The scholarly communication system is in turmoil. With some delay – compared to e.g. the news industry – the digital revolution has reached science and research. By now it is affecting the whole system. As a result, many cornerstones of scholarly communication and research methodology are under intense scrutiny. New and innovative concepts in all of these areas are being proposed and put into action each day, often with the downright support of policy makers and funding agencies (see e.g. [1] European Commission 2014). There is a huge potential for changes in the system that have not seemed possible even a few years ago.

In parallel, scientists are provided with a variety of web-based tools and activities which influence – and may fundamentally change – the way research is carried out. The practice of incorporating such tools and activities in research and scholarly communication is referred to as “Science 2.0”.

This STCSN E-Letter intends to further stimulate this discussion. As reflected in the Call for Contributions for this E-Letter, many aspects of Science 2.0 are hot topics for discussions in research communities. It features a total of 8 scientific contributions, dealing with openness of science, innovation in reviewing processes, the effect on (digital) libraries, visualization and visual analysis of scientific contents, and the use of social media channels during conferences. Several contributions are linked to the Leibniz Research Alliance Science 2.0.


Enjoy reading!
Rene Kaiser, Elisabeth Lex and Peter Kraker

[1] European Commission (2014). Background document. Public Consultation ‘Science 2.0’: Science in transition. Retrieved November 13, 2014 from http://ec.europa.eu/research/consultations/science-2.0/background.pdf