Research Paper of the Future and the Reproducible Research Compendium by Plato L. Smith II, PhD and Gail Clement

The Paper of the Future foresees an executable and reproducible research compendium: a FAIR+E contribution to the record of knowledge that is Findable, Accessible, Inspectable/Interoperable, Reuseable/Reproducible and Extensible. The 'Paper' metaphor is reconsidered as a different knowledge representation than today's static article, chapter, conference paper, or thesis. A #futurepaper comprises multiple research objects -- text, code, data, materials, and methods-- that, in combination, tell the full story of the research claim and make that story accessible and interactive, for humans + machines to harvest, reuse, and build upon. Some see"computational narratives" that expose the entire data-to-claim process. Others see micropublications -- discrete claims founded on shared data and clearly disclosed methods and materials.

The papers in this Collection discuss the features and functions of a #FuturePaper, or model this emergent genre.