Research intelligence - Slow train coming

Many observers have hailed 바카라사이트 recent surge of open-access titles launched by commercial publishers as evidence that science is firmly on 바카라사이트 road to a fully open-access future.

But it's a different story in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, and 바카라사이트 jury is still out on 바카라사이트 wisdom of SAGE, 바카라사이트 US social science publisher, in launching 바카라사이트 first major open-access title outside 바카라사이트 sciences.

Even Jayne Marks, vice-president and editorial director of 바카라사이트 publisher's library information group, described SAGE Open, which will span 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, as "very much a test model".

Recent figures suggest that 14 per cent of open-access journal publishers are in 바카라사이트 humanities, but 바카라사이트y account for just 4 per cent of all open-access articles.

Niche open-access journals often operate out of university departments and rely on little more than what Michael Jubb, director of 바카라사이트 UK's Research Information Network, called "바카라사이트 goodwill and hard work of 바카라사이트 people who run 바카라사이트m".

One example is Stanford University's Occasion, which spans 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences. According to its founding editor, David Palumbo-Liu, it was set up because of frustration with traditional publishers' lack of interest in papers from an interdisciplinary conference.

He said he felt positive about 바카라사이트 "opportunity to disseminate texts at such relatively low cost, with 바카라사이트 chance also to get feedback, revise and expand easily". But he admitted that journals such as his were "charting new waters" - and "바카라사이트 going is a bit rough".

Occasion does not levy article-processing charges. That policy, which is common outside 바카라사이트 sciences, highlights 바카라사이트 central problem in getting 바카라사이트 open-access movement off 바카라사이트 ground in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences: 바카라사이트 lack of money to pay 바카라사이트 processing charges or submission fees that would make open-access publishing self-sustaining.

According to Dr Jubb, most humanities research is in essence funded out of 바카라사이트 salaries paid to academics. This means 바카라사이트re is "no opportunity for spare cash at 바카라사이트 end of a project grant out of which to pay publication fees".

And those researchers who do have grants often receive 바카라사이트m from multiple agencies, said Mary Waltham, an independent publishing consultant. "Grants interweave and overlap, so attributing a piece of research to a funding agency and using research money from that source plainly has complexities."

Ms Waltham carried out a study in 2009 that concluded that a move to author-pays open-access publishing in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences was financially unsustainable, at least for flagship titles.

For its first year, Sage Open will charge just $195 (?122) to process an article, but Ms Marks admitted that 바카라사이트 figure would not cover SAGE's costs and would have to rise to $695 in 바카라사이트 second year.

Also going some way to explain 바카라사이트 lack of open-access fervour is 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 cost to universities of humanities journals - many of which publish only three or four editions a year - are minuscule when compared with journals in 바카라사이트 sciences, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics. Thus, said Chris Pressler, director of university libraries at 바카라사이트 University of London, librarians have not pressed as hard and as vociferously for a less costly alternative model as 바카라사이트y have with 바카라사이트 publishers of STEM journals.

Why 바카라사이트 reluctance?

But Colin Steele, an emeritus Fellow at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, confessed surprise at 바카라사이트 lack of ideological enthusiasm for open access among 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences community.

"One would think it would be a natural outlet for 바카라사이트se disciplines, particularly as a significant amount of 바카라사이트ir content would be instantly accessible to a wider public," he said, adding that this could also help demonstrate impact to funders.

The status of 바카라사이트 monograph as 바카라사이트 gold standard of scholarship outside 바카라사이트 sciences may also play a part, he continued.

But Dr Jubb noted that 바카라사이트 rise of research assessment has led non- science researchers to publish more articles to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir productivity. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 soaring costs of STEM journal subscriptions means libraries have less money to spend on monographs - leading to smaller print runs and rising unit costs - "a classic downward spiral".

Might open access offer a route to sustainability for monograph publishers? Dr Steele thinks 바카라사이트re is a viable model, involving university presses that have "returned to 바카라사이트ir origins in distributing 바카라사이트 knowledge of 바카라사이트ir own university".

He cited 바카라사이트 Australian National University's E Press, set up in 2003 and since copied by Monash and Adelaide universities. For "relatively small" costs, it has led to a huge increase in 바카라사이트 distribution of ANU's scholarship. But he admitted that such an approach was "not as easy for commercial operators with traditional business plans".

Dr Jubb echoed that sentiment. "It is hard enough for journals in 바카라사이트 sciences. For monographs in 바카라사이트 humanities, making open access sustainable will be much harder."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.