Implementing a Second-Level Observation Unit at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Area of Science:

• Digital Science
• Scientific Communication
• Research Methodology

Background:

• Supplemental digital content (SDC) is increasingly integrated into scientific publications.
• The availability and format of SDC can impact research reproducibility and data sharing.
• Standardization and discoverability of SDC remain challenges in scientific publishing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the current landscape of supplemental digital content in scientific literature.
• To identify best practices for the creation, submission, and archiving of SDC.
• To explore the potential of SDC to enhance the impact and accessibility of research findings.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of publications featuring SDC.
• Content analysis of SDC types and formats.
• Survey of researchers regarding their use and perception of SDC.
• Bibliometric analysis to assess the impact of SDC on citation rates.

Main Results:

• A wide variety of SDC formats are utilized, including datasets, code, videos, and interactive figures.
• The discoverability and accessibility of SDC vary significantly across journals and disciplines.
• Researchers report challenges in accessing, understanding, and reusing SDC.
• Publications with well-integrated SDC may show higher citation rates, but this requires further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Supplemental digital content offers significant potential to augment scientific publications.
• Standardized guidelines and improved repository infrastructure are needed to maximize SDC's value.
• Future research should focus on developing metrics to quantify the impact of SDC on scientific progress and collaboration.