580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Key research themes
1. How can the historical practices and features of traditional books inform and enhance the digital ebook design process in tools like iBooks Author?
This research theme investigates how knowledge of historical book forms, reading behaviors, and annotation practices can provide actionable design insights for improving digital ebooks. The goal is to leverage affordances from the history of print culture, counterintuitive constraints, and reader interactions that have been diminished or lost, to enrich the interactivity and functionality of ebooks developed via platforms such as iBooks Author. It matters because current ebook design often leans heavily on surface features or purely digital affordances rather than grounding innovation in well-established reading traditions. Integrating deep historical understanding can lead to richer, more reader-centered ebook experiences.
Key finding: The paper demonstrates that many historical book features and reading practices—such as physical book forms, annotation methods, and shelving strategies—have been lost or weakened but could be revitalized through ebook... Read more
Key finding: This study reveals how interactive ebook design, including gamification elements developed in formats compatible with iBooks Author, can transform passive reading into active, contextual learning experiences. By integrating... Read more
Key finding: Based on practical experience in a Japanese university, this paper details the workflow of creating interactive course materials using iBooks Author. It identifies specific benefits and challenges, such as enhanced... Read more
2. What are the established ethical and practical criteria for authorship attribution and how do they shape the practice of scientific and scholarly publishing?
This theme focusses on authorship determination policies, common misconceptions, and ethical considerations critical in scientific publication and academia. It matters because clear, standardized authorship criteria underpin intellectual responsibility, prevent inappropriate credit attribution, and maintain research integrity. The exploration of guidelines such as those by ICMJE and the analysis of phenomena such as gift, guest, and ghost authorships provide actionable frameworks for institutions and authors to evaluate and assign authorship correctly.
Key finding: The paper expounds the four ICMJE authorship criteria emphasizing intellectual contributions, manuscript drafting, approval, and accountability. It categorizes unethical authorship forms—guest, gift, and ghost... Read more
Key finding: This article empirically dispels widespread myths, such as the necessity for authors to be geographically co-located or hold particular qualifications, by presenting documented cases (e.g., technicians as authors). It... Read more
Key finding: This work presents ReCiter, a novel identity-driven algorithm addressing the practical problem of accurate, scalable authorship attribution in academic institutions, going beyond name disambiguation by integrating... Read more
3. How do theoretical and practical perspectives on authorship evolve across disciplines including literary studies, media, and scholarly communication in the digital era?
The theme surveys diverse conceptualizations of authorship from literary theory to digital publishing, examining shifting notions of the 'author' as a social, cultural, and technological construct. It assesses how digital media, collaborative production, open access, and intellectual property debates redefine authorial identity and agency. This matters for understanding authorship beyond individual creativity towards recognizing multi-faceted, networked, and politically embedded authorship, influencing future publishing and academic scholarship.
Key finding: This foundational text rigorously differentiates between the historical (empirical) author and the implied (constructed) author, providing conceptual clarity essential for literary and media scholarship. By examining... Read more
Key finding: Through literary analysis, this article reveals how these authors employ authorial presence as a narrative strategy to engage and captivate readers, challenging simplistic stereotypes of authorial control. It provides... Read more
Key finding: This research project elucidates tensions in digital-age copyright and open access debates through the lens of publishing ethics, technological affordances, and neoliberal agendas. It articulates how authorship is... Read more