F1000Workspace - Detailed Review
Research Tools
F1000Workspace - Product Overview
Introduction to F1000Workspace (now Sciwheel)
F1000Workspace, now rebranded as Sciwheel, is a comprehensive platform aimed at supporting researchers in the fields of biology and medicine. Here’s a breakdown of its primary function, target audience, and key features:Primary Function
F1000Workspace is designed to streamline the entire research process, from discovering and collecting literature to managing references, preparing manuscripts, and collaborating with colleagues. It integrates various tools to help researchers write articles, grants, and other scholarly content efficiently.Target Audience
This platform is specifically created for life scientists, but it can be useful for anyone involved in writing scholarly or academic articles. It is particularly beneficial for researchers who need to manage large volumes of literature and collaborate with peers.Key Features
Reference Management
- Users can easily import references from popular reference management tools like EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, Zotero, and Papers, as well as directly from PDFs on their computer.
- The platform allows for the organization and management of references, including the ability to highlight and annotate relevant text.
Literature Discovery
- F1000Workspace features an intelligent algorithm that suggests relevant references based on recommendations from the F1000 Faculty, a group of over 11,000 biomedical experts, and other sources like PubMed.
Collaboration
- The platform enables users to set up shared projects where colleagues can create a shared reference list, share comments and annotations, and edit each other’s references within Microsoft Word using the F1000 Word plugin.
Browser Extension and Word Plugin
- A browser extension allows users to save and annotate articles as they browse, adding them directly to their F1000Workspace projects.
- The Microsoft Word plugin facilitates the insertion of citations, searching for new references, and getting smart citation recommendations.
Integration with Other Tools
- F1000Workspace integrates with F1000Prime, a literature recommendation service, and F1000Research, an open science publishing platform that offers immediate publication followed by transparent post-publication peer review.
Accessibility
- The platform includes a web-based application, a browser extension, a Microsoft Word plugin, and a lightweight desktop app for importing PDFs. It is accessible across various devices, including computers, phones, and tablets.
F1000Workspace - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of F1000Workspace (Sciwheel)
The user interface of F1000Workspace, now known as Sciwheel, is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, particularly for life scientists and those involved in academic and scholarly writing.
Key Features and Interface
Web-Based Application
Web-Based Application: F1000Workspace is accessible via a web-based application, making it usable on any device with an internet connection. This includes tools such as a browser extension, a Microsoft Word plugin, a Google Docs add-on, and a desktop app for importing PDFs.
Reference Management
Reference Management: Users can easily import references from various sources, including PubMed, PDFs, and other reference managers like EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero. The browser extension allows one-click reference saving as you browse relevant articles.
Project Organization
Project Organization: The platform enables users to create projects and subprojects, which are essential for managing references, notes, and collaborations. Projects can be set as private or shared, allowing for flexible collaboration with team members.
Annotation and Notes
Annotation and Notes: Users can make annotations and notes on articles using the browser extension. These notes can be private or shared with collaborators, and there is a timeline view to track all notes and comments made within a project.
Ease of Use
Simple Importing
Simple Importing: The process of importing references is straightforward, allowing users to import from multiple formats (RIS, BIB, EndNote XML) and sources (Google Drive, Dropbox, Mendeley, Zotero).
One-Click Saving
One-Click Saving: The browser extension features a red ‘F’ button that serves as a reminder to save articles with just one click, making it easy to add references to specific projects.
Intuitive Search
Intuitive Search: Users can search their library of references, PubMed, and expert recommendations from F1000 faculty all within the same window, streamlining the research process.
Overall User Experience
Collaboration
Collaboration: F1000Workspace facilitates strong collaboration features, including the ability to share references, annotations, and manuscripts with co-authors. Users can invite team members to projects, track changes, and communicate through notes and comments.
Literature Discovery
Literature Discovery: The platform includes an intelligent article search feature that suggests relevant articles based on the user’s existing references. This SmartSearch algorithm improves over time as users interact with the suggested articles.
Integration with Writing Tools
Integration with Writing Tools: The integration with Microsoft Word and Google Docs allows users to search for articles, view suggestions, and insert citations without leaving their manuscript, enhancing workflow efficiency.
Support and Accessibility
Support
Support: The platform offers fast and helpful chat-based support, which has been praised for making it easy for users and their teams to adapt to the new workflow.
Accessibility
Accessibility: F1000Workspace is accessible on various devices, including computers, phones, and tablets, ensuring users can work seamlessly across different platforms.
Overall, F1000Workspace is designed to be user-friendly, efficient, and highly collaborative, making it an invaluable tool for scientists and academic writers.
F1000Workspace - Key Features and Functionality
F1000Workspace Overview
F1000Workspace is a comprehensive tool designed to assist researchers in managing references, discovering literature, and collaborating on scientific documents. Here are the main features and how they work:
Reference Management
- F1000Workspace allows users to import references from various sources, including online databases, PDFs, and other popular reference managers like EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, and Zotero.
- Users can save and annotate references using a browser extension, which adds a button to the browser for easy saving and annotation of articles as they browse.
Annotation and Highlighting
- The browser extension and the application itself enable users to highlight and add notes to articles. This feature has been enhanced to allow faster highlighting and the use of six different colors to code highlights, making it easier to categorize and remember different topics.
Collaboration
- F1000Workspace facilitates collaboration through shared projects. Users can create shared reference lists, share comments and annotations, and edit each other’s references, especially when using the Microsoft Word plugin.
- This feature is particularly useful for co-authoring papers, grant applications, and other collaborative research documents.
Article Discovery and Recommendations
- One of the standout features of F1000Workspace is its SmartSearch algorithm, which suggests relevant articles based on the user’s existing references. This algorithm improves over time as the user interacts with the suggested articles, choosing to add or discard them.
- The platform integrates with F1000Prime, a literature recommendation service powered by a faculty of over 11,000 biomedical experts. This integration provides users with recommendations from these experts and from PubMed.
Integration with Writing Tools
- F1000Workspace includes plugins for Microsoft Word and Google Docs, allowing users to easily insert citations, search for new references, and receive smart citation recommendations without leaving their writing environment.
- The Microsoft Word plugin enables fast access to the user’s library of references and allows searching of PubMed and F1000Prime directly from Word.
Accessibility and Cross-Platform Compatibility
- The platform is cloud-based, making it accessible from any device with internet access. It includes a web-based application, a browser extension, a Microsoft Word plugin, a Google Docs add-on, and a lightweight desktop app for importing PDFs.
AI Integration
- The SmartSearch algorithm is the core AI-driven feature of F1000Workspace. This algorithm evaluates a user’s existing references to suggest other relevant articles, improving its suggestions as the user interacts with the system.
- This AI-driven recommendation system helps researchers discover new and relevant literature that they might not have found otherwise, enhancing their research efficiency and accuracy.
Conclusion
Overall, F1000Workspace is a versatile tool that streamlines the process of managing references, collaborating with colleagues, and discovering new literature, all while integrating seamlessly with common writing tools.
F1000Workspace - Performance and Accuracy
Performance
F1000Workspace is praised for its user-friendly interface and powerful collaboration features. It is a cloud-based application accessible on any device with internet access, and it integrates well with various tools such as a browser extension, Microsoft Word plug-in, Google Docs add-on, and a desktop app for importing PDFs. The tool excels in managing references, allowing users to import references from online sources, PDFs, or other popular reference managers like EndNote or RefWorks. It also features an article suggestion capability using the SmartSearch algorithm, which suggests relevant articles based on the user’s existing references. This algorithm improves over time as users interact with the suggested articles, marking them as relevant or not relevant.Accuracy
The accuracy of F1000Workspace’s AI-driven features, particularly the SmartSearch algorithm, is a significant aspect. While the algorithm is effective in suggesting relevant articles, its predictive accuracy can be improved. For instance, the article suggestions are fine-tuned based on user interactions, but the system relies on user feedback to adjust its parameters. This means that the more users engage with the suggested articles, the better the suggestions become. However, there is limited evidence on how accurately F1000Workspace predicts future citations or research impact. A study on F1000 recommendations (which are related to F1000Workspace’s functionality) found that while these recommendations have some predictive power, they are less accurate than relying on the citation profile of the journal. This suggests that while the tool is useful for guiding readers to important papers, it may not be the best predictor of future citation performance.Limitations and Areas for Improvement
One of the main limitations of F1000Workspace is its current focus on biology and medicine, which makes it less valuable for users in other disciplines. Although there are plans to expand its scope, this limitation is significant for researchers outside these fields. Another area for improvement is the integration with other tools. For example, users may encounter issues when using F1000Workspace with other plugins installed in Microsoft Word, such as the EndNote plugin. Disabling these conflicting plugins is often necessary to ensure smooth functionality. Additionally, the folder structure may change when importing references from external sources like Mendeley or Zotero. To preserve the original folder structure, users need to select specific options during the import process.Engagement
F1000Workspace fosters strong collaboration among researchers. It allows users to share references and annotations, and to edit reference lists in real-time within shared projects. The activity tracking feature keeps all project members informed about changes and interactions within the project. Overall, F1000Workspace is a powerful tool with strong performance in reference management and collaboration, but it has some limitations, particularly in its predictive accuracy and current disciplinary focus. As it continues to evolve, addressing these areas could further enhance its utility for researchers. F1000Workspace - Pricing and Plans
Pricing Structure for F1000Workspace
The pricing structure for F1000Workspace, a research tool within the F1000 product category, is outlined as follows:Subscription Types
F1000Workspace offers different subscription models to cater to various user needs:Institutional Subscribers
- If your university, department, or lab has a paid F1000 subscription, you have full and immediate access to all features and services of F1000Workspace. You need to log in from your institution to verify your account and access the tools.
Individual Subscribers
- Individuals can purchase a personal subscription. The cost is $9.95 per month, although some sources mention a slightly different price of $6.99 per month, which might be a promotional rate or an update.
Features Available
Here are the key features available across the different plans:Web-Based Application
- Manage, store, and share references from any computer.
Browser Extension
- Collect and annotate references as you browse the internet. This extension adds a button to your browser to save and annotate articles.
Microsoft Word Plugin
- Find and insert citations, generate bibliographies, and get smart citation recommendations directly within Microsoft Word.
Desktop App
- A lightweight app that allows you to upload PDFs to your reference list and project folders. It also includes a Watch Folder feature to automatically upload PDFs.
Article Recommendations
- Access unique article recommendations specialized in biology and medicine, powered by F1000’s Faculty of over 10,000 experts.
Free Publication
- As an F1000Workspace user, you are eligible for a free publication of a short article (up to 1,000 words) on F1000Research, their Open Science publishing platform. This is normally valued at $150.
Free Options
- All users are provided with a 30-day free trial to access all the features of F1000Workspace. During this trial, you can fully use the platform without any restrictions.
Additional Discounts and Benefits
- F1000Research Advisory Board members and reviewers receive a 20% discount on article processing charges (APCs) for F1000Research, though these discounts cannot be combined.
F1000Workspace - Integration and Compatibility
Integration with Other Tools
Reference Management Tools
You can import references from popular tools like EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, Zotero, and Papers. This allows you to transfer your existing reference libraries into F1000Workspace easily.
Microsoft Word
The F1000Workspace Word plugin is available for both Windows and Mac OS X versions of Microsoft Word. This plugin enables you to insert citations, search for new references, and get smart citation recommendations directly within Word.
Google Docs
There is a Google Docs add-on that allows you to manage references and citations within Google Docs.
Cloud Storage
You can import references from cloud storage services such as Google Drive and Dropbox.
Browser Extension
The browser extension, compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 11, Opera, and Safari 6 onwards, lets you save and annotate references as you browse the web. However, it is not compatible with mobile browsers.
Compatibility Across Platforms and Devices
Operating Systems
The web-based application is fully compatible with all major browsers on Windows and OS X, and it works with other operating systems, although minor issues might occur.
Desktop App
The desktop PDF importer is compatible with Windows (XP onwards) and OS X (Mac, 10.7 onwards). Note that users with Windows Vista SP2 or earlier may encounter issues with the SHA-256 certificate used by the app.
Mobile Devices
There is a free reference manager app for researchers available on both Google Play and the App Store, allowing you to save references, add notes, and work seamlessly across any computer, phone, or tablet.
Additional Features
F1000Prime and F1000Research Integration
F1000Workspace integrates with F1000Prime, a literature recommendation service powered by a faculty of over 10,000 biomedical experts, and F1000Research, an Open Science publishing platform.
Shared Projects
You can set up shared projects where you and your colleagues can create a shared reference list, share comments and annotations, and edit each other’s references.
Overall, F1000Workspace is highly integrated with various tools and platforms, making it a comprehensive solution for managing references, writing, and collaborating on scientific literature.
F1000Workspace - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support
For any issues or questions, users can contact the F1000 support team directly. Here are some avenues for support:- Users can email
info@f1000.comfor general inquiries and issues. - There is also a dedicated email for feedback,
feedback@f1000.com, where users can provide comments and suggestions on the platform.
Additional Resources
User Guides and Manuals
F1000Workspace provides a detailed user guide that covers all aspects of the platform, including getting started, importing references, working with projects, and using the browser extension and Word plugin. This guide is available as a downloadable PDF and serves as a comprehensive resource for new and existing users.Blog and Community
The F1000 blog is a valuable resource where users can find tips, user stories, and updates on new features. For example, there are blog posts on how to write academic documents using Google Docs with F1000Workspace, which provide practical advice and real-world examples.Browser Extension and Plugins
The platform includes a powerful browser extension that allows users to save articles with a single click, add notes, and directly import articles into their F1000Workspace projects. Additionally, there are plugins for Microsoft Word and Google Docs, which enable users to access their references, insert citations, and format papers seamlessly.Troubleshooting
The user guide includes a troubleshooting section that helps users resolve common issues they might encounter while using the platform. This section is designed to provide quick solutions to frequent problems.Institutional Support
For users at subscribing institutions, librarians can often provide additional support and help verify institutional subscriptions, ensuring that users can access the full features of the platform.Community Feedback
F1000Workspace has been tested and refined with feedback from Associate Faculty Members, F1000 Specialists, and subscribers. This community involvement ensures that the platform meets the needs of its users effectively. By leveraging these resources, users of F1000Workspace can maximize their productivity and efficiently manage their research and writing tasks. F1000Workspace - Pros and Cons
Advantages of F1000Workspace
Streamlined Research Process
F1000Workspace is designed to simplify and streamline the entire research process, from discovering and collecting literature to managing references and preparing manuscripts. It integrates a web-based application, a browser extension, and a Microsoft Word plugin, making it easier for researchers to collect, write, and discuss scientific literature.
Collaboration Tools
The platform allows for effective collaboration through shared projects. Researchers can create shared reference lists, share comments and annotations, and edit each other’s references seamlessly. This facilitates teamwork and communication among colleagues.
Intelligent Reference Suggestions
F1000Workspace features an intelligent algorithm that suggests relevant references based on the user’s interactions and recommendations from F1000’s Faculty of over 10,000 biomedical experts. This helps researchers discover important papers they might have missed.
Annotation and Organization
The browser extension enables users to save and annotate articles as they browse, allowing for easy highlighting and commenting on relevant text. This feature helps in organizing references and notes efficiently.
Integration with Other Tools
F1000Workspace integrates well with other reference management tools such as EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, and Zotero, making it easy to import existing references. It also connects with F1000Research, an Open Science publishing platform, offering immediate publication and post-publication peer review.
Free Publication Benefit
Users of F1000Workspace can benefit from free publication of a short article (up to 1,000 words) in F1000Research, which normally costs $150.
Disadvantages of F1000Workspace
Subscription Requirements
Full access to F1000Workspace is limited to users at subscribing institutions or individual subscribers. This can be a barrier for researchers without institutional support or those who cannot afford the subscription fee of $9.95 per month.
Dependence on Institutional Access
Users must log in from their institution within the 30-day trial period to verify their account and unlock full access. This can be inconvenient for researchers who are not affiliated with a subscribing institution.
Potential Quality Concerns
While F1000Workspace is linked to F1000Research, which has faced criticisms regarding the quality of post-publication peer reviews, there is a concern that the reviews might be superficial rather than constructive. However, F1000 argues that their transparent and detailed referee reports mitigate this issue.
Technical Requirements
To fully utilize F1000Workspace, users need to install various tools such as the browser extension, Microsoft Word plugin, and desktop app. This can be cumbersome for some users, especially if they are not tech-savvy.
In summary, F1000Workspace offers significant advantages in streamlining the research process, facilitating collaboration, and providing intelligent reference suggestions. However, it requires a subscription, can be dependent on institutional access, and may face quality concerns related to its peer review process.
F1000Workspace - Comparison with Competitors
F1000Workspace (Sciwheel)
- Sciwheel is a comprehensive toolset that helps researchers write articles, grants, discover literature, manage references, and collaborate on publications.
- It offers features such as building a library, importing citations from PubMed, managing citations, and inserting citations into MS Word documents.
- Sciwheel also supports open and transparent peer review, data sharing, and the publication of all research findings, including negative or null studies.
Alternatives and Comparisons
LitMaps
- LitMaps uses a single relevant paper to generate a visual literature map, helping researchers explore related articles for their literature review. Unlike Sciwheel, LitMaps focuses more on visual mapping of literature rather than comprehensive workflow management.
Inciteful
- Inciteful provides related papers to key articles and illustrates how different papers are related, which is particularly useful for multi-disciplinary research. While it aids in literature discovery, it does not offer the same level of workflow management as Sciwheel.
Connected Papers
- Connected Papers generates a visual map of related papers, similar to LitMaps. It is free for up to 5 graphs per month, with an academic subscription offering unlimited use. This tool is more specialized in literature mapping and does not include the broader range of features offered by Sciwheel.
Elicit
- Elicit is an AI research assistant that helps optimize database searching by providing related questions, subject headings, and keywords. It is more focused on search optimization rather than the full suite of tools provided by Sciwheel.
Consensus
- Consensus is an AI-powered academic search engine that generates summaries and highlights from vast amounts of scholarly literature. It offers advanced filters and a consensus meter to visually represent academic consensus. While it excels in literature search and analysis, it does not provide the same level of workflow management and collaboration tools as Sciwheel.
Unique Features of Sciwheel
- Comprehensive Workflow Management: Sciwheel stands out for its ability to manage the entire research workflow, from writing and collaborating to managing references and preparing for publication.
- Integration with Open Science Publishing: Sciwheel is closely tied with F1000Research, an open science publishing platform that emphasizes immediate publication, transparent peer review, and data sharing.
Potential Alternatives
If you are looking for tools that specialize in specific aspects of the research process, you might consider:
- LitMaps or Connected Papers for visual literature mapping.
- Inciteful for understanding the relationships between papers.
- Elicit for optimizing database searches.
- Consensus for AI-powered literature search and analysis.
However, if you need a tool that manages the entire research workflow from start to finish, Sciwheel remains a strong option due to its comprehensive feature set and integration with open science publishing platforms.
F1000Workspace - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about F1000Workspace (Sciwheel)
What is F1000Workspace (Sciwheel)?
F1000Workspace, now rebranded as Sciwheel, is a research tool designed to help biology and medical researchers discover, collect, manage, and share scientific literature. It includes a web-based application, a browser extension, a Microsoft Word plugin, and a desktop app for importing PDFs.
How does F1000Workspace facilitate team collaboration?
F1000Workspace allows users to set up shared projects where team members can create a shared reference list, share comments and annotations, and edit each other’s references. This collaboration is enhanced by the ability to highlight and annotate relevant text and share it with team members.
What features does the F1000Workspace browser extension offer?
The browser extension adds a button to your browser that enables you to save and annotate articles as you browse. You can save multiple references, such as those from a PubMed search results page, and even save the citations of articles you are interested in.
How can I manage references using F1000Workspace?
You can easily import your existing references from popular reference management tools like EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, Zotero, and Papers. Additionally, you can import references directly from PDFs on your computer. The platform also allows you to classify articles by tags and attribute them to specific projects, which can be set as private or shared.
What is the intelligent article search feature in F1000Workspace?
The intelligent article search feature suggests novel key articles based on your specific library and projects. This is powered by F1000Prime, a literature recommendation service that includes over 10,000 biomedical experts. This helps you and your team stay up-to-date on the progress in your field.
How does F1000Workspace integrate with other tools like Microsoft Word?
The Microsoft Word plugin allows you to easily insert citations, search for new references, and get smart citation recommendations. This integration makes it simple to work on documents, including international collaborations, and ensures seamless citation management.
Is there support available for using F1000Workspace?
Yes, F1000Workspace offers fast and helpful chat-based support. This support service has been praised for making it easy for users and their students to adapt to the new workflow.
Are there any plans for offline access to F1000Workspace?
Users have expressed a desire for offline access to F1000Workspace, particularly for situations like commuting where an internet connection may not be available. While this feature is not currently available, it has been mentioned as a future development.
How does F1000Workspace connect with other F1000 platforms?
F1000Workspace integrates with F1000Prime, a literature recommendation service, and F1000Research, an open science publishing platform. This integration allows for immediate publication followed by thorough, transparent post-publication peer review.
Can I import references from various sources into F1000Workspace?
Yes, you can import references from all popular reference management tools, such as EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, Zotero, and Papers, as well as directly from PDFs on your computer.
What kind of training or resources are available for new users of F1000Workspace?
There are classes and resources available for new users, such as the “Introduction to Sciwheel” class, which covers the basic features of the software, including building a library, importing citations, managing citations, and inserting citations into MS Word documents.
F1000Workspace - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of F1000Workspace
F1000Workspace is a comprehensive research tool that significantly enhances the workflow of researchers, particularly those in biology and medicine. Here’s a detailed look at its benefits and who would most benefit from using it.Key Features and Benefits
- Reference Management: F1000Workspace allows users to easily collect, store, and classify scientific literature. It integrates seamlessly with popular reference management tools like EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, and Zotero, making it simple to import and manage existing references.
- Collaboration: The platform facilitates teamwork by enabling shared projects where team members can create a shared reference list, share comments and annotations, and edit each other’s references. This is particularly useful for multidisciplinary research teams.
- Intelligent Article Search: F1000Workspace features an intelligent algorithm that suggests relevant references, including those recommended by the F1000 Faculty, a body of over 10,000 biomedical experts. This helps researchers stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field.
- Integration with Tools: The platform integrates well with Microsoft Word through a plugin, allowing users to insert citations, search for new references, and get smart citation recommendations. It also has a browser extension for saving and annotating articles as you browse.
- Support and Accessibility: The fast and helpful chat-based support service makes it easy for users to adapt to the new workflow. However, there is a noted desire for offline access to enhance productivity during times without an internet connection.
Who Would Benefit Most
F1000Workspace is highly beneficial for researchers in biology and medicine, especially those working in multidisciplinary teams. Here are some specific groups that would gain the most from using this tool:- Research Teams: Teams involving diverse professionals such as biotechnologists, dentists, medical doctors, and biologists will find the collaboration features and shared project capabilities particularly useful.
- Academics and Students: Faculty members and students involved in research projects can leverage the intelligent article search and reference management features to stay updated and manage their literature efficiently.
- Researchers in Collaborative Projects: Those involved in international collaborations will appreciate the integration with Google Documents and the ability to work on a single document together.