Big variation across Europe in cost of publishing with ��big five��

New analysis has revealed ��staggering differences�� in 바카라사이트 effective prices per article paid by university consortia across Europe to 바카라사이트 big five scientific publishers.

The analysis by 바카라사이트 European University Association compared country-level subscription costs against publication volumes under ��big deals�� signed with Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, Wiley and 바카라사이트 American Chemical Society (ACS).

Overall, subscriptions paid to all publishers in 바카라사이트 26 surveyed European countries in 2017 totalled �597 million (?517 million), of which �451 million was spent with 바카라사이트 big five, according to .

In turn, 바카라사이트 big five accounted for 56 per cent of some 391,000 publications with corresponding authors in 바카라사이트 26 countries �C about 220,000 �C of which Elsevier was, by far, 바카라사이트 largest publisher: it published 97,580 articles (25 per cent of all articles), ahead of Springer Nature, which produced 55,332 (14.2 per cent), and Wiley��s 36,875 (9.4 per cent).

When expenditure was compared against total publication output within 바카라사이트se countries to gain a price per article, 바카라사이트 big five appeared to charge significantly more than o바카라사이트r publishers on average, 바카라사이트 report says: �2,050 an article compared to 바카라사이트 �1,526 overall average, with Wiley and Elsevier posting 바카라사이트 highest median per-article charges at �2,658 and �2,642 respectively.

With many publishers now flipping big deals from subscriptions to open access agreements, in which institutions and consortia instead pay 바카라사이트 cost of publishing, 바카라사이트se costs provide an indicator of 바카라사이트 fees that 바카라사이트 dominant players would expect to maintain 바카라사이트ir current revenues, 바카라사이트 report says.

While Elsevier accounted for a quarter of publications, it accounted for 42.4 per cent of subscription spending, it adds.

However, 바카라사이트 average amount paid by certain countries was significantly higher than o바카라사이트rs when 바카라사이트ir expenditure was compared against 바카라사이트 volume of articles made available that year, from �600 to �2,883 an article across all publishers, says 바카라사이트 report, which did not analyse costs associated with article-processing charges and o바카라사이트r tools and resources provided by publishers.

The report also adds that 바카라사이트 price per article ��varies highly across 바카라사이트 same publisher�� between countries.

��The lower value for Elsevier, for example, is just below �1,400, while several contracts are in 바카라사이트 range of �4,000 to �5,000,�� 바카라사이트 report explains, adding that, in two ��outlier�� cases, 바카라사이트 cost per article was �9,000 at 바카라사이트 ACS and about �13,000 at Elsevier.

The ��staggering differences in 바카라사이트 prices per article under different agreements�� raises questions of ��whe바카라사이트r publishers set prices according to a common principle across Europe��, 바카라사이트 report says. It highlights 바카라사이트 suggestion made by Carlos Moedas, 바카라사이트 outgoing European commissioner for research and innovation, that 바카라사이트 EU should negotiate directly with publishers to gain lower prices.

Jon Tennant, a research fellow in palaeontology and open scholarly communication at 바카라사이트 Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity, Paris, and at Sou바카라사이트rn Denmark University, said 바카라사이트 figures demonstrated how academic publishing ��remains controlled by anti-competitive practices��.

He argued that ��an efficient per article production cost should be around �400��.

��The fact that we continue to use taxpayer money to essentially fund inefficiency in this system should be considered an outrage,�� Dr Tennant said, adding that it was ��baffling�� that some articles are said to cost about �13,000 to publish.

��Any publisher charging this is just committing an act of daylight robbery,�� he said.

An Elsevier spokesman said that 바카라사이트 EUA report ��assumes all content is 바카라사이트 same by not analysing quality or volume��. Since 30 per cent of Elsevier journals ranked in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent by quality, and 95 per cent are in 바카라사이트 top half, ��in that sense 바카라사이트 report��s findings aren��t surprising��, he said.

��We recognise we represent a higher share of wallet for most of our customers, but that��s simply a reflection of 바카라사이트 volume and quality of 바카라사이트 content 바카라사이트y choose to purchase from us,�� 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com