What is Open Access?
Open access is a publishing model for scholarly communication that makes research information available to readers at no cost. This model contrasts with the traditional subscription model where readers access scholarly articles by paying a subscription (usually via libraries or academic institutions). The primary objective of open access is to increase the speed of scientific progress by allowing findings to be shared more freely between researchers regardless of their geographic location or financial access. One important corollary of the open access model is that it naturally decreases the “research gap” between researchers in richer countries and those in poorer countries.
Open Access in Social Sciences:
Do Social Scientists Work More Independently?
The open access model has proliferated in recent years among academic disciplines. Curiously enough, while open access was more widely accepted among the natural sciences on its introduction, uptake was slower among the social sciences and humanities (Coonin & Younce, 2009). One of the reasons given for this discrepancy was that in the past, there was less dependency in the social sciences among researchers than in the natural sciences (Tonta, 2006). In today’s globalised world, however, there exists a certain dependency between all scientific disciplines, where all are related, all have something to learn from each other, and all have the possibility to contribute to each other’s development. If the open access model was more widely adopted in the social sciences, the entire research community across all disciplines would benefit.
Creating an Equal Playing Field
Under the prevailing paid subscription model, researchers working in low- and middle-income countries can face problems when accessing paid resources. Many such researchers, despite having excellent qualifications and the potential to make meaningful contributions to the social sciences, see their work stymied due to lack of access to the published resources they need. Open access enables knowledge to be more accessible, allowing researchers across all disciplines and locations to develop their own findings.
A Concern About Open Access
A major concern as it relates to open access is the proliferation of journals that are simply a way for predatory publishers to make money from author fees. Predatory publishers are open access publishers who publish journals with little or no real peer review, the aim being to accept and publish as many articles as possible to generate revenue (MCW Libraries, 2021). Predatory publishers typically trick authors into believing that they are legitimate publishers who offer the peer review process that researchers expect in scholarly journals.
The American Psychological Association (2016) has disseminated advice on avoiding predators, including making sure that the publisher is covered by trusted research database lists, investigating whether the publisher’s financial model is public and transparent (this is especially important for open access publishing models), and investigating the reputation of the publisher. A good place to start an investigation is the expanded list of potential predatory journals and publishers called Beall’s list (https://beallslist.net/).
Six Reasons to Use Open Access
Open access has many advantages for both authors and researchers and I’ve listed 6 below that I believe are important:
Removes legal and commercial barriers to accessing knowledge
With no commercial or legal barriers preventing access to peer-reviewed literature, open access provides researchers with the opportunity to do what they are actually supposed to do — research topics and expand upon previously existing research, allowing them to contribute to their field!
Knowledge is power
Philosopher Francis Bacon wrote that “knowledge is power” and he was right. All the knowledge humanity has acquired is the legacy of past generations, a legacy everyone should be able to share in. This accumulation and development of knowledge is only possible because every contributor along the way has been able to access earlier knowledge and build on it. Open access accelerates this process. Knowledge and its value increases by sharing.
Increases visibility
Authors who adopt open access benefit from it themselves too. Studies have suggested that open access publications are on average cited three times more often than those behind a paywall (Brainard, 2021). This means more visibility for an article and its authors, leading to an increased academic profile which in turn leads to more research opportunities and potential contributions to the field.
Facilitates new research and partnerships
I believe that this is one of the most important benefits of the open access model. Because open access makes it easier to access research from different disciplines and geographical perspectives, researchers may develop new opinions, new common research interests, and new approaches as they become exposed to research that may have been blocked from them in the past. This could lead to scholars from very different academic backgrounds merging their skills and knowledge and contributing to the interdisciplinary nature of social sciences in new and exciting ways.
Increases equity
Every researcher should have the same access to published research. To increase equity we, who are in positions of power, can share our knowledge with people who are not in such privileged positions. Imagine that you are a researcher and based in a low-income country. You want to do research on a specific issue in the country you live in and have the advantage of in-field experience, but are unable to access the relevant academic literature due to exorbitant subscription fees. Open access seeks to level the playing field and increase equity of access to knowledge.
Helps avoid needless duplication of research
In the traditional publishing model, researchers are publishing results without knowing that others have already done similar research on an issue because they cannot access relevant publications. This is a chronic problem, especially in the social sciences. Utilising open access would not only have saved the researchers time by avoiding duplication, but it could also help them further develop a research topic by expanding on existing research.
Benefits of Open Access
Open access is an amazing win-win publishing model. To authors it gives increased visibility; to researchers it provides an opportunity to access scientific literature more easily; to the social sciences it contributes to higher standards; and to the world it increases equality. We have an opportunity to make a positive change for ourselves and how we access and share human knowledge. Be part of it by signing Includovate’s Open Access pledge.
Sign your pledge with Includovate! — https://bit.ly/OpenAccessForAll
Short Course of Open Access — Includovate 7Taps Course
About the Author
Deniz Tanrıseven obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Middle East Technical University. During his studies, he mostly focused on gender, development and diplomacy fields. He later did an internship with Includovate where he recognised that his passions and values perfectly matched those of the company. He works as a Partnerships, Communications and Business Development Associate and is interested in sustainable and inclusive development. He is currently seeking a Master’s degree in Social Policy from Middle East Technical University.
Includovate is a feminist research incubator that “walks the talk”. Includovate is an Australian social enterprise consisting of a consulting firm and research incubator that designs solutions for gender equality and social inclusion. Its mission is to incubate transformative and inclusive solutions for measuring, studying, and changing discriminatory norms that lead to poverty, inequality, and injustice. To know more about us at Includovate, follow our social media: @includovate, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram.
References:
American Psychological Association. (2016). How to avoid predatory publishers. Monitor on Psychology, 47(4), 43. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/04/predatory-publishers
Brainard, Jeffrey. (2021, January 1). Open access takes flight. Science 371(6524), 16–20. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.371.6524.16
Coonin, B., & Younce, L. (2009). Open Access Publishing in the Social Sciences and Humanities. East Carolina University, Joyner Library Collections
MCW Libraries. (2021, September 15). Open Access & Predatory Publishing: Predatory Publishing. Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries. Retrieved September 26, 2021, from https://mcw.libguides.com/open-access/predatory-publishing
Tonta, Y. (2006, November). Açık erişim: Bilimsel iletişim ve sosyal bilimlerde süreli yayıncılık üzerine etkileri [Open Access: Scientific Communications and Impacts on Periodical Implications]. I. Ulusal Sosyal Bilimlerde Süreli Yayıncılık Sempozyumu, Ankara. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/28806571_Acik_Erisim_Bilimsel_Iletisim_ve_Sosyal_Bilimlerde_Sureli_Yayincilik_Uzerine_Etkileri