Coherent Digital

A bridge linking academic research and real-world impact

The number of journal citations to nontraditional sources—such as websites, reports, case studies, technical documents, and social media—is surging. This content, while informally published, originates from reputable, frontline sources. Despite the increasing volume, pace, and relevance of this "fugitive material," much of it remains outside mainstream academic discovery services, making it difficult to locate, cite, and preserve.

As funders emphasize research with demonstrable impact and societal returns, many research institutions are publishing findings outside traditional journals in order to reach broader audiences more quickly.

Applied Science Commons makes this material just as easy to discover and cite as journal articles, and preserves it to ensure that the content remains available over time.

The first collection, Public Health and Social Care, is live. Computer Science, Data, and AI will be released in Q1 2025.

Selection criteria

Materials are selected for their teaching and learning relevance from a range of reputable, global sources, including corporations, industry professionals, consultants, government agencies, research institutes, think tanks, associations, and service organizations such as hospitals.

They include technical reports and case studies, consultant reports and feasibility studies, policy and white papers, podcasts, blogs, and videos, industry and government publications, and community impact assessments.

Enrichment

All items are enriched with Content Object Identifiers (COIs), MARC records, and metadata tools such as tagging and categorization, which ensure ease of citation, tracking, and integration into academic workflows. This curated content provides immediate, actionable insights and recommendations, often well in advance of traditional book or journal publication, delivering millions of items that would not otherwise become part of the scholarly record.

Trial our first collection: Public Health and Social Care