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ResearchGate can connect you with content and researchers that you’ll find valuable to your own work.

ResearchGate is a social networking site connecting researchers throughout the world by allowing them to share publications, and information. This guide provides an introduction to ResearchGate and contains information about some of the most useful features to help researchers and professors creating a ResearchGate profile.  ​

ResearchGate  was started by two researchers Dr. Ijad Madisch and Dr. Sören Hofmayer, and computer scientist Horst Fickenscher.  ResearchGate today has more than 7 million members. 

Here's a quick tour of a ResearchGate profile

A ResearchGate profile is an overview of a researcher’s work: their publications, professional expertise, institutions, contributions, and all the questions they have answered on the website. Researchers can show their peers current projects. 

Here is an example of a ResearchGate Profile.

Researcher: Yuanchang Xie

Screenshot of Yuanchang Xie’s profile was taken on the 20th of July 2015.

Publication is one of the most useful features on ResearchGate: whether you are adding your research (Journal articles, conference papers,etc.), looking for research in your field, or downloading other researcher’s work.

Here is an example of ResearchGate publications.

Screenshot of Yuanchang Xie’s profile was taken on the 20th of July 2015

Ask research-related questions answered by other specialists. Share your knowledge, connect with researchers, and identify yourself as an expert in your field.

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• Last Updated: Oct 31, 2022 1:50 PM
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Q. What is ResearchGate? Is it a reputable source?

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Answered By: Kathryn Ray Last Updated: Mar 22, 2024     Views: 1626

ResearchGate is a business that hosts open access research. It is neither a publisher nor a journal. It is a popular hub on the web for sharing academic publications. There is no editorial review board, nor does ResearchGate require that articles be peer reviewed, although they may be. Since it is an academic social network and there is no process for vetting the articles, evaluate each source carefully. If you choose to use an article found on ResearchGate, cite it using the citation information provided by the authors. No mention of ResearchGate is necessary.

Sources: Guide from the University of Michigan   and the ResearchGate website.

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What is ResearchGate? Linking the Global Research Community

What is ResearchGate? Empowering Researchers Worldwide – Exploring the features and benefits of the renowned research collaboration platform.

In today’s interconnected world, collaboration and knowledge sharing are vital drivers of scientific progress. Researchers from diverse fields need a platform that facilitates networking, enables the dissemination of research findings, and encourages fruitful collaborations. Enter ResearchGate , a dynamic online platform that has revolutionized the way researchers connect, share, and discover scientific knowledge. With its vast user base and extensive range of features, ResearchGate has become an essential hub for the global research community. In this article, we will explore the world of ResearchGate, and understand its purpose, functionalities, and the benefits it offers to researchers worldwide.

What Is ResearchGate?

ResearchGate is a popular academic social networking site that has gained popularity among the scientific community. It offers user-friendly interfaces and features that attract scientists worldwide. The platform provides metrics related to articles, such as impact factors and citations, allowing researchers to assess the impact of their work. Additionally, to the question “What is ResearchGate?”, it supports open-access publications, increasing visibility and facilitating easy access to research information. The scientific community has embraced ResearchGate as a means to promote their work and showcase its impact through reliable scientometric measures. To create a profile and access ResearchGate, here is the link: https://www.researchgate.net/

History Of ResearchGate

ResearchGate was established in 2008 by Dr. Ijad Madisch , Dr. Sören Hofmayer , and computer scientist Horst Fickenscher . The founders, who were researchers themselves, encountered the challenges of collaborating with colleagues located in different parts of the world. This personal experience inspired them to create a platform that would facilitate global scientific collaboration and knowledge sharing. Since its inception, ResearchGate has grown significantly and now boasts a membership of over 17 million researchers, scientists, and academics. The platform continues to evolve, providing a valuable space for researchers to connect, collaborate, and access scientific publications.

Purpose Of ResearchGate

The purpose of ResearchGate is to provide a dedicated online platform for scientists, researchers, and academics to connect, collaborate, and share their work. It aims to facilitate global scientific collaboration and knowledge exchange by offering a range of features and tools specifically designed for the research community. The platform allows researchers to create profiles, upload and share their research papers, and engage in discussions with peers. The purpose is to foster collaboration, promote the dissemination of research findings, and accelerate scientific progress by connecting researchers from different disciplines and geographical locations.

Researchgate Features

ResearchGate offers several features to cater to the needs of scientists and researchers. Here’s an explanation of each feature:

Connecting With Other Scientists And Researchers

ResearchGate enables researchers to discover and connect with peers from diverse disciplines, fostering collaboration and networking. Users can search for researchers based on criteria like research interests and institutions, follow their work, exchange messages, and initiate collaborations. The platform also offers personalized recommendations, group participation, and event information, facilitating meaningful interactions, knowledge sharing, and expanding professional networks within the scientific community.

Creating A User Profile

Creating a user profile on ResearchGate is a fundamental aspect that allows researchers to present their academic identity to the scientific community. Through their profiles, researchers can showcase their expertise, research interests, and achievements. They can provide detailed information about their educational background, affiliations, publications, and research projects. User profiles also enable researchers to connect with peers, follow their work, and receive updates. It serves as a professional platform for researchers to establish their presence, highlight their contributions, and foster collaborations within the global research community.

Network For Scientists

ResearchGate engages scientists by providing a platform that fosters active participation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Through features such as discussions, Q&A forums, and personalized news feeds, researchers can engage in intellectual conversations, seek advice, and stay updated on the latest developments in their fields. The ability to follow and connect with other researchers enables scientists to expand their professional networks and establish connections with like-minded individuals. ResearchGate also offers opportunities for collaboration through its recommendation system, which suggests potential collaborators based on research interests.

Job Boards are a feature that serves as a valuable resource for researchers seeking employment opportunities within the academic and research sectors. By aggregating job postings from diverse sources such as universities, research institutions, and industry organizations, it provides a centralized platform for researchers to discover relevant positions. Researchers can browse through job listings, explore postdoctoral positions, faculty positions, research positions, and other research-related roles. The feature enables researchers to connect with potential employers, apply for positions directly through the platform, and expand their career prospects within the scientific community.

Related article: Academic Career – Make a Living Out of Learning

Access To Academic Journals And Publications

Access to academic journals and publications can be obtained through traditional subscription models or open-access initiatives. ResearchGate provides access to a vast collection of academic journals and publications and allows researchers to share and access papers, although availability depends on authors’ choices and copyright restrictions. Researchers should critically evaluate papers and consider alternative means of access, such as institutional subscriptions or open-access resources, to ensure reliable and comprehensive access to academic literature.

Also read: Pros and Cons of Open Access Publishing: Empowering Academics

Default Settings For Article Uploading And Sharing

ResearchGate provides default settings for article uploading and sharing, ensuring that researchers can easily upload their work and control its accessibility. Researchers can choose to make their articles publicly available or restrict access to specific individuals or groups. These settings allow researchers to share their work while maintaining control over its distribution and visibility.

Benefits Of Using ResearchGate

ResearchGate offers several benefits to researchers, facilitating their professional growth and fostering collaboration within the scientific community.

Professional Networking Opportunities

ResearchGate provides a platform for researchers to connect with colleagues from around the world. It enables researchers to build their professional network, establish collaborations, and engage in scientific discussions. By connecting with peers in their field, researchers can expand their knowledge, seek guidance, and stay updated on the latest developments and research trends.

Increasing Visibility Of Work And Publications

ResearchGate plays a crucial role in increasing the visibility of researchers’ work and publications. By uploading their research articles and publications to ResearchGate, researchers can increase the visibility and reach of their work. The platform allows other researchers to easily discover and access their publications, potentially leading to higher citation rates and broader recognition within the scientific community. This increased visibility can be particularly valuable for researchers who may not have access to traditional publishing avenues or want to share their findings quickly and widely.

Enhancing Collaboration Opportunities With Other Researchers

ResearchGate facilitates collaboration by connecting researchers with shared research interests. The platform enables researchers to identify potential collaborators, exchange ideas, and work together on joint projects. Collaborative projects also offer opportunities for sharing data, methodologies, and insights, which can lead to discoveries and breakthroughs. Building strong networks and actively seeking collaboration opportunities can enhance the quality and impact of research, ultimately driving progress in various fields of study.

Challenges Associated With Researchgate

While ResearchGate offers numerous benefits to researchers, there are also some challenges associated with the platform that researchers should be aware of:

Quality Control and Peer Review: ResearchGate allows researchers to share preprints or early versions of their papers that have not undergone formal peer review. While preprints enable rapid dissemination of research findings, they may lack the rigorous evaluation and scrutiny provided by traditional peer review processes. Researchers need to exercise caution when accessing and citing preprints, as the information they contain might be preliminary and subject to revision or correction.

Related article: The History of Peer Review: Enhance The Quality Of Publishing

Misinterpretation and Misinformation: With the openness of ResearchGate, there is a risk of misinterpretation or misuse of research findings. Some users may not have the necessary expertise or understanding to accurately interpret complex scientific findings, leading to potential misconceptions or the spread of misinformation. Researchers should critically evaluate the credibility and validity of the papers they access on ResearchGate and rely on established peer-reviewed sources for reliable information.

Limited Access to Subscription-Based Content: While ResearchGate allows researchers to share their work, it may not provide access to all academic papers and publications due to copyright restrictions and publisher policies. Researchers may encounter limitations in accessing subscription-based content, particularly articles that require paid subscriptions or institutional access. This can create challenges for researchers who rely on ResearchGate as their primary source for accessing scholarly literature.

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Eight Ways (and More) To Find and Access Research Papers

This blog is part of our Research Smarter series. You’ll discover the various search engines, databases and data repositories to help you along the way. Click on any of the following links for in an in-depth look at how to find relevant research papers, journals , and authors for your next project using the Web of Science™. You can  also check out our ultimate guides here , which include tips to speed up the writing process.

If you’re in the early stages of your research career, you’re likely struggling to learn all you can about your chosen field and evaluate your options. You also need an easy and convenient way to find the right research papers upon which to build your own work and keep you on the proper path toward your goals.

Fortunately, most institutions have access to thousands of journals, so your first step should be to be to check with library staff  and find out what is available via your institutional subscriptions.

For those who may be unfamiliar with other means of access, this blog post – the first in a series devoted to helping you “research smarter” – will provide a sampling of established data sources for scientific research. These include search engines, databases, and data repositories.

Search Engines and Databases

You may have already discovered that the process of searching for research papers offers many choices and scenarios. Some search engines, for example, can be accessed free of charge. Others require a subscription. The latter group generally includes services that index the contents of thousands of published journals, allowing for detailed searches on data fields such as author name, institution, title or keyword, and even funding sources. Because many journals operate on a subscription model too, the process of obtaining full-text versions of papers can be complicated.

On the other hand, a growing number of publishers follow the practice of Open Access (OA) , making their journal content freely available. Similarly, some authors publish their results in the form of preprints, posting them to preprint servers for immediate and free access. These repositories, like indexing services, differ in that some concentrate in a given discipline or broad subject area, while others cover the full range of research.

Search Engines

Following is a brief selection of reputable search engines by which to locate articles relevant to your research.

Google Scholar is a free search engine that provides access to research in multiple disciplines. The sources include academic publishers, universities, online repositories, books, and even judicial opinions from court cases. Based on its indexing, Google Scholar provides citation counts to allow authors and others to track the impact of their work.  

The Directory of Open Access Journals ( DOAJ ) allows users to search and retrieve the article contents of nearly 10,000 OA journals in science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and humanities. All journals must adhere to quality-control standards, including peer review.

PubMed , maintained by the US National Library of Medicine, is a free search engine covering the biomedical and life sciences. Its coverage derives primarily from the MEDLINE database, covering materials as far back as 1951.

JSTOR affords access to more than 12 million journal articles in upwards of 75 disciplines, providing full-text searches of more than 2,000 journals, and access to more than 5,000 OA books.

Selected Databases

The following selection samples a range of resources, including databases which, as discussed above, index the contents of journals either in a given specialty area or the full spectrum of research. Others listed below offer consolidated coverage of multiple databases. Your institution is likely subscribed to a range of research databases, speak to your librarian to see which databases you have access to, and how to go about your search.

Web of Science includes The Web of Science Core Collection, which covers more than 20,000 carefully selected journals, along with books, conference proceedings, and other sources. The indexing also captures citation data, permitting users to follow the thread of an idea or development over time, as well as to track a wide range of research-performance metrics. The Web of Science also features EndNote™ Click , a free browser plugin that offers one-click access to the best available legal and legitimate full-text versions of papers. See here for our ultimate guide to finding relevant research papers on the Web of Science .

Science.gov covers the vast territory of United States federal science, including more than 60 databases and 2,200-plus websites. The many allied agencies whose research is reflected include NASA, the US Department of Agriculture, and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

CiteSeerx is devoted primarily to information and computer science. The database includes a feature called Autonomous Citation Indexing, designed to extract citations and create a citation index for literature searching and evaluation.

Preprint and Data Repositories

An early form of OA literature involved authors, as noted above,  making electronic, preprint versions of their papers freely available. This practice has expanded widely today. You can find archives devoted to a single main specialty area, as well as general repositories connected with universities and other institutions.

The specialty archive is perhaps best exemplified by arXiv (conveniently pronounced “archive,” and one of the earliest examples of a preprint repository). Begun in 1991 as a physics repository, ArXiv has expanded to embrace mathematics, astronomy, statistics, economics, and other disciplines. The success of ArXiv spurred the development of, for example, bioArXiv devoted to an array of topics within biology, and for chemistry, ChemRxiv .

Meanwhile, thousands of institutional repositories hold a variety of useful materials. In addition to research papers, these archives store raw datasets, graphics, notes, and other by-products of investigation. Currently, the Registry of Open Access Repositories lists more than 4,700 entries.

Reach Out Yourself?

If the resources above don’t happen to result in a free and full-text copy of the research you seek, you can also try reaching out to the authors yourself.

To find who authored a paper, you can search indexing platforms like the Web of Science , or research profiling systems like Publons™ , or ResearchGate , then look to reach out to the authors directly.

So, although the sheer volume of research can pose a challenge to identifying and securing needed papers, plenty of options are available.

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ResearchGate – Bias and Credibility

PRO-SCIENCE

These sources consist of legitimate science or are evidence-based through the use of credible scientific sourcing.  Legitimate science follows the scientific method, is unbiased, and does not use emotional words.  These sources also respect the consensus of experts in the given scientific field and strive to publish peer-reviewed science. Some sources in this category may have a slight political bias but adhere to scientific principles. See all Pro-Science sources.

• Overall, this is a Pro-Science source; however, caution is needed as some Predatory Research may slip through the cracks.

Detailed Report

Bias Rating: PRO-SCIENCE Factual Reporting: HIGH Country: Germany MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE Media Type: Website Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY

ResearchGate is a social networking site for scientists and researchers  to share papers, ask and answer questions, and find collaborators.  According to a study by  Nature  and an article in  Times Higher Education , it is the largest academic, social network in terms of active users.

Read our profile on German media and government

Funded by / Ownership

ResearchGate GmbH owns and publishes the website. Advertising and membership fees generate revenue.

Analysis / Bias

In review, ResearchGate is a place to search for scholarly scientific research and articles. It can also be used to filter research for your scientific preferences. While most of the research found on ResearchGate is legitimate science, there has been criticism of some publishers with  “predatory” publication fees  and fake impact ratings.

Failed Fact Checks

• None in the Last 5 years

Overall, this is a Pro-Science source; however, caution is needed as some Predatory Research may slip through the cracks. (D. Van Zandt 5/17/2018) Updated (02/03/2022)

Source:  https://www.researchgate.net/

Last Updated on September 22, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check

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