One | 2025
A selection of current news items for managers of Early Career Researchers.
Note: Access to some of the publications referenced here is metered and/or involves a free registration of basic details, and we hope you find the material worth any such inconvenience. We try our best not to include paywalled articles, but there are sometimes differences between jurisdictions. We hope that your institution’s subscriptions will allow you to see any pieces that do turn out to be restricted in your location.
Research matters
A measure of research. Leading publisher Springer has weighed in on the issue of research assessment with a broad-based survey of researchers’ perspectives and a discussion paper.
Exploited peers. Radical options for reforming a seemingly broken academic quality review system.
Reviewer rewards. The results of two small trials by publishers to test the effect of compensating reviewers.
Retractions removed. Clarivate has finally acted to exclude citations to and from retracted content from the Journal Impact Factor.
A new Dimension. With research integrity in the spotlight, Author Check offers a quick way of checking researchers’ publication history and connections.
Safer socials. The blue butterfly’s rise continues as attention-tracker Altmetric has added Bluesky to its list of sources.
Impact narrative. A new six-part guide to telling a research impact story.
Spin-free PR. A communications professional explains how to ‘sell’ research results in a powerful but responsible fashion.
Intellectual erosion. Why AI risks robbing higher education of its essential value.
Compliance model. US-based Copyright Clearance Centre is proposing an AI Training License to enable conformity with authors’ legal rights.
Ethical sourcing. Publisher Wiley has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting research material from ‘AI scraping’, touting its own licensing framework.
Helpful but flawed. A tale about the limitations of genAI and how to make sure AI tools represent researchers correctly.
Tools of the trAIde. A guide to some of the most effective current AI tools to support research-linked tasks.
Management matters
Transparently accountable. An argument for greater openness in research to boost trust and defend academic independence.
Integrity dissected. A tour of the various aspects of research integrity and how to embed best practice in research work.
Model supervisors. What it means, and what it takes, for PhD supervisors to ‘lead by example’.
Behind the façade. Discussion of the process, symptoms, toll and treatment of burnout in academia. (audio).
Resist or regulate? A small study of ChatGPT’s influence on written output has produced recommendations for managing use of AI tools.
Flipped funding model. For researchers suffering the effects of cuts, crowdfunding may be part of the solution.
Digital defence. Anti-science activism now requires some researchers to protect themselves against online attacks.
People power. Gloomy prospects aside, some useful reminders about preparing PhDs for a job search.
Hiring misfire. Observations on what to do about the mismatch between the expectations of recruiters and those of researchers.
Personal press
Self-subterfuge at work. Ways to progress your work even if you’re a serial procrastinator.
Toughness myths. There is a difference between persisting under sufferance and healthy, intentional resilience.
Banish bitterness. If we’ve found ourselves saying ‘yes’ too often, it may be time for a ‘resentment audit’.
OK to be proud. To avoid chronic dissatisfaction, some of us need to face down our perfectionist tendencies.
Your ‘dream home’. An effective job search starts months before you apply.
Cold applications. Personal, role-specific, well-researched… yes, unsolicited emails to potential employers can work!
Use the lever. The time to negotiate for essentials is before you accept the job.
It doesn’t define you. A story of coping with job-loss, with advice that applies to professional setbacks broadly.
All in the mind. A short, practical evaluation of the issue of fixed and growth mindset characteristics.
Positively humble. Impostor Syndrome simply means you’re smart enough to recognise what you don’t yet know.
Serious research
Sweet success. A wry look at the vitalising role high quality baking might play in research productivity and community-building…!
Would your PhD cohort or postdocs benefit from help with their career planning?
Have a look at our intensive Take Charge of Your Career workshop to assess the potential benefits.
“Kerstin gave us PhDs and postdocs a great programme with lots of interaction and hands- on exercises that opened up new ways of thinking. Very impressive how the content was kept relevant to people from so many different disciplines.”
“One of the problems for me is to talk to people, and here I enjoyed the breakout room activities. And it felt like a trial run for networking when going to conferences.”
“Practical steps that can be returned to. Makes an overwhelming topic feel more manageable. Very well organised & smoothly run course. Relevant across research roles. Thank you! Very useful, leaving with plenty to action and reflect on!”
(2024 Feedback from ‘Take Charge’ participants in Australia and Sweden)
If you would like to explore workshop options like this for your early career researchers, contact us at info@postdoctraining.com.