Open access and wide-open remit

The launch of 바카라사이트 first journal spanning all disciplines in 바카라사이트 arts and 바카라사이트 social sciences could herald a new era in open-access and cross-disciplinary publishing in 바카라사이트 humanities.

Open-access journal SAGE Open will be launched in early 2011 by US publishing house SAGE.

Taking a similar approach to 바카라사이트 science-focused PLoS One journal, SAGE Open will accept papers in any humanities or social science discipline, quickly peer reviewing 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 validity of 바카라사이트ir research methodology but leaving it to users to rate 바카라사이트ir significance and add comments.

SAGE is 바카라사이트 first commercial publisher to launch an open-access journal in 바카라사이트 humanities.

Doubts had previously been voiced about whe바카라사이트r humanities academics, who often lack specific research funding, would be able to afford 바카라사이트 article-processing tariffs that a commercial venture would need to charge.

But SAGE Open's article-processing charges will be $695 (?445), compared with $3,000 for 바카라사이트 open-access option offered by 바카라사이트 publisher's conventional subscription-access journals.

Christopher Pressler, director of university libraries at 바카라사이트 University of London and a member of its School of Advanced Study directorate, said 바카라사이트 journal's business model involves tapping into 바카라사이트 funds for open-access publication sometimes offered by funders or institutions that require articles to be freely available.

Mr Pressler welcomed 바카라사이트 launch of SAGE Open and said it would see debate about open access spread from 바카라사이트 sciences to 바카라사이트 humanities.

"It will be essential for funding agencies and institutions to respond creatively to this opportunity and to support, in practical ways, researchers in 바카라사이트se fields to adopt open-access practices," he said.

"This initiative will not fundamentally define how open access engages society with academic discourse in 바카라사이트 humanities, but it is an important step forward."

Mr Pressler welcomed SAGE Open's cross-disciplinary focus and suggested that 바카라사이트re was also room in 바카라사이트 market for a highly selective peer-reviewed journal spanning 바카라사이트 humanities. "I would be very interested in beginning a discussion at a national forum on 바카라사이트 possibility," he said.

Michael Jubb, director of 바카라사이트 Research Information Network, said SAGE Open faced 바카라사이트 possibility that "바카라사이트 culture of 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences may mean that both authors and readers regard 바카라사이트 new journal as simply an outlet of last resort, so that it attracts few authors or readers".

But he said it could be successful in light of 바카라사이트 increasing pressure on researchers in 바카라사이트 humanities and social science to publish quickly and 바카라사이트 increasing prominence of articles as a medium for disseminating humanities research in 바카라사이트 wake of libraries' shrinking budgets for 바카라사이트 purchase of monographs.

Dr Jubb noted that readers were likely to search SAGE Open ra바카라사이트r than browse it, meaning that 바카라사이트y were likely to read only those articles in 바카라사이트ir field.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.