While I agree that it is annoying that ResearchGate sends emails to oneâs co-authors claiming to be from you, it is not the case that there are no redeeming features to the website. It is possible to turn off the feature that allows it to send email without your permission (although it should be off by default of course). The reason I mention this is that I actually find ResearchGate to be the only social networking site that actually is designed for researchers rather than college students (Facebook) or business people (LinkedIn). For example, on my page (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Frederick_Gallun/), I was quickly able to assemble a list of all my publications and to upload pdfs of those that are not under copyright. The site had actually gone and found the majority of the publications using Pubmed, and all I had to do was approve them. It also shows the impact factor of each publication and gives an average impact factor and the total number of âimpact pointsâ for a given author (not that I think such things are very meaningful, but it is somewhat amusing to think about). Furthermore, it allows you to âfollowâ colleagues so that you will get alerts when they publish a new article. I think that they may have alienated too large a percentage of their target audience with their ham-handed tactics of spamming everyoneâs co-authors. However, I do think that something like this will be the way that we keep tabs on activity in our field (and related fields) in the near future. I donât have the time to search through all the journals in which my colleagues might be publishing, and this seems like it could be a great way to know whenever a relevant article is published by someone I am interested in âfollowingâ. Furthermore, I think that, if properly developed, such a site could be a very good way to allow forums like the auditory list to be integrated into a larger framework. Anyhow, I intend to keep interacting with such sites and providing feedback to the developers in the hope that new and useful tools will be created. Erick ------------------------------------------------------- Frederick (Erick) Gallun, PhD National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research Fax: 503-721-1402 http://www.ncrar.research.va.gov/AboutUs/Staff/Gallun_A.asp This document is intended for the exclusive use of the recipient(s) named above. It may contain sensitive information that is protected, privileged, or confidential, and should not be disseminated, distributed, or copied to persons not authorized to receive such information. Unless otherwise noted, this communication represents the views of the sender and not necessarily those of the VA or NCRAR. If you are not the intended recipient or feel you have received this document in error, please notify the sender immediately and destroy the original. > -----Original Message----- > From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception > [mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Al Bregman > Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2012 6:02 PM > To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: Research Gate > > Hi John, > > Thanks for letting us know about Research Gate. > > Al > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------ > Albert S. Bregman, Emeritus Professor > Psychology Department, McGill University > 1205 Doctor Penfield Avenue > Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 1B1. > Office:Â Phone: (514) three-nine-eight-6103, > ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂFax: (514) three-nine-eight-4896 > http://webpages.mcgill.ca/staff/Group2/abregm1/web/ > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------ > > > On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 4:08 AM, John Culling <cullingj@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote: > > Dear all, > > > > I thought I should alert everyone to this organisation's recruitment > methods. > > I received an email yesterday which appeared to be from a colleague > > and which invited me to join Research Gate and "claim" my papers. The > > invite included a picture of my colleague. She, however, has no > > relationship with this organisation and made no such invitation. > > > > John. |