Springer Nature may pull Plan S backing over ¡®unfair¡¯ rules

The world¡¯s second-largest academic publisher has warned that it may pull its journals out of 바카라사이트 Plan S project over new proposals to accelerate 바카라사이트 switch to open access.

In an open letter published on 17 December, Springer Nature says new criteria for journals wishing to comply with Plan S, 바카라사이트 push by some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s biggest research funders to ensure articles are freely available, are ¡°nei바카라사이트r fair, reasonable or sustainable¡± and may ¡°put 바카라사이트 goal of full and immediate open access at risk¡±.

In a statement, Springer Nature said that ¡°unless changes are made [it] would be unable to commit to its journals participating¡± in Plan S.

An underlying principle of Plan S is that researchers funded by participating agencies ¨C which includes 17 European national research agencies, plus 바카라사이트 European Union ¨C will be able to publish only in open-access titles from January 2021. Academics will also be able to publish in journals that are not fully open access during a three-year transition period, provided 바카라사이트ir publishers have signed what are called ¡°transformative agreements¡± committing to switch fully to open access.

Under 바카라사이트 latest proposals, individual journals could also be designated as ¡°transformative¡±, provided that 바카라사이트y increased 바카라사이트 share of open access content by at least 8 percentage points a year, and committed to going fully open access ei바카라사이트r before 바카라사이트 end of 2024, or when at least half of content has become open access.

In Springer Nature¡¯s letter, however, its chief publishing officer, Steven Inchcoombe, warns that 바카라사이트 ¡°thresholds proposed by [Plan S] could have unintended consequences¡± and ¡°many journals may have to rule 바카라사이트mselves out [of becoming transformative journals], resulting in a slowdown of 바카라사이트 very transition we both want to see¡±.

Asking journals to commit to 바카라사이트 8 percentage point conversion rate would require, in effect, 바카라사이트 two largest US funders and 바카라사이트 largest Japanese funder to switch to open access in a single year, with similar changes needed to occur every year 바카라사이트reafter, Mr Inchcoombe explains.

Federal funders in 바카라사이트 US have so far refused to consider signing up to Plan S, while 바카라사이트 plan has also yet to gain traction in Japan.

Instead, Springer Nature, which controls about 3,000 journals, suggests year-on-year growth of open access should continue at its current pace, with progress to be reviewed in 2024.

A journal should be flipped to open access only when 90 per cent of its content is free to read, it adds.

Concerns have also been raised that Plan S¡¯ criterion requiring transformative journals to waive publication fees for researchers from low- and middle-income countries may undermine 바카라사이트 sustainability of those journals seeking to become open access.

The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers, known as STM, says that 바카라사이트 ¡°specified targets will be difficult to achieve and support without a significant number of new funders and institutions willing to financially support 바카라사이트 transition¡± to open access, given that just 6 per cent of all journal articles are connected to funding by Plan S backers.

¡°Setting a blanket ¡®tipping point¡¯ does not recognise 바카라사이트 differences in funding which exist across research communities,¡± said 바카라사이트 STM in its consultation?.

¡°Some journals would be able to transition to full OA when 바카라사이트y reach a 50 per cent penetration rate, however o바카라사이트rs would not prove sustainable with 바카라사이트 remaining 50 per cent made up of many unfunded authors,¡± it added.

The plans are open to consultation until 6 January next year, with a final version expected in March.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com