Research

Depictions of conferences as being dull and exhausting make it ‘almost impossible’ to imagine them as places of intellectual engagement, scholar warns

Researchers are finding powerful ways of resurrecting the elusive emotions of previous eras

Performance targets to boost league table position are questioned as analysis shows little change in Russell Group REF order

Scholar says academics who move to international outposts do ‘hardly any research’

Chair of review into research excellence framework also defends decision to have steering committee dominated by Russell Group

The most popular higher education articles of the year, based on website traffic

From writing papers to urinating on other people’s work, cats have a rich history of scholarly work, finds Glen Wright

We talk to the artist and academic about black artists’ vital role in Modernism and how to bring this to the attention of the public

‘Minimum expectations’ for research income will be used as part of staff performance review

New research initiative is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, if not the world

Research organisations who previously worked with the troubled children’s charity have sought to clarify ‘misleading’ descriptions of clinical work

Mike Marinetto thinks such a shift viable, while literary scholar Lennard Davis recounts his struggles to stick to the facts

President Tony Chan puts rise to world stage down to money, research-active staff and the lure of Hong Kong

Baron Stern of Brentford has previously raised concerns that the research excellence framework forces academics to focus too much on publishing articles

Philosophers Stephen Mumford and Rani Lill Anjum speak up for the benefits of writing collaboratively

Author of report into reshaping of research council system defends proposal to create a new ministerial committee

Alternative metrics reveal the research that received the most online attention

Investment pays off for the economy, finds groundbreaking US study

A long-running stand-off has been resolved as a three-year deal on subscriptions is agreed

Architecture lecturer Stephen Games feels ‘vindicated’ after agreement

Sheffield Engineering Leadership Academy aims to equip graduates with the ‘soft skills’ required for industry or academia

The PubPeer organisers and two other scholars debate the merits and pitfalls of anonymity in peer review

Dispute over British Journal of Educational Technology prompts resignations among editorial team

Too many senior scholars abuse their power when it comes to assigning credit, argues Bruce Macfarlane

Former Nuffield Foundation director Sharon Witherspoon says the disciplines face many challenges

Organisation hopes use of ORCID system will end confusion over authorship and researcher identity

Use the Force if you want, but to really destroy the Death Star, Heriot-Watt University may be the place to start

Politics lecturer Michael Buehler faces sustained attacks after raising questions about covert lobbying ahead of US visit by country’s president

Juggling multiple departmental roles on top of teaching and research can leave new lecturers feeling ‘punch-drunk’, explains new appointee Richard Budd

Senior figures in UK science fear that culture leading to research misconduct has not been changed

New publishing model aims to make research accessible to all without charging authors

We talk to the former coalition government minister about the Liberal Democrats’ tuition fees U-turn and how Westminster can be an isolating work environment

A qualified welcome for George Osborne’s real-terms protection of research, but uncertainty over how new overseas aid spending will operate

Survey also finds that women do more work with the general public than male researchers

David Price, Graeme Reid and Andrew Clark applaud the wisdom of creating Research UK

The impact on one Roma man of Rainer Schulze’s research was worth far more than any amount of academic praise

Open letter calls for ministers to support academic research on sustainability during week of United Nations climate change conference in Paris

New rules enabling higher education board to shut down private universities seen as a threat to the government amount to ‘banditry’

Global Challenges Fund could be enabler of world-class science tackling global issues, says Malcolm von Schantz

Unexpected creation of a ‘Global Challenges Research Fund’ means that if they want more money, academics may have to contribute to international development

Clearly describing the inefficient and damaging situation might point the way to better alternatives, says Eric Silverman

Blurring the lines between supervisor and friend can cause difficulties for academics and students alike, says study by Finnish researchers

Is the biomedical research facility dubbed ‘Sir Paul’s cathedral’ built on sound foundations?

However, there is confusion over the final value of the settlement, which may include 'tucking in' of Global Challenges fund

New ministerial committee could wield power over research agenda, but support expressed for new pot of interdisciplinary funding

Investment in knowledge is one of Britain’s USPs, explains Mark Samuels

There’s a choice to be made on R&D investment, says Richard Jones, and we must get it right

Commitment not to merge the research councils appears to contradict plans for a bonfire of the quangos in BIS

Proposed Research UK would have similar powers to a v-c over university faculties

Merger ‘inappropriate’, but seven councils would be overseen by new chief executive

Researchers have employed a comedian to help them reach out to a wider public

Student opportunity cuts could worsen part-time crisis, warns Open University v-c, while research concerns focus on ring-fence and ‘tucking in’

With no time for proper peer review and with grade inflation inevitable, one academic felt compelled to resign

As a manuscript haunts her, Shahidha Bari muses on Apple and the Bard

John Elmes talks to Paul Jackson about the politics scholar’s central role during negotiations between the Nepalese government and Maoist rebels

Analysis of top-ranked groups also finds they have ‘accountable autonomy’ from the university

A ‘Kimposium’ will explore what the fascination with the Kardashians tells us

Green Paper recommends use of metrics, despite July report’s reservations

However, success of Indian academics in the UK may be under threat as a result of universities’ focus on teaching excellence

Science and Technology Committee raises fears that resource spending has not kept up with new infrastructure