PubPeer integration

PubPeer
PubPeer has an API that would allow Zotero to show the number of comments a given reference currently has on PubPeer and provides a link to those comments.

Would be great to have this integrated into Zotero. Would be even better if when inserting a reference into a paper one was alerted to comments on PubPeer (which could potentially change whether or not one wanted to cite the paper).

The PubPeer API is keyed so please contact us at pubpeer.com if this is of interest.

If you don't know what PubPeer is check out the pubpeer.com or our Twitter feed. Briefly, PubPeer is a platform on which scientists can comment on any published research article. Comments on PubPeer are responsible for all of the hoopla surrounding the "mischief" with the huge human stem cell paper that was recently published in Cell. PubPeer has been recently covered heavily in Science, Nature, and most major news outlets because of this Cell paper.
  • Stéphane Ory
    It would be definitively great!!
  • SaskiaP
    Someone on this?
    I saw "PubPeer for Zotero" on github hasn't been active in over half a decade, alas.
    Would love some tool that would add an URL attachment to the entry with the relevant PubPeer link to it!
  • emilianoeheyns
    What would this extension key on? DOI? The pubpeer site only says "We (will soon) have an API."
  • bwiernik
    edited May 21, 2019
    As one solution, you could download the engines.json file from here
    https://github.com/bwiernik/zotero-tools/

    And add one for PubPeer. Their URL format will be: https://pubpeer.com/search?q={:DOI:}

    Like Emiliano says, more than this would really require PubPeer to have an API to connect to. How does the PubPeer browser add-on work?
  • emilianoeheyns
    Looks to be on DOI: https://github.com/pubpeer-for-zotero/pubpeer-for-zotero/blob/development/bootstrap.js#L294
  • DWL-SDCA
    edited May 21, 2019
    Before there is any decision about a formal connection to PubPeer I recommend that Zotero policy-makers spend half an hour on the website. Read the PubPeer FAQ especially the section on anonymous posting of comments (allowed). Then read a few recent comments many of which are useless: “Good article!!” Many of the negative complaints concern double publication (when true, a bad thing) but in reality many of the double publication accusations are about conference proceedings and a later journal article. The vast majority of publications have no PubPeer record. Of the 400+ academic publications referenced in my doctoral thesis not one has a PubPeer record.

    There are potentially useful comments that provide evidence of plagiarism and comments that call attention to true cases of double publication. Thus, PubPeer can be useful in the identification of things unworthy of citation. However, because anyone with a browser can say anything expressing any whim; the high effort needed to filter for truth makes this site a potential time sink.

    edit spelling

    further edit:

    Take, for example the years of useless comments about Lancet’s retraction of Wakefield’s MMR vaccine paper:

    https://blog.pubpeer.com/publications/CF52AD098D3AC462697D50B97B3105

    I believe that PubPeer is a great idea but in reality the open nature of the web means that the comments aren’t very useful even in the rare cases where articles have comments.

    Retraction Watch [ https://retractionwatch.com/ ] is probably more useful as an option to screen for inappropriate cites.
  • emilianoeheyns
    This seems to be more extension territory anyhow to me.
  • adamsmith
    (re: retraction watch -- I really want a Zotero add-on that flags retracted articles; RW has the best database but no API. PubMed and CrossRef do have APIs but very incomplete retraction data)
  • zuphilip
    From the latest commit in Zotero's GitHub repo it looks that such a functionality will come into Zotero itself. No need for a plugin then.
  • viljamiv
    Since June 14th, 2019 it has retraction watch integration has been available in Zotero.
    https://www.zotero.org/blog/retracted-item-notifications/
Sign In or Register to comment.