Neil, so true - Deepak Singh

Neil - exactly - I don't understand the attitude that a specific instance of communication has to directly correlate with a specific benefit. It just doesn't work that way. I can't point to a specific email or phone call I made that directly and independently led to a paper or funded proposal but I'm not waiting for that proof to use either form of communication. - Jean-Claude Bradley

I wonder if the concept "ambient intimacy" could be extended to something like "ambient value" or "ambient contribution"? Distributed knowledge (if that's the right phrase) makes a different kind of impact, something akin to environmental awareness (as a cognitive state) -- perhaps what drives memic information... - Mickey Schafer

Still, I can see how one would like to get some kind of benefit for doing research, authoring a paper and then communicating it. Depending on the type of research, there can be a lot of resources invested in it. To then share it openly and go "while you won't really benefit, everybody else will, so be happy with that" seems a bit unrealistic. How will they compete with others for positions and grants and things if there's nothing at all to benefit them directly? What about that argument that OA (to preprints) will increase citation counts etc.? Maybe this person is just looking for these kind of answers (and stats)? - Wobbler

This study has been done. OA does provide a citation advantage. Now what was that link ... - Mr. Gunn

Well, that's my point. Maybe he's just looking for those kind of answers/sources. Nature Precedings is technically OA. It's just that the OA is for preprints and not for peer review/copyedit enhanced articles. But I'm pretty sure I've heard of similar citation benefits for arXiv, so it's all good. - Wobbler

We haven't done any formal studies about whether preprints on Precedings show a citation benefit, however, there are a lot of studies that show that articles where a preprint is posted on ArXiv receive more citations to the published articles (even if the published articles are not OA). Another study of ArXiv preprints found that citations attach preferentially to earlier works in a new field, which may provide another incentive to get one's work out as quickly as possible. We would expect both of these to hold for Precedings. Anecdotally, we've also seen that when a preprint is posted on Precedings, it tends to receive citations earlier in its lifecycle. - Hilary

Actually I was the one who posted those questions on http://network.nature.com/groups.... I agree that research to a degree in terms of at least knowledge generated should be selfless.But it is impractical to say that I do not expect anything from my nature precedings post! - Arun Shanker

Whats more is if scopus and the likes are going to index it and preprints are going to be quoted and cited. If so there is every reason that nature precedings should get an impact factor. After all science published in any form should have an impact and at least in terms of recognition the author should benefit - Arun Shanker

I see the that the questions I have posed themselves have not featured in this discussion. Just for the benefit of stand aloners on this feed I am reposting them here! Actually I would like members here to throw some light on the following questions 1. Has anybody gained in terms of carrier or selection for posts or success in grant applications specifically from publication in Nature Precedings 2. If scopus is indexing the Nature Precedings then obviously there are going to be citations. Can we use them as proof of research capacity? 3. Does Nature Precedings ever send a formal rejection letter of a preprint that has been uploaded? 4. Since this has become a very popular vehicle since its start (Nature Precedings) why don’t other impact journals specifically state a policy with respect to preprints in Nature Precedings - Arun Shanker

No, Wobbler I am not looking for any specific "these kind of answers (and stats)?" I was just curious! - Arun Shanker

I meant that more as an example rather than as a limited scope of answers. Since you do seem to fancy the idea of impact factors for preprint repositories, I'm guessing that benefits in the form of early/more citations is of interest to you? How is that as one answer to your first question? - Wobbler

Spot on Wobbler! That answers my 1st ! correctly! I am looking a t the following 1.Should I really put my research on this vehicle? I envisage that there will be an impact factor for this kind of postings! I did see an article which in the author’s own words was rejected by NATURE without the referee process posted in the preceding and a lot of comments on it. Guess the authors thought it apt to post in precedings. In fact I would be happy to get my work in a journal half the impact factor that nature has - Arun Shanker

and BTW here is my post on Nature Precedings. I am taking a gamble against publication of this research on at least a 2-3 Impact factor Journal?http://precedings.nature.com/documen... - Arun Shanker