Status and quality of open access journals in Scopus

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 155-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammadamin Erfanmanesh
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Health Profession ◽  
Average Quality ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Open Access Journals

Purpose This study aims to provide an extensive overview of OA journals’ status and quality in 27 research areas based on all Scopus-indexed journals. It shows the volume of OA journals, proportion of publications in OA journals and the quality of these journals in comparison with subscription-based counterparts. Design/methodology/approach This research investigated 22,256 active peer-reviewed journals indexed by Scopus in 2015. Data were gathered using the Journal Metrics website. The current research adopted four indicators to compare the quality of OA and non-OA journals indexed in Scopus under each subject area, namely citedness rate, CiteScore, SNIP and SJR. Findings OA journals comprised approximately 17 per cent out of the total journals indexed by Scopus in 2015. The results revealed an uneven spread of OA journals across disciplines, ranged from 5.5 to 28.7 per cent. Studying the quality of journals as measured by CiteScore, SJR SNIP leads us to the finding that, in all research areas, except for health profession and nursing, non-OA journals attain statistically significant higher average quality than do OA journals. Originality/value Although OA publishing improves the visibility of scholarly journals, this increase is not always coupled with increase in journals’ impact and quality.

scholarly journals Open access and document supply

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joachim Schöpfel
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Legal Compliance ◽  
Interlibrary Loan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Access Journals ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an overview and update of what one actually knows about the impact of open access on inter-lending and document supply. Design/methodology/approach – A review of recent papers, published after the Berlin Declaration on Open Access in 2003. Findings – Everything seems to oppose document supply and open access. Open access has contributed to the recent decline of interlibrary loan (ILL) and document supply requests but is not the only reason and probably not the most important. Open repositories and open-access journals have the potential to substitute ILL and document supply; yet for different reasons, including legal compliance, this substitution remains of limited interest. ILL and document supply institutions have started to integrate open access into their workflow and service provision in different ways, and the paper provides a conceptual framework with some perspectives for further service development. Originality/value – Paradoxically, relatively few papers make the link between open access and document supply, with empirical and/or conceptual elements. This paper proposes a synthesis and opens perspectives for future development and research.

Canadian think tanks and business research: an annotated Bibliography

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Rhiannon Jones
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Annotated Bibliography ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Think Tank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Canadian Perspective

Purpose The purpose of this annotated bibliography is to examine Canadian think tanks and their use for business research. This bibliography is aimed at business researchers, both academic and professional, entrepreneurs and librarians interested in exploring open access think tank publications. Design/methodology/approach The author chose prominent think tanks from across Canada in terms of relevance to business and economics. The organizations were selected based on open access options, ease of use, currency and geographical focus to optimize research areas. Findings Most of the organizations that were examined, emphasized current issues broadly applicable to Canadian business research. The think tanks differed in style and focus, yet all had appropriate applications for business research. Originality/value This annotated bibliography presents a unique Canadian perspective on business research by focusing on reputable open access resources.

Interlending and document supply: a review of the recent literature; 94

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-185
Author(s):  
Mike McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Regular Review

Purpose This paper aims to review the current library and information science (LIS) literature for document supply, resource sharing and other issues such as open access (OA) that have an impact on the service. Design/methodology/approach The approach is based on the scanning of about 150 journals, reports, websites and blogs. Findings OA continues to grow and, hence, the impact of document supply. Improvements in the Interlending and Document Supply service are satisfying. Originality/value This paper is the only regular review of LIS literature in this subject area.

Latin American scholarly journal databases: a look back to the way forward

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Octavio Alonso‐Gamboa ◽  
Jane M. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
Electronic Journal ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Look Back ◽  
Information Chain

PurposeScholarly journals from Latin America have aspired to reach an adequate level of visibility and impact not only locally, but also in the international arena. Editors have not been alone in this endeavour, other actors in the information chain have also played their part. This article aims to examine the databases (indexing and abstracting services, directories, catalogues and electronic journal portals) produced in Latin America between 1970 and 2009.Design/methodology/approachThe paper begins with an historical review of the relevant regional initiatives and leads up to an assessment of the present day situation by analysing the contribution made by the databases in the identification, register, visibility, access and use of Latin American scholarly journals.FindingsThe creation of Latin American databases has improved communication and knowledge on publications in the region as useful additions to the scant information provided by international sources. The recent adherence to the principles of the Open Access movement has also potentially improved the visibility and access to publications from the region.Originality/valueThis is the first study to analyse the development of Latin American databases over a period of some 40 years.

scholarly journals UK theses and the British Library EThOS service: from supply on demand to repository linking

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Gould
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
British Library ◽  
Online Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Repositories ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Research Organisations ◽  
Research Funder

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the transition of EThOS, the British Library’s E-Theses Online service, from its original role as a transactional document supply service to the service seen today where it forms part of the UK’s network of institutional repositories, open access and still-developing research funder mandates. Design/methodology/approach – The constituent parts of the EThOS service are described, and an analysis is given of the development of open access repositories, electronic theses and the way that PhD theses have become an important resource for cutting-edge research content for researchers worldwide. Findings – The value of doctoral theses for researchers continues to grow and be recognised. Many UK institutions have moved to mandatory open deposit of electronic theses, and many are digitising their older print thesis collections. Public funders are starting to track open deposit of the theses they fund; and research organisations are analysing the full UK metadata collection to understand trends in PhD research areas.

scholarly journals What Are the Characteristics of Canadian Independent, Scholarly Journals? Results from a Website Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Lange ◽  
Sarah Severson
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Editorial Team ◽  
Board Structure ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Commercial Publisher ◽  
Open Access Journals ◽  
Article Processing Charges

The dominance of commercial publishers (Larivière, Haustein, and Mongeon 2015) has led to a discussion in Canada focusing on alternative models for supporting independent, non-commercial, scholarly journals. Although small in number, these journals represent an important contribution to Canadian and global scholarship. They also act as a counterbalance to the increasingly for-profit nature of scholarly publishing. Despite their importance, there exists no definitive list of journals of this nature in Canada, making analysis and understanding of their characteristics difficult.In order to address this gap, the researchers undertook an analysis of the websites of 485 Canadian, independent, scholarly journals. Independent was defined as journals which are not affiliated with a commercial publisher. The researchers gathered data for each journal on their access type (e.g., closed, open access), subject area, size and composition of the editorial team, and any affiliation(s). This data was then analyzed to create a portrait of these journals with these themes. The researchers found that most of these journals were affiliated with at least one organization, with over half being associated with two or more. They also discovered that affiliations varied depending on the discipline and that the size of the editorial team was correlated to the access type. Journals were predominantly in the humanities and social sciences, and the majority were open access (OA) without article processing charges (APCs).While the focus of this study is on Canadian journals, this article provides a framework for other researchers to examine non-commercial, independent publishing in their own countries. Its results also provide preliminary data which may inspire future avenues of research, particularly into models for non-APC, open access journals as well as the editorial board structure and size for independent journals.

scholarly journals The persistence of open access electronic journals

2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 746-755
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Lightfoot
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Electronic Journals ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Visual Basic For Applications ◽  
Open Access Journals ◽  
Current Availability ◽  
Specific Discipline ◽  
Initial Results

Purpose Open access (OA) electronic journals have been identified as potentially at risk of loss without more coordinated preservation efforts. The purpose of this paper is to test the current availability of OA electronic journals indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Design/methodology/approach Using publicly available journal metadata downloaded from DOAJ, individual journal URLs were tested for validity and accessibility using a Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications macro. Findings Initial results showed 69.51 per cent of the URLs tested returned a successful HTTP status code. The remainder of the URLs returned codes that indicated redirection or errors. Originality/value Unlike past studies of link decay, this is not limited to cited references or a specific discipline. This study uses the full DOAJ metadata to analyze the persistence of OA electronic journals.

Perceptions, preferences of scholarly publishing in Open Access journals

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Bosah ◽  
Chuma Clement Okeji ◽  
Ebikabowei Emmanuel Baro
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Internet Connectivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Access Journals ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to know the various factors librarians consider while selecting Open Access (OA) journal for publication and to identify the challenges librarians face with OA journal publishing. Design/methodology/approachOnline questionnaire was designed to collect data from 402 academic librarians in 87 universities in Africa using SurveyMonkey software. FindingsThe study found that academic librarians are aware of the “green” and “gold” routes but not familiar with the “diamond” route. The study revealed that a large number of the academic librarians have published only one paper in OA journals, followed by those who have not published any paper in OA journals. The study also revealed that reputation of journal and impact factor of journal were seen as very important among the factors that inform them of choosing OA. The majority of the respondents agreed that author fees, and lack of stable internet connectivity are the major barriers to publishing in OA journals. Practical implicationsThe study recommends that academic libraries in institutions of higher learning in Africa should organize seminars periodically on the need for their librarians to research and publish in OA journals. Social implicationsIdentifying factors involved in author decisions to publish in OA journals will help illuminate issues that may encourage or discourage author support of OA publishing models. Further understanding of these issues can assist the efforts to improve author perceptions of and confidence in OA publications. Originality/valueIt is believed that this study of African librarians publishing in OA journals is the first study in the region.

A review of the open-access scenario in Afghanistan

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 660-668
Author(s):  
Vrushali Sainath Dandawate ◽  
Dhanamjaya M.
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Digital Libraries ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Open Access Journals ◽  
The Pacific

Purpose Open access movement is getting increased in Asia and the Pacific and has been started in the form of subject gateways, informal collections of articles on web pages and directories. Many Asian countries adopted the transition to Open Access journals and full-text repositories and digital libraries. Open access also helps to underprivilege countries to spread their research output. But third-world Islamic countries are far away from open access and its implementations. The purpose of this paper is to focus on open-access e-resource development in Afghanistan. Design/methodology/approach The data were complemented by documentary analysis, and information retrieved from open-access databases like DOAR, DOAJ and OER Sites. Findings The paper provides information about open-access development in Afghanistan and also focuses on the challenges for spreading OA awareness in Afghanistan. It suggests that how local people and universities can help to spread open-access movement. Social implications This paper gives an idea about the educational system and other resources available in Afghanistan. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to study open-access development and status in Afghanistan.

Spirituality and learning disability: a review of UK Government guidance

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 170-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Precious Nonye Sango ◽  
Rachel Forrester-Jones
Keyword(s):  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Spiritual Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Review ◽  
Department Of Health

Purpose – Despite spirituality being a key aspect of quality of life, it appears to remain a low-priority area for social and health care government policy. The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe what, if at all, UK policy says about spirituality in relation to the care of people with learning disabilities (LD). Design/methodology/approach – A systematic policy review using three government databases: legislation.gov.uk; Department of Health and Directgov (now known as gov.uk) was carried out. Findings – The review identified policy gaps and a general lack of government directives in relation to the spiritual care of people with LD. Whilst research in this area is gathering momentum, practical implementation which makes a real difference to the spiritual experiences of people with LD appears to be sparse. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic policy review on this subject area, highlighting the need for spirituality to become a more supported aspect of social care within LD services.

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