Open Science

Your guide to Open Access publishing and Open Science

Category: Open Access Models
Access (no access) Credit card sign, London, UK, April 21, 2010 © Courtesy of Sludge G/Flickr.

Despite Variations in Comparative Data and Other Formats’ Presence, Gold Open Access Charts a Growth Trajectory

While free-access and bronze Open Access articles from traditional publishers have been predominant in the Open Access market a decade ago and, according to some estimates, may continue to be more prevalent than other Open Access types, in recent years the number of articles published in Gold Open Access has exhibited consistent growth as Green, hybrid and other Open Access stagnated or declined, which can be due to its straightforward licensing terms. A Blog Article by Pablo Markin. In their recently published article, available as a preprint from August 2, 2017, and as a peer-reviewed publication from February 13, 2018, […]

Doe Memorial Library, University of California, Alameda, California, USA, July 22, 2013 © Courtesy of Sharat Ganapati/Flickr.

Multiple Transition Pathways to Open Access Can Equally Anchor the Status of Scientific Knowledge as a Public Good

Though press coverage tends to treat Gold Open Access as the goal of Open Science, a recent report by the University of California Libraries systematically reflects on alternative avenues for transitioning to Open Access as a bundle of different approaches and strategies that academic and research institutions can deploy to switch to Open Access. A Blog Article by Pablo Markin. As university- and country-level transitions to Open Access become increasingly contemplated, especially in developing countries, such as Peru, that cannot necessarily sustain the growing burden of journal subscription expenses and without international aide can be cut off from vital scientific […]

Bloomsbury: British Museum - Great Court and Reading Room, London, UK, November 12, 2006 © Courtesy of Wally Gobetz/Flickr.

While European Union Open Access Goals May be Unrealistic, Survey Findings Indicate Progress for Open Science

Even through in his recent news item, David Matthews concludes that the European Union’s 2020 target of universal Open Access adoption is not likely to be achieved on time based on recent surveys among European universities, these findings also show that Open Access policies have resulted in significant increases in pre- and post-print deposits of scholarly articles and dissertations into institutional repositories. A Blog Article by Pablo Markin. Though the rates of transition to Open Access in terms of articles published in Open Access journals appears to have plateaued in recent years, as David Matthews argues in his piece that […]

With Interest Table: March 2012, March 12, 2012 | © Courtesy of With Associates/Flickr.

Despite Divided Opinions on their Practices and Prospects, Open Access Mega-Journals Command Significant Presence

A recent meta-analysis of mega-journal-related qualitative and quantitative findings by Valerie Spezi et al. (2017) indicates that Open Access mega-journals have become an established part of the scholarly publishing market, in spite of diverging views on their long-term effect on the marketplace. A Blog Article by Pablo Markin. In their study, Spezi et al. (2017) have examined the evolution of Open Access scientific mega-journals as a publishing format that enjoys increasing following among scholarly publishers, scientific societies and market entrants. The Public Library of Science, which launched PLOS One in 2006, is one of the more visible players in this […]

20140417, April 17, 2014 | © Courtesy of foam/Flickr.

Preprints and Retrieval Tools Help Implode the Distinction between Open Access and Subscription-Based Journals

As the growing availability of the self-archived and preprint versions of articles published in paywall-protected journals widens the gray zone between subscription-based and Open Access publishing models, the scientific journal publishing market undergoes a sea change with possibly momentous consequences. A Blog Article by Pablo Markin. While the differences between Open Access and paywall-based article publishing models continue to be publicly discussed, scientific journal representatives begin to take stock of the growing acceptance in the publishing industry for an increased transparency of its procedures, such as in relation to peer reviews. For academic institutions, such as universities, these are not […]