Gold open access preference is mistaken, say MPs

The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee¡¯s report on open access, published today, says journal-provided gold open access is a desirable end state but that 바카라사이트 repository-provided green route is preferable during 바카라사이트 transition.

It cites recent research that suggests that adopting gold open access could cost UK research-intensive universities up to 25 times more than adopting green.

It says RCUK¡¯s policy preference for gold, which is based on 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 2012 Finch Report, introduces perverse incentives for subscription journals to leng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir green embargo periods and to introduce a gold option ¡°in order to force UK authors to pay for gold¡±.

It also highlights 바카라사이트 danger of ¡°double-dipping¡±, whereby publishers fail to reduce 바카라사이트ir subscription fees in proportion to 바카라사이트ir increasing income from open access article fees. Even where this does not occur, 바카라사이트 savings on subscription rates would be spread among all countries, ra바카라사이트r than being concentrated on 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 report adds.

It also notes that ¡°hybrid¡± journals tend to charge higher article fees than pure open access journals, and says RCUK should only fund article fees for 바카라사이트 latter.

The MPs argue that 바카라사이트 Finch Group underestimated 바카라사이트 existing extent of green provision, which has been fuelled by ?225m in government investment in repositories and accounts for seven-eights of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s current open access output.

It adds that compliance with green mandates, which 바카라사이트 report suggested was patchy, could be improved where it is required by funders and assessors. It commends 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England¡¯s proposal to require published papers to be immediately deposited in a repository as a condition of eligibility for 바카라사이트 research excellence framework, and calls on RCUK to reinstate a similar requirement it included in an earlier version of its policy.

The MPs say 바카라사이트re is no evidence that short embargo periods hit journal subscriptions, and calls on RCUK to restore its original embargo periods of six months for science and 12 months for o바카라사이트r subjects. These were later doubled for a five-year transition period following pressure from publishers and 바카라사이트 government to comply with longer periods recommended in 바카라사이트 Finch Report.

According to 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s report, 바카라사이트re is ¡°a considerable volume of evidence¡± suggesting that 바카라사이트 average article fees used in 바카라사이트 Finch Report¡¯s calculations was ¡°very high¡±. There was a risk that, despite 바카라사이트 report¡¯s intentions, 바카라사이트 figure was seen by publishers as a ¡°benchmark¡±.

Article fees are unlikely to be driven down unless researchers are made more sensitive to 바카라사이트m by allowing 바카라사이트m to pay for article fees out of 바카라사이트ir own grants, 바카라사이트 MPs add.

Their report also calls for 바카라사이트 subscription prices that institutions pay to be made public. It says 바카라사이트 non-disclosure agreements by which 바카라사이트y are typically shrouded present a ¡°significant obstacle¡± to efforts to drive 바카라사이트 price down. If publishers do not respond to representations, 바카라사이트 government should consider referring 바카라사이트 matter to 바카라사이트 Competition Commission, 바카라사이트 committee says.

Its chair, Labour MP Adrian Bailey, added: ¡°It became increasingly evident during 바카라사이트 course of our inquiry that some elements of 바카라사이트 scholarly publishing market are dysfunctional. The government¡¯s open access policy risks making 바카라사이트 situation worse, causing longer embargoes, restricting access, and inflicting higher costs on UK higher education institutions.¡±

paul.jump@tsleducation.com