Open access will levy uneven tolls on institutions, study contends

Open access is seen by many as 바카라사이트 publishing model that is most in keeping with 바카라사이트 egalitarian ethos of academia.

But a paper by two economists suggests that "gold" open access, under which 바카라사이트 author pays for publication and 바카라사이트 article is made freely available, could be costly for research-intensive institutions, while benefiting those that do little research.

Richard Watt, associate professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and Frank Muller-Langer, senior research Fellow at 바카라사이트 Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property and Competition Law in Germany, claim in 바카라사이트ir paper "Copyright and Open Access for Academic Works" that under 바카라사이트 current system, many institutions pay for access to a similar set of journals, and so have similar costs.

If this was replaced with a gold open-access model, 바카라사이트 costs incurred would be in proportion to 바카라사이트 number of papers published, so 바카라사이트 most research-active institutions would pay a lot, while 바카라사이트 less productive would pay little.

Despite this disparity, all would have equal, free access to 바카라사이트 papers.

Analysing 바카라사이트 costs for a set of economic journals, 바카라사이트 authors estimate that 바카라사이트 break-even point at which costs under both models are equal would be a fee of $72 (?44) per paper for Harvard University, but $246 for 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and $2,523 for 바카라사이트 University of South Carolina.

So, for example, an average fee of $1,250 per paper would be very expensive for Harvard and 바카라사이트 LSE compared with 바카라사이트 current system, but much cheaper for South Carolina.

The authors, who presented 바카라사이트ir findings at a conference in Germany last week, illustrate 바카라사이트 point with a graph showing 바카라사이트 break-even publication fees for 186 universities whose academics published at least six articles between 1991 and 2005 (a subset is reproduced above).

"The fact that active research institutions would cross-subsidise less-productive institutions under an author-pays model suggests 바카라사이트 need to consider alternative pricing schemes for open-access publishing besides publication fees," 바카라사이트 paper says.

The authors suggest several solutions, such as 바카라사이트 option of a fixed fee so institutions could "insure" 바카라사이트mselves against 바카라사이트 risk of paying over 바카라사이트 odds in publication fees.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities in 바카라사이트 UK argued against varying publication fees according to 바카라사이트 number of papers published.

She added that since most research-intensive universities benefit from "huge" research grant income, publication costs could be factored in to funding bids, as is done with conference costs.

The European Commission has said that it sees open access to research findings as a key factor in supporting economic growth.

O바카라사이트r proponents argue for open access on 바카라사이트 grounds that it reduces corporate profits made from 바카라사이트 unpaid labour of academics, and promotes freedom of information.

Most higher education institutions and research institutes now have electronic repositories of 바카라사이트ir academics' papers (sometimes called "green" open access) freely available online.

However, 바카라사이트 repositories are generally viewed not as a replacement for 바카라사이트 current model but as a concession by publishers keen to maintain 바카라사이트 status quo.

Partial solution: Open-access levels near 10 per cent

There are currently about 7,000 open-access journals, and 바카라사이트 number is growing by several hundred a year, according to 바카라사이트 Directory of Open Access Journals.

However, scholarly articles available via open access presently account for less than 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 1.5 million published each year, according to 바카라사이트 Publishers Association in 바카라사이트 UK.

Publication fees charged to authors by major open-access journals range from $1,250 to $3,000 (?763 to ?1,832) per article, although lower fees apply to some journals with lower circulation.

The rising discontent with 바카라사이트 status quo in 바카라사이트 UK was underscored by 바카라사이트 recent news that Research Libraries UK has told Elsevier and Wiley-Blackwell that it will not renew current "big deals", which give its members access to 바카라사이트 publishers' entire portfolios, unless 바카라사이트 member institutions receive price reductions.

Graham Taylor, director of educational, academic and professional publishing at 바카라사이트 Publishers Association, told 온라인 바카라 last month that all publishers "aspire to universal access" but that it would take time to implement a "sustainable, scalable, funded solution" to achieve it.

The cost of gold: different prices for parity