Managing Editor Sierra Williams presents a brief round-up of popular stories from around the web on higher education, academic impact, and trends in scholarly communication.

Scientists split over Scottish independence vote: Research could founder or flourish if Scotland leaves the United Kingdom. by Elizabeth Gibney at Nature:

One thing is clear: the patchwork of sources from which Scottish institutes currently obtain their funding means that a vote for independence would create complexity. These sources include the European Union, with which Scotland would have to renegotiate membership; bodies specific to Scotland, which may be least affected by independence; and sources that pool money from across the United Kingdom. [read more]

What Twitter Changes Might Mean for Academics by Anastasia Salter at ProfHacker:

Moments like these are in part an opportunity to take stock of our reliance on corporate-determined algorithms for information and discourse, and to think about the ways our practices will necessarily evolve as a result of these types of changes. [read more]

Image credit: substrate algorthm (Flickr CC BY)

The Dangers of Blogging by Phil Ward at Research Fundermentals

We should not have a vetting committee questioning our every tweet, but we do need to pause before we publish. Our freedom needs to be safeguarded by our own sense of responsibility; we are as culpable as those in the old media for what we write, and we need to think hard about the effect—or the perceived effect—of our words before we send them staggering out into this brave new world. [read more]

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Journalist?  by Siobhan O’Dwyer:

Repeat after me: Journalists are people too. Academics often talk about journalists like they’re the enemy, but if you’re really passionate about communicating your work to the public you need to make them your ally. [read more]