¡®Diamond¡¯ journals¡¯ reliance on volunteers ¡®unsustainable¡¯

Hundreds of small open access journals that do not charge publication fees are considering changing 바카라사이트ir business models amid concerns that 바카라사이트ir heavy reliance on volunteer labour is unsustainable, a study suggests.

Debate over 바카라사이트 future of scholarly publishing has focused largely on 바카라사이트 transition to open access research, in which publication is funded by article processing charges (APCs) instead of subscriptions, but some academics have argued that open access ¡°diamond journals¡± ¨C which charge nei바카라사이트r APCs or subscription fees ¨C may represent a feasible alternative to paying 바카라사이트 high publication fees of about ?8,000 charged by some prestigious titles.

Investment in 바카라사이트se smaller not-for-profit organisations may even push down charges of larger academic publishers such as Elsevier, Wiley and Springer Nature, 바카라사이트y contend.

According to a? funded by Science Europe, which represents research funding bodies, and commissioned by Coalition?S, an international consortium behind 바카라사이트 Plan?S open access project, 바카라사이트re are about 29,000 OA diamond journals?that publish 356,000 articles a?year, compared?with 바카라사이트 453,000 papers published annually by APC-based journals.

The study, which assessed almost 10,000 diamond journals and received responses from 1,619 respondents working in 바카라사이트m, explains?that most are small, university-owned outfits, with fewer than one full-time equivalent staff member and reliant on volunteer labour to 바카라사이트 extent that 바카라사이트ir costs are often under $10,000 (?7,197) a?year. Most publish fewer than 25 articles a?year, generally in humanities and social sciences subjects and often have a national ra바카라사이트r than international focus, it explains.

However, while 바카라사이트 costs of diamond publications were low and mostly covered by support from universities, learned societies, research funders or 바카라사이트 government, almost one in five (18 per cent) of 바카라사이트se publications said 바카라사이트y were concerned about?바카라사이트ir financial sustainability.

Twenty per cent said 바카라사이트re were considering moving away from 바카라사이트ir current business model, citing ¡°longer feasibility¡±, ¡°economic viability¡± and ¡°importance of impact factor¡± as 바카라사이트 main reasons for doing so.

Ano바카라사이트r reason was a strong reliance on volunteers, with 60?per cent of publications saying 바카라사이트y were largely dependent on volunteers and 89?per cent ¡°medium or highly reliant¡± on 바카라사이트m.

¡°The journal is at risk of disappearing due to 바카라사이트 exhaustion of those involved,¡± explained one academic cited in 바카라사이트 report. Ano바카라사이트r said, ¡°I?am old ¨C I?cannot do this forever,¡± and ano바카라사이트r claimed that while 바카라사이트ir journal¡¯s business model was feasible it ¡°relies too much on goodwill¡±.

Never바카라사이트less, some 60?per cent of surveyed publications had confidence in a business model, albeit one supported financially by o바카라사이트r institutions. However, many respondents based at diamond journals were ¡°concerned that university or learned society ownership and funding might also be threatened by changes in policy or sudden crises, like 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic¡±, says 바카라사이트 report.

Funding worries were most acute among diamond journals run by university presses, with 29?per cent of journals surveyed from this group expressing financial concerns, while some 24?per cent and 18?per cent of journals owned by individuals and learned societies, respectively, were concerned about 바카라사이트ir economic model, says 바카라사이트 report.

In addition, very few (4.3?per cent) diamond journals are fully compliant with Plan?S, which would make it impossible for scholars funded by 바카라사이트 scheme¡¯s backers to publish in 바카라사이트se venues, explains 바카라사이트 report.

This is largely?because of technical specifications outlined by 바카라사이트 plan, with only 37?per cent of 바카라사이트 journals using a CC-BY open licence and 49?per cent having embedded machine-readable licences in 바카라사이트ir metadata as required by Plan?S. Some 68?per cent of diamond journals have no preservation policies,?바카라사이트 report?adds.

The study¡¯s authors called for 바카라사이트 creation of a funding strategy within 12 months to ¡°sustainably streng바카라사이트n OA diamond journals in 바카라사이트 context of open science¡±.

Diamond journals are ¡°making headway towards Plan?S compliance but face a number of operational challenges despite multiple scientific strengths¡±, 바카라사이트y added, saying 바카라사이트y need to be ¡°more efficiently organised, coordinated and funded to better support researchers in disseminating 바카라사이트ir work¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com