Publishing in the Digital Age
Managing Your Scholarly Communication: Part II
You are able to influence the publishing world as you manage your scholarly communications. The following resources provide materials designed to assist you in publishing decisions.
Publishing Alternatives
In the past, traditional publishing models have provided the maximum distribution scholars desired, but this model may be changing. The American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) discovered that 2003 articles to which readers had open access, "were downloaded 2.8 times more often than online articles accessible only to subscribers" (Walker, n.p). In a comparison of open access (OA) and non-open access (non-OA) articles from PNAS: Proceedings, of the National Academy of Sciences, Gunther Eysenbach found that OA "articles from the same journal in the first 4-16 mo after publication are cited earlier and are, on average, cited more often than non-OA articles" (0696). The author also suggests that there may not only be an immediate advantage in citations numbers "but also in term of total impact" over an extended time period (0696). Open access may have distinct advantages for an author though studies continue to determine to what extent this dissemination and impact is improved.
Walker, T.J. (15 April 2004) "Open access by the article: an idea whose time has come?" Nature (Web Focus: Access to the Literature), n.p. Retrieved August 4, 2006, from http://www.nature.com/nature/focus/accessdebate/13.html
Eysenbach, G. (2006). Citation advantage of open access articles. PLoS Biology, 4(5), 0692-0698. Retrieved August 4, 2006, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040157
Journal Information: Support for Choosing a Journal for Publication
Use Journal Info to find information on the accessibility, cost and quality of over 18,000 journals. It also includes alternative Open Access journals in the same subject area.
Open Access & Quasi Open Access
Bepress: The Berkeley Electronic Press
Bepress offers information on "The Scholarly Communication Crisis". Its goal is to help both scholars and libraries by offering time efficient reviewing and publishing and by maintaining reasonable journal prices. Bepress' policy is one of quasi-open access.
BioMed Central
BioMed Central is an open access publisher of over 150 peer-reviewed journals in the area of biomedical research which allows authors to retain copyright to their work. Articles published in BioMed Central are also placed in PubMed Central and additional international archives. BioMed uses article-processing charges (APCs) to cover publication costs. Those scholars associated with UC Merced receive a 15% discount on APCs.
PubMed Central
PubMed Central is a free digital archive at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), managed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The NIH supports increased public access to research resulting from NIH funds. Researchers are encouraged to submit their final peer-reviewed manuscripts to PubMed Central. Read more about NIH Public Access including the submission process.
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
PLoS is non-profit publishing organization providing open access to scientific research in support of generating additional scientific discoveries. All works published by PLoS are applied the Creative Commons Attribution License (CCAL) which allows authors to retain ownership of their work. View -Open Access License" for additional details.
Institutional Repositories
Institutional repositories are another location for scholarly communications and publishing opportunities.
eScholarship Repository
The eScholarship Repository, sponsored by the California Digital Library (CDL), is an alternative publishing mechanism designed to support scholarly communication in an electronic format. It is possible to submit a journal, peer-reviewed series, seminar series, postprints etc. to the repository.
The eScholarship Repository is beneficial because it allows you to freely post your publications electronically which can increase the visibility of your research. The Repository can act as your primary publishing tool, or if you retain copyrights to your research, it functions as an additional point of access to your work. For a complete list of advantages, visit -Repository Benefits".
If interested in joining the repository and depositing papers, visit eScholarship's "About" page. Authors can submit postprints individually. To submit a non-postprint, work through your School. If you have additional questions, contact Donald Barclay, dbarclay@ucmerced.edu your eScholarship liaison at UC Merced.
Awareness & Action
To follow the scholarly communication conversation and to find practical resources, visit the following sites.
UC Office of Scholarly Communication
Visit "Reshaping Scholarly Communication" for information on regaining control of scholarly communication. The site includes action items in support of managing your intellectual property, using alternative forms of publishing, and supporting sustainable scholarly communication. This is specifically designed as a resource for UC scholars.
UC's Academic Senate
The Academic Council Special Committee on Scholarly Communication (SCSC) has responded to the challenges facing scholarly communications through a number of reports .
Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)
SPARC is an alliance of organizations working to initiate and support changes that will advance scholarship and create sustainable scholarly communication models. The "Resources" page includes a section especially useful for authors. It includes an "Author Rights" brochure and guidance for journal article submission. The site is an extensive resource for anyone, author to librarian, who wants to explore scholarly communication alternatives.
Nature Publishing Group
"Access to the Literature: The Debate Continues"is devoted to the topic of new business model for publishing. News, editorials, and position papers from various stakeholders are included. The debate can be followed with an RSS feed.