Interlude: Explore-Exploit Tradeoff, Discussion Sections, and Open Access Publishing

Have you heard of the explore-exploit tradeoff?

(This tradeoff is also known as the exploration-exploitation tradeoff, but I prefer to avoid the nominalizations ).

We all face the explore-exploit tradeoff every day when we need to choose between options. If we choose to exploit, then we pick the option based on what we know or expect. If we choose to explore, then we pick the option based on what will help us learn or experience something new.

Both choices have a place and purpose. But the exploit option has an important nuance to consider.

In some cases, we may choose to exploit because we feel confident in what we know or expect. But in other cases, we may choose to exploit because we want to feel comfortable in what is familiar.

We choose to write a manuscript inefficiently because we've successfully published that way before. Or we choose to ask a long-time collaborator for feedback on our grant because our newest team member isn't as familiar with our research topic. Or we choose not to invest in a writing course because it would mean feeling the discomfort of putting more constraints on our time or finances.

But choosing the comfortable option limits our growth and opportunities. And choosing the uncomfortable option can support our transformation.

So I encourage you to choose to explore and feel uncomfortable more often. Test a new system for writing a manuscript. Ask your new team member for feedback on your grant. Take a writing course that will help you advance your skills.

Grow beyond your comfort zone.

Now onto this week's round-up...

💌 Round-up

🎉 Featured

The Essential Elements of the Discussion Section of a Research Manuscript​
The Discussion is the most difficult section of a research manuscript to write, largely because of its flexible structure and open-ended nature. With my latest publication, you can build confidence in writing this section by ensuring that you include all the essential elements that showcase the study and highlight its impact to the field.

📆 Upcoming

Scientific Writing Simplified​
Today is the last day to enroll in my signature course and take your scientific and medical writing to the next level. This course will give you a systematic guide to crafting compelling writing that engages, informs, and persuades readers.

👓 Reading

Open access scientific publications get more diverse citations​
"...large-scale study of bibliographic data found that open-access research publications—those freely available on the internet—receive more diverse citations compared to paywalled publications, which require a subscription or payment to access. Authors who cite open-access publications (i.e., refer to them in their own scientific work) tend to come from a broader range of institutions, countries, geographic regions, and research fields.”

​The predatory publishing trap: dangers and solutions in the age of open access​
"…predatory journals have come a long way since librarian Jeffrey Beall coined the term in 2008. Modern predators may:

• use names that look like those of established journals

• list reputable scientists as colleagues (without their knowledge)

• use counterfeit indexing in recognised databases

• be linked to paper mills

• ‘hijack’ legitimate journals via URL fraud.”

🎧 Listening

Matthew Dicks: How to Tell a Story so That Everyone Listens [The Knowledge Project Ep. #202]​
In this podcast episode, Matthew Dicks shares "what makes a story truly resonate with an audience, how to identify and highlight the pivotal moments that create emotional impact, the architecture of compelling stories, how to structure narratives for maximum engagement and how to use techniques like suspense, stakes, and humor to keep audiences on the edge of their seats."

💬 Quote

“Growth begins at the edge of our comfort zone, where challenges become catalysts for transformation.” – Aloo Denish Obiero

Thank you so much for reading.

Warmly,

Crystal