(Online) guest lecture at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. July 17, 2020.

1. COVID-19 and its implications for the scholarly
communication system
Ludo Waltman
Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS)
Leiden University
Guest lecture at Zhejiang University
July 17, 2020

2. 1

3. The scholarly
communication
system
2

4. The scholarly communication system
3
Publication of
article in journal
Submission of
article to journal
Reviewers
Authors Readers

5. 4

6. The scholarly communication system
5
Publication of
article in journal
Submission of
article to journal
Reviewers
Authors Readers
Publication of
article on
preprint server
Submission of
article to preprint
server
Rapid peer
review
Peer review of
preprints
Open access
publishing
Next generation
search technologies
Screening of
preprints

7. Implications of COVID-19 for the scholarly
communication system
• Dissemination
• Accessibility
• Quality control
• Findability
6

8. Dissemination
7

9. The scholarly communication system
8
Publication of
article in journal
Submission of
article to journal
Reviewers
Authors Readers
Publication of
article on
preprint server
Submission of
article to preprint
server

10. 9Source: Fraser & Kramer (https://github.com/nicholasmfraser/covid19_preprints)

11. 10

12. 11

13. 12

14. Accessibility
13

15. The scholarly communication system
14
Publication of
article in journal
Submission of
article to journal
Reviewers
Authors Readers
Publication of
article on
preprint server
Submission of
article to preprint
server
Open access
publishing

16. 15

17. 16

18. 17

19. Quality control
18

20. The scholarly communication system
19
Publication of
article in journal
Submission of
article to journal
Reviewers
Authors Readers
Publication of
article on
preprint server
Submission of
article to preprint
server
Rapid peer
review
Peer review of
preprints
Open access
publishing
Screening of
preprints

21. 20

22. 21

23. 22

24. 23

25. 24

26. Findability
25

27. The scholarly communication system
26
Publication of
article in journal
Submission of
article to journal
Reviewers
Authors Readers
Publication of
article on
preprint server
Submission of
article to preprint
server
Rapid peer
review
Peer review of
preprints
Open access
publishing
Next generation
search technologies
Screening of
preprints

28. 27

29. 28

30. 29

31. 30

32. 31
Literature databases
that don’t cover
preprints are of little
value

33. 32

34. Long-term
implications
33

35. 34

36. Long-term implications
• COVID-19 provides a strong case for open access to scholarly literature
• Preprint servers have (finally) proven their value in biomedical research
• Decoupling of dissemination and quality control
• Literature databases that don’t cover preprints risk losing their value
• Value of smart AI-based search technologies remains to be seen
35

37. Thank you for your attention!
36