Papers 3 - A Change in File Structure

Aleh Cherp on trying out the Papers 3 beta:

All documents are stored together with meta-information in a bundle not accessible to other software.

Aleh did receive some clairifiaction from the developer:

If the Dropbox synchronization is not switched on there is still a possibility to control naming and storage of files, much like in Papers 2. However, the files are still kept in a bundle not accessible to Spotlight. The support staff says that Spotlight index will be added in future versions.

I am with Aleh Cherp over at Academic Workflows on Mac. I would really like to have both Dropbox sync and easily accessable/readable file structures for my PDFs in my reference software.

I know sync is not easy, but I am really looking for a great reference, storage and cite software that works across Mac OS, iOS and even windows seamlessly.[1] I have used Zotero as well for a long time, but it support on iOS is still painful and not user friendly.

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1. Ok, if you just do the first two great, you do not have to worry about windows.  ↩

Why as hard as we try, we still use Word in Academia →

Macademic Blog:

In the past [we] wrote about misuses of and alternatives to Microsoft Word. But we also believe sometimes Word is the best tool for the job.

While I would disagree with Word ever being the "best" tool, I do still concede that there are not always universally known tools to replace Word in academic writing. But we are getting there. In the mean time, Macademic points to some great resources for having to deal with Word.

Being more productive with Coffitivity

When I was writing my dissertation, I found I was most productive in turning out words during cross-country flights.[1] I also spent a great deal of time in a few coffee shops writing as well.

Coffitivity, a new website brings the sound of a coffee shop to anywhere. I doubt anyone will create this type of site that recreates airplane noise though.[2]

I have been using it as background noise in my office. Unscientifically, it sure does beat relative silence.

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1. I probably should have put a thank you in my dedication to Virgin America, but since I (or work) was paying for the flights, I think it is ok.  ↩

2. Might try combining Coffitivity with my next flight to see if there is a multiplier effect.  ↩

Scapple Out of Beta

Scapple from Literatuer and Latte (same makers of Scrivener 2 is out of beta and was offiically released a few weeks ago. I wrote, when it was still in beta, about how I have been using Scapple as a group brainstormning tool and I have been using it even more since it made it out of beta.

It is a great free-flow brainstorming app that I have been using for research projections, group brainstorming on a large screen, or just to get a bunch of random ideas out of my head. If it was on the iPad I would be using it even more.[1]

There is educational pricing on their website or you can download it from the App Store at the regular price.

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1. I am still heavily using iThoughtsHD on the iPad for brainstorming and thinking.  ↩

Study: A Revealed Preference Ranking of U.S. Colleges and Universities

A study by Avery, Glickman, Hoxby and Metrick proposes a new ranking system for U.S. colleges and universities based on student preference. They suggest in the study that their ranking system is not effected by financial aid.

Our ranking is...similar regardless of whether we control for variables, such as net cost, that vary among a college’s admits

They used Net Price of a college in order to determine if it had any impact on student decision making process. The issue with Net Price is it is an average--it does not begin to tell the story. No one has linked it to decision making of individual students. A student who goes to a school with a Net Price of $30,000 (on the very high side) and has a full ride (effective net price of $0) is making different decisions--economically.

College Net Price might get students in the door, but it does not make the sale.

For a full news article on the study see @erichoov at the Chronicle of Higher Ed.