|
by
Max Barker
March 10,
2022
from
EcoHumanismResearch Website
Summary
This paper presents a publication format that is based upon a
semi-academic approach, making it distinguishable from other
publication formats.
The author identifies the
need for such a publication format due to the rise in quantity of
grey literature, as well as the acceleration of knowledge
mobilization, both of which coincide with growing recognition for
the need to address the gap between the academic and non-academic
spheres of influence.
Toward the latter segment
of this paper the author illustrates the design of papers/articles,
books, blog posts, and reports.
The paper concludes
explaining how nearly anyone can adapt the publication format to
suit their needs and preferences so that they are able to publish
objective research that has a positive impact on the state of
humanity.
Introduction
There is a growing body of research that fits neither in the
academic nor in the non-academic categories. 1
This research is
generally available on the Internet and some of the most common
mediums used for conveying it are found in the form of articles,
books, blog posts, papers, and reports.
Many of the information
sources that are used for corroborating hypotheses and/or for
supporting arguments would not be considered as academic as they do
not originate from a peer-reviewed, scientific source.
Likewise, they would not
be considered as non-academic as they are not obtained from
established publishers. This is where the term "grey literature"
acquires its importance.
With that said there is
growing recognition that there is a need for bridging the gap
between the academic and non-academic spheres, as well as for
considering fairly the social impact of grey literature. 2-7
Given how there are efforts to bridge the gap between the academic
and non-academic spheres of influence, which coincides with the
growth in both the quantity and usage of grey literature, there is a
need for a publication format that may be categorized as
semi-academic and formally designated as,
an Objective Non-academic
Publication (ONAP)...
Even though semi-
academic publications already exist they do not receive as much
attention as their academic and non-academic counterparts as they
are not recognized as a formal publication format. 8
In this paper, I shall explain as to how the structural outline of
the academic and non-academic publications differ, which will help
to reduce the ambiguities that are associated with semi- academic
publications.
Further, I shall describe
as to how an objective non-academic publication may be designed so
that it becomes a practical format for conveying research in a
manner that is as objective and unambiguous as possible to nearly
any audience.
This is especially
appropriate for the 21st century where the Internet has drastically
facilitated the mobilization of knowledge.
The improved access to
data, information, and knowledge is enabling the public-at-large
with an unprecedented ability to learn about nature and everything
it entails, which is something that relatively few have had the
privilege to do in the past.
The
Academic Sphere of Influence
Analysis of
Literature
In the realm of research, there are two categories into which
knowledge is divided, which are the academic and non-academic.
The word "academic"
originally comes from the Greek word for Academia, which was the
name of the place where the philosopher Plato once taught. It also
refers to the acquisition of knowledge that is "theoretical, not
practical, not leading to a decision" and therefore, open to debate.
9
This is where science
originates because it is based upon the art of observation and
analysis. Those who practice this art and present their discoveries
and hypotheses in the most unambiguous manner as is possible are
called scientists.
It is worth noting that
the word "conscience" contains the word "science", which suggests
that,
science is a method for arriving as closely as possible to the
truth...
Scientists apply the
scientific method when they are conducting research and want to
communicate their discoveries with other scientists or academics.
Generally, they are specialists within a discipline of knowledge.
Similarly, academics also
conduct research, although they are not necessarily scientists.
What
distinguishes them from scientists is that they perform work within
academic institutions and normally share their knowledge with other
academics, scientists or students.
When scientists and academics want to share their discoveries they
formally present them in the form of an article. By standard, it is
structured in an academic format.
Traditionally, this means
that the journal responsible for publishing their work has a direct
influence on the appearance and structural outline of their article.
More precisely, the published article features an abstract, which
provides the reader with a general impression of the subject matter.
Depending on the type of
research, a methodology section follows which provides an overview
of the study's limitations and the procedures taken for minimizing
the risk of bias.
Following this, there is a section dedicated to
the review of literature for discussing concepts and perspectives
that are relevant to the study.
At the end of the
article, there is a final section dedicated to listing all of the
sources that the author(s) consulted for corroborating their
argument(s) and for making their study as objective as possible.
The language of an academic article is descriptive and technical. It
involves the use of words that are not commonly used in vernacular.
This helps with the identification of certain concepts or phenomena
that may be challenging to describe in vernacular.
Once an academic
manuscript is ready for publication, it ideally goes through the
process of peer review.
The purpose of this is to
ensure that only research of the highest quality is published. One
of the reasons for this is for the verification of plagiarization,
both accidental and otherwise.
Peer review also serves
the purpose of ensuring that the work under review is contributing
to the knowledge base of humanity.
Additionally, it serves
as a feedback mechanism for improving the quality of researchers'
work by helping them identify any errors in their logic and/or
facticity. 10
Although the system of
peer review is beneficial for minimizing the risk of bias and
plagiarization, it is not flawless. Additionally, it is susceptible
to abuse, which is something I elaborate upon in latter subsections.
Nevertheless, peer
reviewed, academic articles are generally of the highest quality in
terms of finding objective data, information, and knowledge. With
that being said, examples of such articles are available for review
on the online scientific journal called Science, which is one of the
world's oldest and largest science organizations.
It is widely considered
to publish some of the highest quality research in the world.
11
The
Non-academic Sphere of Influence
In contrast to its counterpart, the non-academic publication
traditionally has almost none of the features that are necessary for
it be categorized as academic.
This is because its
purpose is mainly for entertaining its readers, rather than
informing them, although these two characteristics aren't always
mutually exclusive. The authors of such publications aren't always
specialists within their topic of concern.
Often, they are a
features editor or a journalist.
Some may have a background in
science, though not all do.
The non-academic publication has minimal structure.
Traditionally,
it begins with an introduction. A section follows for describing and
discussing the subject matter. Then there is the concluding section.
The authors omit
presenting their audience with research details because they are not
the focus of the publication, and accordingly they are not of
interest to the audience.
Similarly, the authors
avoid using sentences from a third person perspective because the
passive nature of this style is less captivating. Likewise, they
sparingly use technical terminology.
When the author submits their manuscript for publication it is only
reviewed by an editor, which is primarily for grammatical purposes.
Reviewing for facticity and logic is generally not mandatory.
With that said, examples
of non-academic publications are available for review on the website
of The Economist, which is a magazine-format newspaper publisher.
It publishes opinion
editorials that are, according to the organization based upon,
"facts, and analysis,
incorporating The Economist's perspective." 12
Note the emphasis (not
mine) on the organization's name, indicating that its publications
are figuratively unscientific, as they rely on a perspective that is
reflective of the organization's values.
This is also an
indication that the organization employs an economic perspective,
which as I must point out, is one that is recognized for not being
scientific. This does not necessarily mean that what the
organization reports on is untruthful, though.
What this does suggest is
that its publications have a greater likelihood of being biased and
inaccurate, as opposed to articles that a scientific journal
publishes.
Why a
Semi-academic Approach is a Necessity
We are witnessing a rising number of people independently publishing
and/or sharing grey literature.
This is significant
because in the past people shared information either in an academic
or non-academic format.
One of the main reasons
for this is that there is a growing awareness that the historic lack
of engagement between academics and scientists with the public has
prevented humanity from solving its most serious problems as
effectively and efficiently as it could be. 13
Due to the sheer quantity
of data and information produced from research and development in
the scientific and technological sectors over the years the
challenge is to now synthesize it in a manner that is comprehendible
for nearly any audience.
At present, we are in the
early stages of where this is happening; for example, the field of
knowledge mobilization has come into existence, which describes the
transmittance of
knowledge by academia for helping people improve the quality of
their lives. 14
This involves the
production of knowledge from within academia, which is then conveyed
to the public with the aid of businesses, governments, and the
media. The reason I am discussing this issue is because an ONAP can
contribute by addressing the discrepancies between the academic and
non- academic circles.
Additionally, this means
that independent journalists and researchers would have a better
means of communicating issues they identify as worthy of sharing. I
must point out that nearly everything I have mentioned and will
mention in this subsection relates to solving problems that are
technical and social.
As this involves a
certain degree of complexity, it implies an approach that is at the
least multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary, which correlates
closely with knowledge mobilization and grey literature. 15-16
The ONAP is not new, at least not conceptually.
Variants already exist
and these are loosely referred to as semi-academic publications. As
I have mentioned in the introduction these publications do not have
a formal structural outline. As a result, academia classifies them
as grey literature, which describes an informal publication format
that does not undergo publication through traditional means.
As such, some academics
do not consider grey literature to be representative of official or
formal publications because it does not go through the process of
publication and distribution by commercial entities. 17
Over the years, grey
literature has grown in importance due to the realization that it
allows for conducting better research within a lesser time frame.
Due to the sheer range and volume of grey literature that archives
and libraries process, it is often challenging to locate the
appropriate kind.
However, as the Internet
becomes faster and more sophisticated, we can expect that it will
become less challenging for people to find what they need. Already,
we are witnessing this where a wealth of information can be found on
the Internet Archive, which is one of the largest public, digital
libraries in the world. 18
The website is one of the
best examples where masses of grey literature can be found; a
cursory search may lead to a diversity of results ranging from
conference proceedings, fact sheets, newsletters, pre-prints and
post-prints of articles, to research reports, and more.
A semi-academic approach to research and problem-solving will
acquire more prominence in the future as awareness grows of this
need. Academic journals are typically authoritarian and
bureaucratic, and often fail to give fair consideration to the
different opinions of authors and readers, including their ideas,
theories, or discoveries.
In response, some
researchers have expressed the need for political decentralization
so that there is social participation and ownership over academic
journals and their activities. 19
Nevertheless, if academia
wishes to maintain itself in its current state then for the sake of
encouraging the democratization of research and problem solving, we
must recognize the advantages of grey literature given that it is
synonymous with semi-academic publications.
Notably, it is small
organizations that are often responsible for the production of grey
literature, which they then transmit through their own websites.
Because authorities and
the public generally neither recognize nor archive grey literature,
it is always at risk of becoming lost. 20
To expand on this there
are a number of independent journalists and researchers who have
taken the initiative to develop websites for the purpose of sharing
information that they have found is not adequately examined and/or
inappropriately communicated to the public by authorities, given
that the latter are represented by government, the news industry and
certain academic entities. 21-26
Another reason for this
is because some have identified that some academics are
discriminating against certain scientific discoveries and are
contributing toward biased research through a corrupted peer review
system. 27
Thus, a semi-academic
approach allows us to improve our understanding of subject matters
that would otherwise be underexplored by conventional methods, where
in this context, "conventional" refers to academic or non-academic
methods.
Below, figure 1
illustrates how grey literature is distinguishable from other
literature categories:
Figure 1.
Literature Categories and their Differences
A
Semi-academic Solution
What is an ONAP...?
As I have suggested
in the introduction, it is neither academic, nor non-
academic...
To expand on this,
it is
objective in that the purpose of such a publication is to present a
subject matter in a way that is both reflective of what happens in
nature and that simultaneously conveys data, information, or
knowledge to nearly any audience in a manner
that is accessible and comprehendible.
Likewise, this is so that
authors have the framework needed for sharing publications in a
manner that contributes to the knowledge base of humanity and to
problem solving without them having to commit to the rigid
guidelines that academia requires.
The ONAP is non-academic
in the sense that it need not comprise all of the features of an
academic publication. Further, it is a publication as it is a means
for communicating objective research and for presenting solutions to
problems.
What distinguishes the ONAP from others relates to its semi-academic
approach to research and problem solving. In particular, it is its
structural outline and linguistic characteristics that make it
distinguishable.
In the previous subsection, I discussed its
semi-academic approach to research and problem solving.
From here on, I analyze
the design of the ONAP so that it allows for the democratization of
research and problem solving.
The structural outline of the ONAP is open for alteration.
Nonetheless, it is comprised of a cover page, an abstract, an
introduction, a section for the analysis of literature, a
conclusion, and finally, a list of references.
Although it does not
include any other features and sections, depending on an author's
preferences and/or objectives, it is possible to add others. I have
chosen by standard to not include a methodology section as part of
the structural outline because this publication format is intended
for publishing analyses and research, as well as for presenting
solutions to social and technical problems.
To clarify, a methodology
section is most appropriate where the author(s) detail an experiment
that tests a hypothesis.
Thus, they use technical
terminology to describe all facets of their research, which is
something that scientists most often perform in the natural
sciences, and less often in the social sciences. 28
Hence, the reason why the
ONAP does not include a methodology section is because it is
intended for synthesizing research findings, rather than presenting
the results of experiments that test hypotheses.
Yet, this needn't be as
such because anyone can use this publication format as long as they
carefully consider how they want to contribute to human survival,
happiness, and evolution.
Additionally, I have
designed the structural format in this way because it is primarily
intended for the following: articles, books, blog posts, papers, and
reports.
To clarify, I am not
suggesting that all of these communication mediums must have this
structural outline, although they can incorporate some of the
criteria so that they embody a semi-academic approach.
In addition to the structural outline, the other feature that makes
the ONAP distinguishable relates to linguistics. Throughout this
article I use the first person and the present tense, as I do in
this sentence, for example.
Traditionally, academic
publications have been reliant upon the use of the third person and
the past tense, as the author has done in this sentence, although
this is admittedly a facetious example!
The reason why I suggest
the ONAP incorporates the first person and the present tense is
because it makes the text more accessible to an audience of
non-specialists in the topic of concern and who may not have a
background in science. 29
In addition, it is easier
for the brain to process and visualize the text with the use of the
present tense.
Another consideration is the use of technical
terminology; the ONAP includes this terminology for describing
concepts, theories, or phenomena, which is in accordance to academic
standards for the purpose of objectivity.
However, when authors use
this terminology in a publication they should ensure they define it
and/or describe it.
For example, in this
paper, I have provided a definition of the word "academic" and a
description of the term "grey literature" so as to minimize the
ambiguity of their significance.
Another aspect that distinguishes the ONAP is that the author(s) may
publish their work independently.
What does this mean?
Once the author has
completed their work, the onus is on them to review it for errors,
whether they be logical, factual and/or grammatical.
For the purpose of
efficiency and efficacy, it is both possible and desirable that they
make their work available for review by peers, regardless of whether
they are relatives, friends, fellow academics or scientists, or even
a combination of all of the above.
Although it may be
beneficial that the author has their work reviewed by others,
insofar as it helps to reduce their workload, I must emphasize that
they are the ones who understand their work best.
Before they even begin
thinking about sending their work for review, they should analyze it
as meticulously as they can, although in general this may be
challenging due to time constraints.
Therefore, what I suggest
is that they task themselves with ensuring that their facticity and
logic are coherent, which is what they are most capable of doing
relative to anyone else.
They could then send
their work for review, but mainly for grammatical purposes, which
can help for both improving the readability of their research and
for reducing their workload.
Ideally though, the
author(s) should be able to perform their own review without needing
external help because this will ultimately help them to improve
their ability to communicate clearly, as well as to analyze and
conduct research.
Designing the
ONAP: Articles and Papers
Before discussing the details of the design of these publication
types, I must point out that articles and papers are fundamentally
the same except that the former are normally featured as part of a
journal or a magazine, whereas the latter are standalone documents.
For this reason, I
address this document as a paper.
Another reason is that
this paper is independently published, hence, it does not belong to
any journal or magazine.
1. Cover Page
Though it is technically a feature rather than a section, a
cover page is mainly decorative and it serves the purpose of
informing the reader as to what the publication is about.
If using this paper
as an example, its design features a grey cover page, which
signifies that it fits within the category of grey literature.
In terms of its structure, it consists of the publication's
title, the author's details, the paper's publisher, including
the date the paper was published and if applicable, edited.
This is followed by a
field for the publication's abstract, allowing the readers to
gain a general impression of the publication before they read
it.
This paper's cover
page need not be replicated; any design and structure may be
used so that it reflects the needs of the author and of their
audience.
2. Title
This is the beginning of the publication because it is the first
thing that the reader encounters.
Thus, it should have
an appropriate title so that it sets the context for the subject
matter. Ideally, it should be concise and descriptive of the
publication's contents.
The language should be in the present
tense and preferably unbiased. To expand on this, I shall use
the title of this paper as an example.
The title is concise
and unambiguous because it describes the object, which is the
publication. We are aware that the object, which is the
publication, is both objective and non-academic.
However, it is
possible that some may nevertheless find the title ambiguous; it
is for this reasons I have included a subtitle, which appears
after the colon.
3. Abstract
An abstract, alternatively known as a "summary" is not a
necessary section for the ONAP.
However, I suggest
its inclusion for two reasons. The first reason is because it
helps the reader decide whether the subject matter is of their
interest and hence, whether it is worth their time to read the
publication.
The second reason is
that it provides the reader with a general impression of the
topic, which helps them to understand it concisely.
In this paper, I have
used the word "Summary" instead of "Abstract" for providing a
general view of the topic. The reason for this is because the
latter is by tradition an academic term, and thus, it is
suggestive of an academic publication.
For distinguishing
the ONAP, it may be preferable to use the word "Summary" as it
does not connote an academic publication.
4.
Introduction
The introductory section is important for letting the readers
know what the subject matter is about, and why it is worth
researching and analyzing. Structurally, the author begins by
providing a background summary of the subject.
This serves the
purpose of reviewing some of the research already conducted by
others, if applicable.
Following this, the
author briefly examines some of the basic characteristics and
trends of the subject, which helps in terms of providing the
context and the rationale for their paper.
The latter segment of
the section is dedicated to describing the structure of their
publication, in terms of what they have researched and how they
analyze it.
With the above-mentioned established this eliminates the need
for an abstract, although as I have stated previously, I still
suggest its inclusion for reasons I have already outlined.
Nevertheless, this decision is dependent upon the author's
preferences. It is also dependent on how the author decides to
structure the introduction; it is possible to have a logical and
factual article that is readable for nearly any audience.
When expanding on
this point, the author can begin the introduction by summarizing
their personal experiences, if they have any, with some research
to help the readers understand what their point-of-view is, in
terms of what led them to publish their article and why they
believed it was worth the effort.
The author can do
this by presenting a problem they believe needs solving.
They may use
rhetorical questioning for engaging the reader. They can then
bring the introduction to an end with the author specifying on
what they intend to discuss in the proceeding sections.
For clarifying the above-mentioned, I use this paper as an
example.
In the beginning of the introductory section I present
a brief description of grey literature and how it relates to the
academic and non-academic spheres of influence, which is a
reflection of the research I have analyzed.
In the second
paragraph, I describe the need for the ONAP, where I explain how
it can be categorized as a semi-academic publication.
In the third
paragraph, I elaborate on how I have structured the paper so
that the reader is aware of what they should expect.
Here, I use knowledge
mobilization as an example of an issue that I have identified as
worthy of analysis due to its correlation with a semi-academic
approach, which in turn is what the ONAP is a reflection of.
5. Analysis
of Literature
This section is a combination of the literature review and the
discussion sections that academic articles traditionally
incorporate. Instead of having two separate sections, I have
decided to combine them, which is why I have labeled this
section as "Analysis of Literature".
The "Analysis"
segment refers to the application of both critical thinking and
logic for analyzing and discussing primary and/or secondary
research findings and their implications.
The "Literature"
segment refers to the information sources that the author is
analyzing. We must consider how literature in this context
includes not only information in the form of text, but that is
also audiovisual.
Because the publication framework is flexible this means that
the author can insert additional sections depending on the kind
of research they are conducting.
As I have suggested
previously, although a methodology section and its affiliates
are not necessary for the structural outline of this publication
format these can be added either before or after this section.
This will depend on
whether the author intends to include primary data in their
study. Should they intend to do so, then it is recommendable
that they follow academic guidelines for the sake of maintaining
objectivity and experimental replicability.
An aspect of this section that is worth noting is that academic
articles often include subsections for helping readers to
distinguish the perspectives that are relevant to the subject
matter.
As I have done for
the previous sections, I shall use this article as a case
illustration to specify what I am communicating here.
In the first
subsection entitled "The Academic Sphere of Influence", which is
under the section "Analysis of Literature", I begin by
discussing the definition of the word "academic", with the aim
of laying the foundation of what I was going to discuss in
subsequent paragraphs.
In doing so, I
followed through by specifying what an academic publication is,
what its structural outline is comprised of, followed by the
inclusion of an example of where such publications can be found.
Thus, I apply the
same procedure for all other subsections in this paper, which
aids in maintaining conciseness.
6.
Conclusion
The concluding section involves a summarization of the main
points that the article that the readers should consider once
they have read all of the previous sections.
As with most
publications this section is always placed toward the end. If a
paper incorporates primary research, then the author should
provide suggestions as to how their study could be improved.
If possible, the
author should also provide a brief description as to how the
reader can apply their findings for the benefit of humanity.
With regards to the
latter, I illustrate this in the concluding section of this
paper, although because I am relying primarily on secondary
research the approach is slightly different; instead of
referring to primary research, I discuss what the
evidence suggests in terms of the need for recognizing and
evaluating semi-academic publications, and hence, the need for
the ONAP.
7.
Acknowledgements
As with the methodology section and those that it relates to, it
is optional.
Whether the author
chooses to add it or not will depend on if they directly receive
any help.
We may consider the
following as being an example of such help:
informative
suggestions, ideas for designing and/or performing a study,
reviewing the manuscript for errors, and ideas for obtaining
research funding.
The purpose of this
section is mainly for giving credit to those that deserve it and
for letting the readers know who they could contact in the event
they may have further questions.
This section should
be situated in between the conclusion and the reference list.
8.
References
Another feature that distinguishes the ONAP is the section for
references...
We must note that
this section is entitled "References" and not "Bibliography".
The reason for this is because I combine the notes and sources
within the same section.
I do this with the
aim of reducing clutter in the text, which occurs when footnotes
are placed at the bottom of a page.
Although it is
standard procedure for footnotes to take this position, I have
opted instead to insert them in the section for references in
accordance to the number they are assigned.
An aspect that characterizes this section is that it employs a
numerical citation system. Here's what I mean by this.
The logic of this
numerical system is such that we can assign a unique number in
incremental order for every note and/or source, which helps to
further reduce clutter, making it easier for the reader to
process the text and visualize it.
All the reader has to
do is view the number allocated at the end of a sentence and
match it with the number that is in the reference list.
For example, the
sentence "There is a growing body of research that fits neither
in the academic nor in the non-academic categories.1" has the
number one allocated to it, indicating that the reader should
refer to the same number in the section for references.
I would argue that
this is a better citation system because other systems employed
by organizations such as the American Psychological Association
make the text more cluttered (which is ironic in this context).
To be precise, the
latter's citation format involves inserting between parentheses
the name of the source, followed by the date that their work was
published and, if applicable, the location where a quotation can
be found.
This is how it
appears (Author's Surname, Date of Publication, Page Number).
30
As we can observe,
this citation format comprises additional text that requires
more of the reader's attention, as opposed to the numerical
system.
Because the ONAP is designed as a semi-academic publication and
is intended to be digitally accessible and distributable,
authors should make use of notes and hyperlinks whenever
appropriate.
Also, if the author
makes a statement that does not necessitate a citation then they
may add a note, which would be appropriate if their aim is to
clarify an idea or concept that relates to their topic.
Similarly, a note
would be appropriate if the author is making a suggestion for
additional literature that they believe would be valuable for
the readers. For instance, this is something I have done for
references 21-27.
These consist of a
note, which is followed by a hyperlink for directing the readers
to the respective sources if they wish to gain more information.
Designing the
ONAP: Books
The structural outline of a book is similar to those of articles and
papers when applying a semi- academic approach.
Since I have already
discussed the details of the latter's structural outline, I shall
not replicate everything here. With that said, it is worth noting
that a non-fiction book is comprised of chapters and that those
chapters are essentially a collection of articles and/or essays.
Therefore, the
publication format is applicable to a non-fiction book.
However, there are some
minor differences; a book should include additional features such as
a table of contents and an index, both of which help to navigate the
readers and enable them to learn more efficiently and effectively.
As a side note, joining a
writer's guild is an option that holds potential for helping authors
to learn the basics of writing and publishing a book. 31
Designing the
ONAP: Blog Posts
A blog is a method of communication that emerged relatively
recently.
Although technically not
a publication as it is not a standalone document, it is the blog
post we are concerned with here. Beginning as an online writing tool
for helping users to maintain records of their online activities,
blogs have since rapidly become an important tool for communicating
on the Internet. 32
There are a number of
reasons for this.
Blogs are relatively
cheap to produce, and they are often free.
They also do not require
technical skills for their production. In addition, because their
content is easily updatable and distributable this makes them a
relatively accessible method of communication with the added benefit
of encouraging dialogue between the authors and their audience. 33
What is notable about
blogs is that they are enabling significantly the sharing of ideas,
concepts and/or theories. Thus, it is the participatory
characteristic of blogs that makes them so popular. 34
Blog posts read somewhat
like articles, although they tend to be shorter and less structured
than the latter.
Perhaps it is not surprising then to find research
indicating that blogs are a valuable resource for helping students
become more proficient learners in an academic context. 35-37
Essentially, a blog post
may be more informal than either an article, paper or a book, for
instance, as it is more personal, and it is therefore more
appropriate for encouraging dialogue between the author(s) and their
audience.
Although I did not intend to provide a brief introduction to blogs
and their posts in this subsection, I did so because they are a
relatively recent development. With that said, a blog post need not
be comprised of the structural outline of articles and papers.
However, it is
recommendable that authors adapt the section for references and its
numerical citation system for referring to literature that they have
consulted.
However, depending on
personal preferences, the author may choose to simply append a
hyperlink to a sentence for referring to literature and attributing
credit.
This is especially
important if they are communicating ideas, concepts and/or theories.
Designing the
ONAP: Reports
As I have written regarding the structural outline of books, reports
may be structured in a similar manner to articles and papers.
As such, I suggest
adapting the structural outline of the ONAP for formatting reports
as appropriate, depending upon the objective(s) of the author(s).
Conclusion
The objective, non-academic publication represents a semi-academic
approach to publishing.
It is distinguishable due
to the nature of its design, which is something I have illustrated
in the latter segment of this article. As such, it is a publication
format that is designed to be openly accessible and usable.
The most appropriate
publication formats for this endeavor are articles, books and blogs,
although it is possible to adapt the design for other communication
mediums.
With growing recognition of the need to address the gap between the
academic and non- academic spheres of influence, we are witnessing a
trend in which the Internet is enabling an unprecedented number of
people to have unprecedented access to data, information, or
knowledge.
As such, there is a
social need for this publication format due to the rise in the
quantity of grey literature, as well as the acceleration of
knowledge mobilization.
The ONAP is intended for democratizing research and problem solving.
It should be regarded not
just as a means for helping to address the gap between the academic
and non-academic circles.
It should also be regarded as a means for
enabling nearly anyone to conduct research and who believes that
they have ideas, concepts and/or theories that are worth sharing due
to the positive impact(s) they could have on the state of
humanity...
References
1 Auger, C., 1998.
Information Sources in Grey Literature. 4th ed. Reed Business
Information Ltd.
2 Campbell, D. and Guttel, W., 2005. 'Knowledge Production of
Firms: Research Networks and the "Scientification" of Business
R&D'. International Journal of Technology Management, 31,
pp.152-175.
3 Wallin, J., Isaksson, O., Larsson, A. and Elfstrom, B., 2014.
'Bridging the Gap between University and Industry: Three
Mechanisms for Innovation Efficiency'. International Journal of
Innovation and Technology Management, 11(1), pp.1-18.
4 Patil, M., Meena, M., Maste, D., Deshpande, R. and Kallurkar,
S., 2018. 'Building Effective Association amongst the Academia
World and Industry World'. In International Conference on
Innovative and Advanced Technologies in Engineering, pp.16-20.
5 Börjesson, L., 2016. 'Research outside Academia? - An Analysis
of Resources in Extra-Academic Report Writing'. Proceedings of
the Association for Information Science and Technology, 53(1),
pp.1-10.
6 Lawrence, A., 2018. 'Influence Seekers: The Production of Grey
Literature for Policy and Practice'. Information Services & Use,
37(4), pp.389-403.
7 Cooper, K., Marsolek, W., Riegelman, A., Farrell, S. and
Kelly, J., 2019. 'Grey Literature: Use, Creation, and Citation
Habits of Faculty Researchers across Disciplines'. Journal of
Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, 7(1), pp.1-24.
8 Moncada, A., 2012. 'More Communication Options and Tools: Semi
Academic Journals'. On Think Tanks.
Link:
https://onthinktanks.org/articles/more-communication-options-and-tools-semi-academic-journals/.
9 In: Etymonline. 2021. Academic.
10 Kelly, J., Sadeghieh, T. and Adeli, K., 2014. 'Peer Review in
Scientific Publications: Benefits, Critiques, & a Survival
Guide'. The Journal of the International Federation of Clinical
Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 25(3), pp.227-243.
11 Science.org. 2021. About AAAS. Available at:
https://www.science.org/content/page/about-science-aaas.
12 The Economist. 2021. Frequently asked questions. Available
at:
https://www.economist.com/frequently-asked-questions.
13 Wiek, A., Farioli, F., Fukushi, K. and Yarime, M., 2012.
'Sustainability Science: Bridging the Gap between Science and
Society'. Sustainability Science, 7(S1), pp.1-4.
14 Research Impact Canada. 2020. So What the Heck is Knowledge
Mobilization and why Should I Care?.
Available at:
http://researchimpact.ca/so-what-the-heck-is-knowledge-mobilization-and-why-should-i-care/.
15 Hannson, B., 1999. 'Interdisciplinarity: For What Purpose?'.
Policy Sciences, 32(4), pp.339- 343.
16 Youngblood, D., 2007. 'Interdisciplinary Studies and the
Bridging Disciplines: A Matter of Process'. Journal of Research
Practice, 3(2), pp.1-8.
17 Please review reference 1.
18 Internet Archive. 2021. Internet Archive Projects. Available
at:
https://archive.org/projects/.
19 Al Lily, A., 2016. 'Academic Journals through the Lens of
Socialism: A Narrative from the Disciplines of Education and
Technology'. Publishing Research Quarterly, 32(2), pp.113-124.
20 Marsolek, W., Farrell, S., Kelly, J. and Cooper, K., 2021.
'Grey Literature: Advocating for Diverse Voices, Increased Use,
Improved Access, and Preservation'. College & Research Libraries
News, 82(2), pp.58-61.
21 Among a number of independent, investigative journalists is
James Corbett. He is the founder and host of The Corbett Report,
one of the most popular alternative media organizations. Link:
https://www.corbettreport.com/about/.
22 Activist Post is a website dedicated to "alternative news &
independent views" and it is maintained by a number of
independent journalists and researchers. Link:
https://www.activistpost.com/.
23 OffGuardian is a website dedicated toward open dialogue and
free expression. Its founders stand by the following motto
"Because Facts Really Should be Sacred". Link:
https://off-guardian.org/.
24 Andrew Johnson is an independent journalist and researcher
who founded a website dedicated to investigating issues that
have extensive and profound implications for humanity. He has
published a number of books, most of which examine evidence of
scientific and political corruption that have global
ramifications.
Link:
https://www.checktheevidence.com/wordpress/2007/07/03/about/.
25 Richard Hall is an independent journalist and researcher who
has founded a website where in video format he analyzes and
discusses matters of contention that authorities either
intentionally or otherwise do not.
As with Andrew Johnson (see
reference 24) he investigates issues that have extensive and
profound implications for humanity.
Link:
https://www.richplanet.net/aboutus.php.
26 Biblioteca Pleyades is an online archive. In its own words,
the website offers "a collection of many texts in Spanish and
English that have always been, in one way or another, "under our
noses", but which never received the necessary attention and
outreach, and which are now available on the Internet for all
who wish to seek… his/her Truth".
Link:
https //bibliotecapleyades.net/esp_finalidad.htm.
27 Archive Freedom is a website that was founded for the purpose
of exposing dogmatism in science, and corruption within the peer
review system. Although it no longer appears to be maintained,
it contains information of value for understanding these issues.
Link: https://web.archive.org/details/http://www.archivefreedom.org.
28 Azevedo, L., Canário-Almeida, F., Almeida Fonseca, J.,
Costa-Pereira, A., Winck, J. and Hespanhol, V., 2011. 'How to
Write a Scientific Paper - Writing the Methods
Section'. Portuguese Journal of Pulmonology, 17(5), pp.232-238.
29 Hartley, J., 2012. 'New Ways of Making Academic Articles
Easier to Read'. International Journal of Clinical and Health
Psychology, 12(1), pp.143-160.
30 American Psychological Association. 2021. APA Style.
Available at:
https://apastyle.apa.org/.
31 The Jerry Jenkins Writer's Guild is a website founded by New
York Times best-selling author Jerry Jenkins. His website is a
valuable resource that covers the major aspects concerning the
writing and publication of books. It also provides useful
information for designing the structural outline of a book
through a semi-academic approach.
Link:
https://jerryjenkins.com/online-creative-writing-courses/.
32 Hsu, C. and Lin, J., 2008. 'Acceptance of Blog Usage: The
Roles of Technology Acceptance, Social Influence and Knowledge
Sharing Motivation'. Information & Management, 45(1), pp.65- 74.
33 Goodfellow, T. and Graham, S., 2007. 'The Blog as a
High‐Impact Institutional Communication Tool'. The Electronic
Library, 25(4), pp.395-400.
34 Lankshear, C. and Knobel, M., 2006. 'Blogging as
Participation: The Active Sociality of a New Literacy', pp.1-14.
35 Yang, C. and Chang, Y., 2011. 'Assessing the Effects of
Interactive Blogging on Student Attitudes towards Peer
Interaction, Learning Motivation, and Academic Achievements'.
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(2), pp.126-135.
36 Muncy, J., 2014. 'Blogging for Reflection: The Use of Online
Journals to Engage Students in Reflective Learning'. Marketing
Education Review, 24(2), pp.101-114.
37 Kuo, Y., Belland, B. and Kuo. Y., 2017. 'Learning Through
Blogging: Students. Perspectives in Collaborative Blog-Enhanced
Learning Communities'. Journal of Educational Technology &
Society, 20(2), pp.37-50.
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