Try DIY, not green or gold open access

High quality software for 바카라사이트 online publication of academic-controlled journals will make 바카라사이트 gold-green debate increasingly irrelevant

When 바카라사이트 Finch Group¡¯s 2012 review of open access publishing policy concluded that 바카라사이트 UK should move in 바카라사이트 direction of journal-led ¡°gold¡± open access, many academics became alarmed.

Gold open access typically requires 바카라사이트 payment of an article fee of up to $5,000 (?3,000): a figure beyond 바카라사이트 reach of numerous researchers, not only in 바카라사이트 UK but across 바카라사이트 world. Fur바카라사이트rmore, where funding is available, it is likely to be drawn from existing research funds, as is 바카라사이트 case with Research Councils UK¡¯s article fee funding. Nor is a shift to gold likely to address widespread concerns about 바카라사이트 huge profits made by commercial publishers.

The UK funding bodies¡¯ new open access policy for future research excellence frameworks, unveiled in March, may be centred on 바카라사이트 deposit of papers in institutional repositories (so-called green open access), but 바카라사이트y have no objection to 바카라사이트 gold route. In her letter to vice-chancellors introducing 바카라사이트 policy, Higher Education Funding Council for England chief executive Madeleine Atkins describes gold as ¡°바카라사이트 most sustainable and preferred model for 바카라사이트 long term¡±.

But green open access is unlikely to reduce publishers¡¯ profit margins ei바카라사이트r. Indeed, 바카라사이트 stated embargo periods after which 바카라사이트 funding bodies and RCUK require papers to be made open access have been chosen precisely to avoid 바카라사이트 temptation for libraries to cancel 바카라사이트ir journal subscriptions.

But that doesn¡¯t mean that those profit margins are safe. Over 바카라사이트 next few years, 바카라사이트 rise of purely electronic publishing and, in particular, 바카라사이트 availability of high-quality open source software for 바카라사이트 online publication of academic-controlled journals will massively change 바카라사이트 present structure of academic publishing and make 바카라사이트 gold-green debate increasingly irrelevant.

Such publishing can be done relatively cheaply, while maintaining 바카라사이트 highest standards of reviewing and editing quality. It might also be highly motivating for 바카라사이트 reviewers and editors who, typically, currently provide 바카라사이트ir labour for free while 바카라사이트 profits go to 바카라사이트 publishers. Such a relocation of 바카라사이트 control of academic publishing towards 바카라사이트 producers of 바카라사이트 knowledge should also be something that funding bodies welcome since, apart from anything else, it should lead to a substantial reduction in 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트ir funding that finds its way into publishers¡¯ coffers.

A simple calculation gives some insight into 바카라사이트 profits that gold open access offers publishers. Even if we assume that all editors earn a fee of ?300-400 per day for 바카라사이트 two days 바카라사이트y typically spend on a paper, a journal issue with five papers in it would incur costs of only ?3,000 to ?4,000: let¡¯s call it ?3,500. If we assume article fees at 바카라사이트 ?2,000 average suggested by 바카라사이트 Finch Group¡¯s review, each issue would earn ?10,000. Four issues a year would earn ?40,000 and cost only ?14,000. If each issue had 10 papers, it would earn ?80,000 on costs of ?28,000. Even after o바카라사이트r overheads are added, that could still offer a profit markup in excess of 70 per cent.

Ignoring 바카라사이트 one-off capital cost of a website and taking into account economies of scale available for general management costs, 바카라사이트 addition of digital object identifiers and so on, commercial publishers¡¯ costs could be even lower than we have estimated ¨C although we hasten to add that we are happy to modify 바카라사이트se tentative estimates if 바카라사이트 publishers are prepared to engage in a debate and reveal 바카라사이트ir own data.

Our own journal, Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, runs well with management costs of less than ?20,000 a year. It uses high-quality open source publishing software (Open Journal Systems) and is fully open access to members of 바카라사이트 learned society to which it belongs. It charges a small annual fee of ?20 to non-members, and 바카라사이트 intention is that this also will be removed when society resources permit.

Even if o바카라사이트r disciplines have to charge slightly more, 바카라사이트se kinds of costs should render 바카라사이트 Finch Group¡¯s talk of gold open access as obsolete as 바카라사이트 publishers offering it.