STEM and HSS fields. In this blog, we assess and explore how analytics enable researchers to extract insights and make evidence-based decisions while also considering the benefits and limitations of analytics within academic research.
Benefits of analytics
Analytics within academic research provides insight into how research papers are being utilised by readers, taking into account the platforms the research is being consumed on, the citations it receives and how it is being shared.
Analysing metrics relevant to academic research helps to identify author and reader behaviour. This results in informed editorial decisions, along with better
Analytics also allow academic research publishers to streamline their workflow by calculating submission and acceptance timelines. This also has the potential to depict and analyse peer-review times and provides a thorough analysis of the data mentioned within a manuscript submission.
Identifying the most cited research within a specific discipline can benefit authors’ own academic research with accurate sources from well-reputed journals and/or authors.
Consuming academic research from legal platforms which respect copyright guidelines aid publishers in collecting accurate data to produce and publish new academic research papers. Furthermore, this collection of data and metrics aids researchers advance within their careers as it helps establish researcher credibility through H-index scores and other metrics.
Drawbacks of analytics
The collection and analysis of reader data to depict usage and engagement can raise privacy concerns especially if personal details are also extracted.
The data collected within academic research can be biased or misinterpreted if not examined rigorously. For example, data on citations and downloads may not accurately convey the impact of research but rather the popularity of the author or journal.
The growth of analytics in academic research may create an overreliance on metrics. This can potentially shift the focus to trending topics and authors rather than original, relevant and impactful research.
Currently, there is no standard method for collecting and reporting analytical data within academic research. This lack of standardisation leaves room for misinterpretation, fabrication and biased numbers.
Platforms like Z-library, which provide free but illegal access to academic research and publications, pose a threat to the analytics used by publishers. Z Library bypasses traditional publishing by engaging in the unauthorised sharing of copyrighted content. It hosts digital copies of books without the explicit permission of the authors or publishers. This violates copyright laws and intellectual property rights. This can undermine the ability of publishers to make data-driven decisions about which articles to publish and promote, and can also affect the accuracy of analytics data. Which in turn affects the measurement of the true impact of academic research publications.
In conclusion, the growth of analytics within academic research is undeniable. While metrics allow publishers, authors and readers to depict how accurate their sources are and how well their research papers are performing, this comes at the cost of potential privacy concerns, fabrication of data and the lack of a standardised approach to collecting and reporting analytical data. However, investing time and resources to establish safe practices that produce accurate metrics can greatly benefit all parties involved in academic research; publishers can use this data to cater to readers by creating personalised lists and recommendations while also encouraging researchers to work within certain subject areas across different disciplines.
Discover millions of journal articles, e-books, proceedings and so much more now on Zendy.
Zendy announced today the launch of its new AI-powered features that help researchers streamline the literature discovery process. Unlike traditional tools that rely on simple statistical methods, Zendy’s AI-based summarisation and keyphrase highlighting tool comprehends the underlying meaning of research papers, resulting in more accurate information for the researcher.
With these new features, Zendy will continuously enhance its AI-based tool with new papers available in its platform. The new papers will be used to fine-tune the models to generate even more insightful information, providing researchers with the most up-to-date and relevant insights.
With the depth of content available to researchers, reviewing literature is one of the most time consuming, yet critical, aspects of the research process. AI-based summarisation can significantly optimise literature review by automating the process of identifying the most relevant information in a large body of literature.
Keyphrase highlighting within academic texts spotlights critical concepts in the text, making it easier for researchers to quickly and efficiently identify the most important information related to their research question.
We’re pleased to offer researchers a more intelligent way to utilise and continue their discovery through research papers,” said Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan. “It’s critical that the industry leverage the best technologies to deliver value to the research discovery process and enable a more effective and equitable experience for students, researchers, and professionals. The correct use and implementation of AI and machine learning has the power to make a true difference in creating a more knowledgeable world.”
In addition, Zendy’s is building topic classification models that will deliver AI-based personalised search results to enable researchers to discover papers based on their interests and preferences.
Zendy’s latest AI-based summarisation and keyphrase highlighting features are now available in beta-mode to users, and the platform will continue to evolve with new papers and enhanced AI capabilities, providing researchers with the industry’s most advanced research tools available.
Zendy is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with IntechOpen, a leading global publisher of Journals and Books within the fields of Science, Technology and Medicine. Zendy will host IntechOpen’s Book Series and open science journals, offering all the benefits of open access to authors, users, and readers.
Zendy a product of Knowledge E, provides seamless access to millions of articles, journals, e-books, and more. Comprehensive filters enable users to search effectively for content, making it easier for them to identify, read, cite, and save the content that they need.
As members of the SDG Publishers Compact, both Knowledge E and IntechOpen share the same commitment to increase awareness, publish and disseminate scientific research that supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is why we are thrilled that the Sustainable Development series will be featured on the Zendy platform, as this is how we can all work together to contribute and achieve the SDGs.
Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan said, “IntechOpen has been a driving force in the open access movement, and we are proud to partner with them to further our shared mission of democratising access to knowledge. With IntechOpen’s extensive portfolio of scholarly work and Zendy’s cutting-edge technology, we can make a significant impact on improving the accessibility of scientific research in developing regions, ultimately contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Viktorija Žgela, Head of Editorial Development at IntechOpen, commented: “The journey towards more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future starts with collaborative efforts. The scholarly communication landscape with all its stakeholders, including researchers, publishers, online libraries, and service providers that facilitate and enrich the publishing experience and the communication of the scientific output, is part of this journey. Therefore, it is a pleasure to partner with Zendy because we share the same vision, mission, and values: to make academic content accessible to everyone in the world.”
April brings all semester deadlines closer, this past month’s trending research papers on Zendy were a diverse bunch. Discover and dive into everything from the United Nations universal period review, a study on bio emulsifiers derived from micro-organisms, a comprehensive analysis of the effects of social media within specific industries, the factors that cause academic stress among college students and finally, the issues that organic farming causes within the agriculture sector. From mental health studies to biological proposals and general information on the United Nations imperative initiatives; we’ve covered it all.
Introduction to Universal Periodic Review
Introduced in 2006, the universal periodic review is an opportunity through which all UN member states are given the opportunity to objectively review and scrutinise the human rights records of all other member states. This was established in an effort to eliminate the self-regulatory mechanism and open conversation for accountability and detailed records of human rights policies and initiatives.
Bioemulsifiers Derived From Micro-organisms: Application in Food and Drug
Emulsifiers are known to reduce the speed of chemical reactions and enhance their stability. Bio emulsifiers have unique features like non-toxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, efficiency at low concentrations, and high selectivity in different pH balances, temperatures, and salinities. This research paper closely studies organisms with biosurfactant-producing abilities and how this can be utilised in environmental remediation and the petroleum industry.
An Integrated Analysis of the Impact of Social Media
This journal article observes the impact of social media within the fields of business, education, society and youth by determining precisely what social media is utilised for and how these key features can benefit but also serve as drawbacks within each industry mentioned earlier. Published in 2016, this study takes place at a time when social media culture was shifting to the modernisation we are familiar with today.
The Factors That Cause Academic Stress on College Students
This case study identifies examination fear, fear of failure, the discriminating nature of teachers and peers, and poor classroom experience as academic stress triggers. Using this guideline, the study discovers the findings through a comprehensive survey to determine which remedial measures should be incorporated within curriculums and educational systems across the world.
This research paper states that organic farming bans all uses of almost every synthetic fertilizer and pesticide. This ban does not take into account the range of differences in the materials from dangerous to benign components; it also neglects the scientific research depicting that synthetic fertilizers and pesticides can be the best solution for specific agricultural issues.
To combat global challenges like climate change, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) organised a framework in 2015 to effectively rectify these issues. In this blog, we highlight how research and academia play a vital role in advancing the SDGs through the Publishers Compact, from generating evidence-based solutions to shaping policies that drive sustainable development. We also explore the ways in which the SDGs are helping to reduce inequalities in research communities.
What are the sustainable development goals?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a total of 17 goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a global call to action to prioritise and overcome the world’s most imperative social, economic, and environmental issues. They provide a clear roadmap for countries, organisations, and individuals to transform our world into an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable place for present and future generations.
This sustainable development goal is focused on promoting equal access to quality education for all. Mainly targeting STEM fields, SDG 4 aims to increase the skill and knowledge of the global workforce to encourage and increase contributions to research and innovation. By 2030, SDG 4 will ensure that gender disparities in educational sectors are eliminated, increase the supply of qualified teachers in developing countries and build educational facilities that are child and disability friendly.
SDG 5 strongly focuses on eliminating discrimination against women and girls to promote their equal participation in all aspects of life. By addressing gender inequality in research communities, such as the underrepresentation of women in STEM disciplines, the sustainable development goals can create a more diverse and inclusive scientific community.
SDG 10 aims to reduce social, economic and political inequalities in all aspects of life, including research communities. By promoting equal access to research opportunities, resources, and funding, SDG 10 aims to level the playing field and reduce disparities in the scientific community.
SDG 17 places an emphasis on the importance of collaboration to achieve all social development goals. By encouraging and promoting collaboration between researchers, academic institutions, governments and other relevant bodies; the SDGs can create a more integrated research community.
To further encourage participation in the succession of the SDGs, the general public needs to be aware of the progress made and the research conducted to progress each SDG. To understand the growth since the launch of the SDGs in 2015, the United Nations has created an accurate SDG tracker.
What is the SDGs Publishers Compact?
Launched in 2020, the Publishers Compact consists of fellows segregated into 4 groups to tackle 4 key initiatives to amplify SDG content in the publishing sector which will disseminate worldwide and encourage the application and general practice of the SDGs within other industries.
Firstly, the Compact ensures the integration of SDG educational materials. Academic societies have been developing methods for publishers to recognise and rectify the lack of SDG-related content and activities in their education systems and materials. An increase in SDG-related content within schools and universities will likely result in a higher participation and contribution from students, professors, researchers and life long learners in the succession of the 17 goals.
Moreover, the compact promotes applying and practicing the SDGs. This is to encourage authors, editors, and publishers to create summarised content and formats that are useful and appealing to various industries and sectors (such as businesses, services etc). There is also a list of “Top Actions” tips to encourage the integration of SDGs into daily practice and to catalyse research based on the challenges and opportunities practitioners face.
Furthermore, the Publishers Compact is dedicated to redefining the impact indicators of research, like academic rankings and incentives. This is a work in progress, as a list of “Top Actions” tips for publishers, editors, authors, librarians and graduate students is being developed and completed. The committee is preparing a resource to highlight SDG research papers and their impact on policy, education, society and more.
Finally, the Publishers Compact is committed to shifting culture in higher education. This initiative is dedicated to taking steps to affect culture change throughout the academic and publishing ecosystem. This requires evaluating the various stakeholders and their needs, to move the focus toward the SDGs. While the initial focus will be on connecting with and elevating those already working with SDGs, eventually this will transition to highlighting additional associations (e.g. journal editors), companies (e.g. publishers) and institutions (e.g. educators and researchers) and the spaces where the SDGs can be incorporated.
Zendy, which is a product of Knowledge E, is a signatory of the United Nations Publishers Compact. In our efforts to democratise knowledge, we are committed to the causes and principles that the SDGs are striving to achieve by 2030. By increasing the dissemination of research globally, we aim to contribute in creating a sustainable world driven by knowledge and research.
How is open science contributing to the implementation of SDGs?
Open science encourages transparency, collaboration and inclusivity in scientific research by publishing research without restrictions; making it as accessible as possible. This has the potential to significantly contribute to the implementation and succession of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Open science facilitates the dissemination and usage of research to promote evidence-based solutions, which will accelerate the progress towards the SDGs in the following ways.
Promotes collaborative research and innovation – This enables scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and other relevant bodies to work together across disciplines and regions. This collaborative approach will contribute to interdisciplinary research, the integration of local and indigenous knowledge, and allow diverse perspectives and expertise to be included in the development of sustainable solutions.
Enhances the accessibility and usability of research outputs – This makes scientific knowledge widely accessible and usable. Open access publishing of research articles, data, books and other research outputs can enable researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from developing regions to access the latest scientific findings and potentially apply them.
Supports evidence-based policymaking and decision-making processes – By openly sharing research findings, data, and methodologies, policymakers can access a database of research-based evidence to further advance policy development and implementation. Open science also promotes transparency in the evaluation of policies, allowing for accountability and learning from successes and failures.
Facilitates advancements that contribute to the SDGs – Openly sharing research data, methodologies, and software can allow collaboration among researchers and enable the development of new technologies and solutions that address complex challenges.
Promotes inclusivity and diversity in the scientific community – By promoting open and transparent research practices, open science can create opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and people from low-income countries, to participate in the scientific process and contribute their unique perspectives and knowledge to address the SDGs.
At Zendy, we believe research papers and educational materials should be affordable and accessible to anyone anywhere. Zendy Open was launched in an effort to disseminate research papers without paywalls or restrictions. We stand to democratise knowledge so that policymakers, governments, researchers, students and relevant authoritative bodies can make informed research-based decisions that impact society. By creating an open access and open science platform, we look to eliminate discrimination and empower the world through knowledge to create a healthy and equally participative educational environment worldwide.
What impact will the implementation of SGDs have on the research community?
The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is expected to have a significant impact on the research community in several ways:
Research Priorities: Global research priorities will be aligned with the SDGs, leading to an increased emphasis on research that contributes to the achievement of the goals. This could result in greater funding and resources being allocated to research areas that are aligned with the SDGs.
Interdisciplinary Research: The SDGs encourage integrated approaches to sustainable development. This will promote interdisciplinary research, where researchers from different disciplines collaborate to address complex and interconnected challenges.
Collaboration and Partnerships: The SDGs emphasise the need for partnerships, wherein governments, academia, civil society, private sector, and local communities come together, to collectively work towards achieving the goals. This will result in increased collaboration and partnerships within the research community as well.
Open Science and Data Sharing: The SDGs highlight the importance of data and evidence-based decision-making for monitoring progress towards the goals. This may lead to increased demand for open science practices, such as open access publishing, data sharing, and transparent research methodologies. The research community may witness a greater emphasis on open science, data sharing, and transparent research practices to facilitate knowledge exchange, collaboration, and enable evidence-based policymaking.
Global and Regional Collaboration: The SDGs are a global agenda, but their implementation requires localised actions and context-specific solutions. The research community may witness increased global and regional collaboration to address local challenges in alignment with the SDGs. This could involve cross-border research collaborations, knowledge-sharing platforms, and policy exchanges to learn from different contexts and promote solutions that are relevant to specific regions.
In summary, the implementation of the SDGs is expected to have a significant impact on the research community. This will result in an increase in publications being disseminated in open access databases to eliminate discrimination in educational sectors and other aspects of society while also promoting interdisciplinary research to find sustainable solutions to the pressing matters the SDGs aim to rectify; furthermore, the Publishers Compact will play a significant role in ensuring that educational sector abides by their commitment to equal access which will accelerate the progress towards the 17 sustainable development goals. The research community is likely to play a critical role in generating knowledge and evidence-based solutions that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs and drive sustainable development worldwide.
Zendy, which is a product of Knowledge E, is a proud signatory of the United Nations Publishers Compact. Discover millions of journal articles, e-books, proceedings and so much more now on Zendy.
The Zendy academic library is designed to accompany users on their journey of discovery across a broad spectrum of disciplines. It is an intuitive and user-friendly platform that accommodates a vast collection of academic research covering all major fields. Developed in close collaboration with researchers, students, institutions, and publishers, Zendy aims to democratise knowledge and make it accessible to all. Zendy was established with the vision of making academic content more accessible and affordable for individuals worldwide, regardless of their field of study, area of interest or geographic location.
Welcome to Zendy! When you log in, you’ll be met with recommended articles.
Using Zendy To Your Advantage
Zendy offers a wide selection of academic research. Discover peer-reviewed journal articles, e-books and proceedings across disciplines; from science and technology to arts and humanities, Zendy has it all. The academic library provides access to full-text articles and books from various leading publishers, making it a tool students, professors and avid readers can benefit from.
What Makes Zendy Stand Out?
With an aim to democratise access, Zendy offers two unique solutions to users. The first is Zendy Plus, a subscription service giving users unlimited access to premium academic content for the monthly price of a single research paper. Secondly, Zendy Open – a free open access research library packed with research tools to make content easier to navigate and discover.
With a single Zendy Plus subscription; you can access academic content across numerous fields from leading publishers like Taylor & Francis, Wiley, Emerald, EBSCO, Sage and many more. Zendy Plus is available in UAE, KSA, Bahrain, Jordan, Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria. To facilitate Zendy’s vision of democratising access and promoting research-based solutions and decision-making, the subscription offers access to millions of academic articles in over 45 languages in an active effort to make academic material inclusive and accessible. Zendy Plus allows users to access a vast collection of premium academic research for the monthly price of a single research paper.
Easy Citations
Researchers and students know that generating citations and reference lists are time-consuming tasks. On Zendy, we’ve simplified how you can get your citations done. It only takes one click to access citations in multiple formats as shown below.
Simply click “Cite” to get an accurate citation for the academic material you’re referencingOnce clicking on “cite” you’ll have this window on your screen and you may pick the citation format you’d like to use from the top right drop-down menu
Advanced filters
Zendy’s comprehensive filters will effortlessly refine your research discoverability process. Your searches can be filtered by author, publication, title, H-index score, Scientific Journal Rank (SJR), International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), International Standard Book Number (ISBN), and keyword.
To utilise Zendy’s advanced filters, click on the arrow within the search bar on the right.From this drop-down menu, you may select the filter you’d like to apply and proceed from there
Favourites
This particular feature serves as a wish list for research you find intriguing. You can essentially add articles to read either later or come back to for quick references. Save time scrolling by simply just clicking on the ‘thumbs up’ icon at the bottom right of the research you’re interested in.
To add a research paper to your favourites, simply click the thumbs-up icon located on the bottom right.Access your favourites by logging in and selecting ‘My Library’ from the drop-down menu on the top right or simply click ‘My Library’ located to the right of the Zendy icon at the topBy selecting ‘Favourites’ at the top of the page, you can access all the research you’ve liked and saved here.
Read History
This feature collates every piece of research you have accessed on Zendy. In case you forget to add some academic research to your reading list, you now have the option to go into your read history and locate key research easily.
Just like how you accessed your Favorites list, you’ll need to go to ‘My Library’ from either one of the options shown above.Click on ‘Read History’ and easily access all the academic research you’ve previously read or visited.
Reading Lists
Customise your very own reading list now on Zendy. Arrange your academic research based on genre, publication or simply your area of interest. Pick up right where you left off across articles, e-books, proceedings and much more, you’ll never need to search again for a source you know you’ll come back to.
From either the drop-down menu on the top right or the option on the top left, you need to select ‘My Lists’ From this page, you’ll need to select the ‘Create List’ Option to organise your reads.Simply name your list and save it, you can now begin adding academic research papers to this list.Once the list has been created, you can begin adding academic content to it by clicking on the ‘add to list’ on the bottom right.You may then select the list you’d like to segregate the research paper into and click ‘done’.Your academic research material has been successfully saved to your desired list for you to access at any time you need it.
Dive into research papers across many disciplines while taking advantage of Zendy’s amazing features and discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy now.
Globally, March is recognized as the month of reading; which is fitting for this blog post. The 2023 month of reading on Zendy followed a pattern of natural and social sciences with a hint of engineering. Join us in discovering the research methods and techniques commonly used in social psychology, a study on human capital and its benefits within Africa, the formulation of a polyherbal soap and hand sanitiser, the next generation of obesity research and finally, the basics of development engineering.
Research Methods and Techniques Utilised in Social Psychology
The objective of this study was to identify research methods utilised by researchers within the field of social psychology. This study was conducted between 2011 and 2012 with 545 psychologists globally; the methods had been divided into two groups, participative research which included life history, action research, in-depth interviews, discourse analysis and observational research. The latter was field & lab experiments which consisted of computer simulations and correlational studies.
This study argues and presents that countries that invest in human capital have improved economic development prospects. Utilising comparative analysis methods, it was observed that South Africa had better developmental outcomes than Nigeria because the nation spends an increased percentage of income on human capital.
This journal article dives into a soap and hand sanitiser being formulated using leaf and bark extracts of Cassia fistula, Ficus religiosa and Milletia pinnata. This concoction was then evaluated for various physiochemical parameters and depicted both good characteristics and antimicrobial effects. The researchers propose to standardize this formula for antiseptics and disinfectants.
Arguing that science by itself cannot combat obesity in America, this journal article argues that while obesity is not the only epidemic within the United States, it does pose a significant challenge. Reducing the percentage of obese individuals requires changing two fundamental aspects of life: food consumption and physical activity. This article suggests that America needs effort in every aspect of society, like households, schools, community organisations, all government levels, transportation, agriculture, the food industry, media, medical practice, and biomedical research.
Development engineering is an emerging field and this textbook serves as an introduction to the discipline’s theories, methods and applications. The book has a broad scope, covering everything from the development of mobile apps to hardware and software solutions to providing electricity and water. Furthermore, it is also interdisciplinary as it draws methods and theories from social and natural sciences along with different branches of engineering. Dive deep into the 6 sections which are energy and environment, market performance, education and labour, water sanitation and health, and digital governance and connectivity.
One of the most defining aspects of academic research writing is a demonstration of research-oriented findings. Referring to credible sources and data is made possible through the concept of citations. In this blog, we’ll equip you with citation knowledge across multiple different formats and aid in understanding the purpose of each one.
The purpose of citations
When you search the definition of the term ‘citation’ on google, you’re met with the following description: a quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a scholarly work. Citing sources has multiple purposes, the primary focus is to give credit to the original author. When writing a specialised research paper, the author will cite external sources when referencing the material in their own work to establish strength, transparency and authority within their research.
This positions their work in a specific context to depict their stance in the larger discussion. Citations also serve as an efficient way to provide references to others wanting to explore the subject or even use them within their own academic research papers. Overall, citing establishes an important roadmap in the research process.
Why are there different types of citations?
Different citation formats are utilised across different disciplines. While it might be convenient to have one universal citation format, it is not possible because different fields focus on unique information within their respective research; this requires citation formats to be tailored to the field’s primary focus.
The APA (American Psychological Association) citation format is utilised in social sciences like psychology, sociology, anthropology as well as education. Moreover, the MLA (Modern Language Association) citation format is largely used within humanities and the Chicago citation format is applied in the fields of Business, History & Fine Arts. Finally, the Harvard citation format is primarily used in education.
Citing in APA Referencing Format
APA (American Psychological Association) referencing style is a widely used referencing style in social science disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, and education. The style is characterised by the use of in-text citations, which typically include the author’s last name and the year of publication of the source being cited.
The APA style requires a detailed reference list, which includes all sources referenced in the text. The reference list is arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name, and each entry provides comprehensive information about the source, including the title, publisher, and publication date.
Book: Author, A.A. (Year of Publication). The Title of work. Publisher City, State: Publisher.
Journal Article: Last name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL
Magazine: Author, A.A. (Year, a month of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, Volume(Issue), pp.-pp.
Newspaper: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Magazine Title, pp. xx-xx.
Website: Author, A.A. (Year, Month Date of Publication). Article title. Retrieved from URL
Citing in MLA Referencing Format
MLA (Modern Language Association) referencing style is a popular method of citing sources used in academic writing, particularly in the humanities. The style is characterised by the use of in-text citations, which typically include the author’s last name and the page number(s) of the source being cited. The MLA style also requires a comprehensive list of Works Cited at the end of the document, which includes all sources referenced in the text. The Works Cited page is arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name or, if there is no author, by the first word of the title.
Book: Last Name, First Name. Book Title. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published. Medium.
Journal Article: Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Name, vol. Volume, no. Issue, Month Year, Page range. DOI or URL.
Magazine: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Magazine Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
Newspaper: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
Website: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title.Sponsoring Institution/Publisher. Publication Date: Page Numbers. Medium.
Citing in Harvard Referencing Format
Harvard style referencing, also known as author-date referencing, is a widely used referencing system that originated from Harvard University. It is a method of acknowledging sources of information in academic writing, by citing the author’s last name and the year of publication in the text. Harvard referencing style also requires a detailed list of references at the end of the document, arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name, which includes all the sources cited in the text. This style of referencing is used in many disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences.
Journal Articles: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) ‘Title of article’, Title of Journal, volume number (issue number), page reference. If accessed online: Available at: DOI or URL (if required) (Accessed: date).
Books: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title. Edition if later than first. Place of publication: publisher. Series and volume number if relevant.
Newspaper Article: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) ‘Title of article’, Title of Newspaper, Day and month, Page reference.
Online Newspaper Article: Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) ‘Title of article’, Title of Newspaper, Day and month, Page reference if available. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
Website: Surname, Initial. (Year that the site was published/last updated) Title of web page. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).
Citing in Chicago Referencing Format
The Chicago referencing format is commonly used in the fields of Business, History and Fine Arts. It offers two main citation styles: the notes and bibliography style and the author-date style.
The notes and bibliography style involves the use of footnotes to provide brief citations within the text and a corresponding bibliography at the end of the document. In contrast, the author-date style involves in-text citations that include the author’s last name and the date of publication. A comprehensive reference list is also required at the end of the document.
Journal Article: Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Name Volume, no. Issue (Month or Season Year): Page range. DOI or URL.
Book: Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher City: Publisher Name, Year Published.
Magazine: Last Name, First Name. Article title. Magazine Title, Month Date, Year of publication.
Newspaper: Last Name, First Name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Name, Publication Date.
Website: Last Name, First Name. “Page Title.” Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed).
Citations and referencing bring attention to details within each format. While it is a time-consuming section to fulfill in an academic paper, it’s also an important skill to have as a researcher, to be able to dissect other research papers and build an authoritative and strengthened academic paper with your own research. Understanding which citation format is best suited for your discipline is equally important; this citation pocket guide covered the 4 commonly utilised citation styles which are APA, MLA, Harvard and Chicago.
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It can be argued that writing research papers is a medium of its own, with the delicate academic language and fact-based citations and hypotheses; it’s a skill that is acquired. Academic writing is artistry that most researchers and students have to know how to execute. Research papers are written in a scholarly tone to convey studies and findings in a uniform manner and to eliminate language bias to communicate objectively.
However, writing research papers can be considered a daunting task to some. It requires a significant amount of research, analysis, and organization, which can be time-consuming. However, with the right approach and techniques, it is possible to write a research paper faster without compromising the quality of your work. In this blog, we discuss practical tips and strategies that can help you write research papers faster, from the initial research stage to the final editing and proofreading phase. Whether you are a student, academic researcher, or a professional, these tips will help you to save time and increase your productivity when writing research papers.
Map out your topic
Brainstorm your academic research topic and create a mindmap. Position the title as a question and as a statement to compare how the approach to the topic changes with just the title. Make a list of aspects you can explore within your research topic and use this as a guide for potential subheadings within your research paper.
Conduct Research
Once you have a title finalised, it’s time to research! Find your primary sources and begin reading the relevant research that covers your academic research, figure out how your research can stand out from what is already published and studied. Ensure that there is an adequate amount of material to highlight and discuss within your paper from reliable sources. Furthermore, try to use material from academic library databases as your sources as these are easier to cite and academic databases provide a variety of research and studies across different aspects of a subject.
Create an outline
Creating an outline for an academic research paper is an essential step in the writing process. An outline serves as a roadmap that guides you through the paper, ensuring that all the necessary elements are included and presented in a logical manner. The first step in creating an outline is to identify the main topic. Then, break down the topic into smaller subtopics and organise them in a coherent flow. Each subtopic should be supported by evidence and examples. The outline should also include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, along with any necessary headings and subheadings.
Structure Your Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement drives the purpose of your paper, essentially it clearly communicates the areas your research paper will explore along with the question or issue you are proposing to solve. There is a simple formula to creating your thesis statement; limited subject, precise opinion and blueprint of reasons.
It may be structured like this:
(Limited subject) This study aims to thoroughly understand the accurate state of refugees globally. (Precise Opinion) The essay will effectively highlight the stereotype perpetuated by mass media in portraying refugees who have been displaced due to national conflicts. (Reasoning Blueprint) To present and challenge this notion, this study will assess and dissect the language utilised in newspaper articles from The Guardian, CNN and Fox News reporting on refugee stories. These newspapers have been selected with consideration to their audiences and general stance in the political sphere.
The PEE Method
Upon finalising your introduction and thesis statement, you’ll begin working on the body paragraphs that present evidence and effectively support your statement. There’s also a simple formula for these paragraphs: Point, Evidence and Explanation which is the PEE method. Having a structure to execute the lengthy part of a research paper will speed up your writing process as an effective flow has already been established.
Your paragraph may be structured like this:
(Point) The difficulties that refugees face are overlooked when the mass media creates a bias within the general public’s perception of refugees. (Evidence) Smith (2012) argues that there are negative and positive terminologies that can create a bias within the news headline itself and that this tactic is proven best in the case of reporting refugee-related news articles. (Explanation) A common negative term used when reporting on refugees is ‘homeless.’ An effective method to eliminate bias and portray the situation accurately is to use ‘displaced’ instead.
While there are multiple techniques to write at a faster pace, the most effective is to have an organised structure that flows productively. Following structures for statements and paragraphs saves essential time by just rephrasing and restructuring your research to follow the format.
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