Samuel Moore
@samuelmoore.org
Researcher at Cambridge University Library / Cambridge Digital Humanities
PI: @morphss.bsky.social
New book: Publishing Beyond the Market https://press.umich.edu/Books/P/Publishing-Beyond-the-Market
https://www.samuelmoore.org
PI: @morphss.bsky.social
New book: Publishing Beyond the Market https://press.umich.edu/Books/P/Publishing-Beyond-the-Market
https://www.samuelmoore.org
Pinned
Samuel Moore
@samuelmoore.org
· Sep 1
You can now download the book on the publisher's website: press.umich.edu/Books/P/Publ... (open access of course)
"Ultimately, peer review didn’t transform Nature’s standing so much as protect it, converting exclusivity that might have seemed arbitrary into gatekeeping that appeared meritocratic."
Nice piece by Robert Reason on the prestige of Nature www.asimov.press/p/nature
Nice piece by Robert Reason on the prestige of Nature www.asimov.press/p/nature
How Nature Became a 'Prestige' Journal
Since launching in 1869, Nature has evolved from a periodical offering commentary on pigeons to the prestige journal in science. But how did Nature build its reputation, and can it last?
www.asimov.press
January 11, 2026 at 6:57 AM
"Ultimately, peer review didn’t transform Nature’s standing so much as protect it, converting exclusivity that might have seemed arbitrary into gatekeeping that appeared meritocratic."
Nice piece by Robert Reason on the prestige of Nature www.asimov.press/p/nature
Nice piece by Robert Reason on the prestige of Nature www.asimov.press/p/nature
Not at all worrying that Google's AI summary result is usually just an authoritative repackaging of the first Reddit hit on the subject.
January 10, 2026 at 9:12 AM
Not at all worrying that Google's AI summary result is usually just an authoritative repackaging of the first Reddit hit on the subject.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Séance de lecture collective du livre de @samuelmoore.org chez @erudit.org aujourd'hui. Came for the book, stayed for the biscuits. Or came for the biscuits, stayed for the book. Works both ways! 🫖☕️🍪📖
January 9, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Séance de lecture collective du livre de @samuelmoore.org chez @erudit.org aujourd'hui. Came for the book, stayed for the biscuits. Or came for the biscuits, stayed for the book. Works both ways! 🫖☕️🍪📖
"Paper mills exist purely to make money, and successful ones can make millions. But how does this business model work? Surely, academic journals have editors and peer reviewers who exert quality control on what gets published."
By @deevybee.bsky.social
By @deevybee.bsky.social
Paper Mills: a new threat to scientific publishing – Full Fact
There's a new problem for publication in research: scientific fraud.
fullfact.org
January 8, 2026 at 9:33 AM
"Paper mills exist purely to make money, and successful ones can make millions. But how does this business model work? Surely, academic journals have editors and peer reviewers who exert quality control on what gets published."
By @deevybee.bsky.social
By @deevybee.bsky.social
Academic publishing was bad long before the platformised web. This is a consequence of marketisation not enshittification.
January 8, 2026 at 6:51 AM
Academic publishing was bad long before the platformised web. This is a consequence of marketisation not enshittification.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
📣 First research seminar of 2026! @samuelmoore.org, scholarly communication specialist at Cambridge University Library, will give a talk on 'Publishing beyond the market'.
🎧 Make sure to join!
📅 Friday, 16/1/2025 | 3:00-4:15 PM (CET)
📌 Online & at CWTS
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
🎧 Make sure to join!
📅 Friday, 16/1/2025 | 3:00-4:15 PM (CET)
📌 Online & at CWTS
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
Publishing beyond the market
This talk will outline the argument in my new book Publishing Beyond the Market: Open Access, Care, and the Commons (University of Michigan Press, 2025). The book explores the evolution of the open ac...
www.universiteitleiden.nl
January 7, 2026 at 3:15 PM
📣 First research seminar of 2026! @samuelmoore.org, scholarly communication specialist at Cambridge University Library, will give a talk on 'Publishing beyond the market'.
🎧 Make sure to join!
📅 Friday, 16/1/2025 | 3:00-4:15 PM (CET)
📌 Online & at CWTS
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
🎧 Make sure to join!
📅 Friday, 16/1/2025 | 3:00-4:15 PM (CET)
📌 Online & at CWTS
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/events/20...
Reposted by Samuel Moore
THE MUNBY FELLOWSHIP IS NOW 12 MONTHS!!!!
If you're thinking about applying, do it. As well as the blissful research time and independence to explore unparalleled collections across Cambridge, you get supportive mentorship, great colleagues and a college environment to boot. I loved it.
If you're thinking about applying, do it. As well as the blissful research time and independence to explore unparalleled collections across Cambridge, you get supportive mentorship, great colleagues and a college environment to boot. I loved it.
Apply to be the 2026-7 Munby Fellow in bibliography and history of the book @theul.bsky.social
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 at University of Cambridge
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
www.jobs.ac.uk
January 7, 2026 at 12:09 PM
THE MUNBY FELLOWSHIP IS NOW 12 MONTHS!!!!
If you're thinking about applying, do it. As well as the blissful research time and independence to explore unparalleled collections across Cambridge, you get supportive mentorship, great colleagues and a college environment to boot. I loved it.
If you're thinking about applying, do it. As well as the blissful research time and independence to explore unparalleled collections across Cambridge, you get supportive mentorship, great colleagues and a college environment to boot. I loved it.
'And according to @eschares.bsky.social, data suggest that APCs bear almost no relation to publishing expenses. “So that tells me that APCs are not set on really what it costs to produce an article there,” he said. “It’s more prestige.”'
Undark piece on who should pay for scientific publishing.
Undark piece on who should pay for scientific publishing.
In Scientific Publishing, Who Should Foot the Bill?
Publishers often charge authors to publish their publicly-funded research. Will a federal crackdown make a difference?
undark.org
January 7, 2026 at 12:02 PM
'And according to @eschares.bsky.social, data suggest that APCs bear almost no relation to publishing expenses. “So that tells me that APCs are not set on really what it costs to produce an article there,” he said. “It’s more prestige.”'
Undark piece on who should pay for scientific publishing.
Undark piece on who should pay for scientific publishing.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Apply to be the 2026-7 Munby Fellow in bibliography and history of the book @theul.bsky.social
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 at University of Cambridge
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
www.jobs.ac.uk
January 5, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Apply to be the 2026-7 Munby Fellow in bibliography and history of the book @theul.bsky.social
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
Apply to be the 2026-7 Munby Fellow in bibliography and history of the book @theul.bsky.social
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 at University of Cambridge
Searching for an academic job? Explore this Munby Fellowship in Bibliography 2026 - 2027 opening on jobs.ac.uk! Click to view more details and browse other academic jobs.
www.jobs.ac.uk
January 5, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Apply to be the 2026-7 Munby Fellow in bibliography and history of the book @theul.bsky.social
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPZ688/m...
Regular reminder that research assessment reform is, above all, a labour issue.
I've learned that Edinburgh University is planning to cut 20% of academics in some departments
To decide who gets the chop, they generated an academic contribution metric that is a raw count of *any type* of output, including book reviews.
The management of UK Universities continues to amaze
To decide who gets the chop, they generated an academic contribution metric that is a raw count of *any type* of output, including book reviews.
The management of UK Universities continues to amaze
January 5, 2026 at 9:30 AM
Regular reminder that research assessment reform is, above all, a labour issue.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Some of my fellow manuscript nerds may not be familiar with the thriving practices around handwritten Torah scrolls, which should be remedied! So have a 🧵
Torah scrolls as we know them are about two thousand years old, and have been essentially identical to one another for the last thousand years.
Torah scrolls as we know them are about two thousand years old, and have been essentially identical to one another for the last thousand years.
January 2, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Some of my fellow manuscript nerds may not be familiar with the thriving practices around handwritten Torah scrolls, which should be remedied! So have a 🧵
Torah scrolls as we know them are about two thousand years old, and have been essentially identical to one another for the last thousand years.
Torah scrolls as we know them are about two thousand years old, and have been essentially identical to one another for the last thousand years.
This is a cool idea, although I'm always sceptical about voluntary adoption of a standard. A lot could change if universities or funders were to mandate certain conditions from publishers.
Journals that work hard to meet the needs of both authors and readers should be acknowledged publicly — encouraging others to follow suit, says researcher Jennifer A. Byrne
go.nature.com/4sgKWzg
go.nature.com/4sgKWzg
Put pressure on publishers to follow best practice — external regulation is the answer
Journals that work hard to meet the needs of both authors and readers should be acknowledged publicly — encouraging others to follow suit.
go.nature.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:05 AM
This is a cool idea, although I'm always sceptical about voluntary adoption of a standard. A lot could change if universities or funders were to mandate certain conditions from publishers.
"Does the open science movement—the push to make research outputs such as articles, data, and software free to read and reuse—produce the benefits its supporters claim, such as accelerating discovery and promoting science literacy? The answer is a qualified yes."
Is ‘open science’ delivering benefits? Major study finds proof is sparse
It’s hard to measure social and economic impacts of making papers and data free, researchers say
www.science.org
December 31, 2025 at 10:34 PM
"Does the open science movement—the push to make research outputs such as articles, data, and software free to read and reuse—produce the benefits its supporters claim, such as accelerating discovery and promoting science literacy? The answer is a qualified yes."
I still find it strange that policymakers looked at the commercial exploitation of open access and thought it would be in any way improved by APC price transparency.
Another smaller point from @samuelmoore.org's book, which I won't blog, concerns transparency and costs/prices in Plan S. I really hate the "break down your APC and tell us how much editorial costs" because it treats staff as elastic resources. By which I mean, you need to know how many APCs...
December 30, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I still find it strange that policymakers looked at the commercial exploitation of open access and thought it would be in any way improved by APC price transparency.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Another smaller point from @samuelmoore.org's book, which I won't blog, concerns transparency and costs/prices in Plan S. I really hate the "break down your APC and tell us how much editorial costs" because it treats staff as elastic resources. By which I mean, you need to know how many APCs...
December 30, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Another smaller point from @samuelmoore.org's book, which I won't blog, concerns transparency and costs/prices in Plan S. I really hate the "break down your APC and tell us how much editorial costs" because it treats staff as elastic resources. By which I mean, you need to know how many APCs...
Reposted by Samuel Moore
(Signal boosting over here from Mastodon)
New Sam Popowich next fall coming on AI!
litwinbooks.com/books/8587/
New Sam Popowich next fall coming on AI!
litwinbooks.com/books/8587/
Knowledge Capital - Litwin Books & Library Juice Press
“Artificial Intelligence” as it exists today is a cultural text, as well as a set of technologies. As a text, it is not only available for accepting or resisting, but … Read more Knowledge Capital
litwinbooks.com
December 27, 2025 at 12:21 AM
(Signal boosting over here from Mastodon)
New Sam Popowich next fall coming on AI!
litwinbooks.com/books/8587/
New Sam Popowich next fall coming on AI!
litwinbooks.com/books/8587/
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Sam @samuelmoore.org uses the notion of "commonsiness" at one point, and I can't help but hear it as Gollum.
December 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Sam @samuelmoore.org uses the notion of "commonsiness" at one point, and I can't help but hear it as Gollum.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Reposted by Samuel Moore
Very much enjoyed @samuelmoore.org's book 'Publishing Beyond the Market'. doi.org/10.3998/mpub...
Somewhat naively I was hoping Sam would present grand plan for fixing scholarly publishing, but instead Sam makes the interesting point that the idea we need such a plan is itself part of the problem!
Somewhat naively I was hoping Sam would present grand plan for fixing scholarly publishing, but instead Sam makes the interesting point that the idea we need such a plan is itself part of the problem!
Publishing Beyond the Market: Open Access, Care, and the Commons
<I>Publishing Beyond the Market</I> argues that the move to open access should focus less on the free accessibility of research outputs and more on who controls the publications and infrastructures fo...
doi.org
December 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Very much enjoyed @samuelmoore.org's book 'Publishing Beyond the Market'. doi.org/10.3998/mpub...
Somewhat naively I was hoping Sam would present grand plan for fixing scholarly publishing, but instead Sam makes the interesting point that the idea we need such a plan is itself part of the problem!
Somewhat naively I was hoping Sam would present grand plan for fixing scholarly publishing, but instead Sam makes the interesting point that the idea we need such a plan is itself part of the problem!
Still time to download and email this to your loved ones for Christmas.
Finally, now, can sit down for some catch-up reading and I'm turning to @samuelmoore.org's recent "Publishing Beyond the Market". I'm a few pages in and he's cited just about the best bit in my book, so it's looking promising 😂 Seriously, though, looking forward to this.
December 24, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Still time to download and email this to your loved ones for Christmas.
Reposted by Samuel Moore
With the main Swiss funder limiting the amount that can be spent on APCs, publishers know that Swiss institutions are under more pressure to sign transformative agreements and so are in a weaker negotiating position.
Today the Swiss announced they don't have an agreement with Springer Nature -- swissuniversity tried to secure a deal and failed in the face of the extreme rise in publishing fees.
When the game is rigged, it's better to stop playing.
🧵 to understand the drain of scientific publishing👇
When the game is rigged, it's better to stop playing.
🧵 to understand the drain of scientific publishing👇
December 23, 2025 at 12:05 AM
With the main Swiss funder limiting the amount that can be spent on APCs, publishers know that Swiss institutions are under more pressure to sign transformative agreements and so are in a weaker negotiating position.
With the main Swiss funder limiting the amount that can be spent on APCs, publishers know that Swiss institutions are under more pressure to sign transformative agreements and so are in a weaker negotiating position.
Today the Swiss announced they don't have an agreement with Springer Nature -- swissuniversity tried to secure a deal and failed in the face of the extreme rise in publishing fees.
When the game is rigged, it's better to stop playing.
🧵 to understand the drain of scientific publishing👇
When the game is rigged, it's better to stop playing.
🧵 to understand the drain of scientific publishing👇
December 23, 2025 at 12:05 AM
With the main Swiss funder limiting the amount that can be spent on APCs, publishers know that Swiss institutions are under more pressure to sign transformative agreements and so are in a weaker negotiating position.
'The “big five” academic publishers have all reached agreements with UK universities, with a trial that will remove fees on a per article basis from certain journals being hailed as a “global first”.'
UK publishing deals with ‘big five’ hailed as ‘key milestone’
‘Global first’ agreements break link between pricing and the number of articles published for the first time
www.timeshighereducation.com
December 22, 2025 at 7:22 PM
'The “big five” academic publishers have all reached agreements with UK universities, with a trial that will remove fees on a per article basis from certain journals being hailed as a “global first”.'
New measure of academic impact just dropped: number of citations received to papers that chatgpt created and fraudulently attributed to you.
These are all the 42 papers Google Scholar has found citing "our" paper that we never wrote - who knows how much actual human touch went into them? scholar.google.com.vn/scholar?star...
scholar.google.com.vn
December 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
New measure of academic impact just dropped: number of citations received to papers that chatgpt created and fraudulently attributed to you.