Do Open Access ETDs Affect Publishing Opportunities in
Do Open Access ETDs Affect Publishing Opportunities in the Sciences? Findings from the 2012 Survey of Academic Journal Editors NDLTD Prior Publications Working Group Gail Mc. Millan, Marisa Ramirez, Joan Dalton, Ann Hanlon, Chelsea Kern, Heather Smith CNI Fall Membership Meeting Dec. 12, 2012
Why do a survey? Allay fears with current data u Publishers previously surveyed 2000/2002. u Questions continue to arise. Ø ETD-L Ø Chronicle of Higher Education u Perceptions, not data, are usually reported. Ø LSU ETD by Ursula Goldsmith Ø VT ETD author surveys u u VT Authors are restricting access to the ETDs. Faculty are advising students to restrict access.
VT Graduate Students’ Survey fy 2013
More reasons to do another survey u u VT graduate student alumni survey (2000) Ohio U ETD by Angla Mc. Cutcheon (2010) NDLTD Board’s support Pro. Quest u NDLTD So. Sci/Hum survey 2011
Who was surveyed in 2012? u Thompson Reuter’s Journal Performance Indicators (JPI), 2005 -2009 Ø Ø 16, 455 journals in 171 subject categories Relative Impact Factor (RPI): top 5 723 science journals--sampling 290 journal editors surveyed (40%) u Cal Poly Human Subjects Committee approved (IRB—Institutional Review Board)
The Primary Research Question u Which of the following statements best reflects the editorial policy or practice governing your enterprise? Manuscripts that are revisions derived from openly accessible electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) are… Ø Always welcome for submission. Ø Considered on a case-by-case basis. Ø Considered ONLY IF the contents and conclusions in the manuscript are substantially different from the ETD. Ø Considered ONLY IF the ETD has access limited to the campus or institution where it was completed. Ø Not considered under any circumstances. Ø Other (please elaborate)
When and how were the science journal editors surveyed? u Pretested w/8 editors u Survey. Monkey Ø Free Web survey tool Ø Emailed 290 journal editors u Aug. 9 -27, 2012: online survey period Ø Aug. 14 and 21: 2 reminder emails u Sept. 7 -14: Follow-up phone calls by LIS students to non-respondents
How many responded to the 2012 survey? u 27. 9% responded to the Science survey u 53 original Survey. Monkey respondents u 28 follow-up phone interviews u 17. 0% responded to the 2011 Hum/So. Sci survey u 1 follow-up email
Who publishes the journal? Ø 60% Ø 25% Ø 10% Ø 4% Commercial publishing company Academic society University press Other
Who responded to the survey? u 69% u 16% u 7% u 3% u 6% Editors-in-chief Managing Editors Members of Editorial Boards Assistant Editors Others
Science editors reported that manuscripts which are revisions derived from openly accessible ETDs are… Only if limited access 1% Never 13% Only if different 9% Case by case 21% Always welcome 55%
ETD Policies of Science vs. Hum/So. Sci Journals 45% Always welcome 55% 27% Case by case 21% 14% If different 9% 3% 2% If restricted access 4% Won't consider 13% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
2011 and 2012 Policies re ETDs
Science Editors Open-ended Comments 33% 21% 12% 9% 6% 6% 12% OA is OK No issue/no policy Case by case Wouldn't consider If different Out of scope General comments
Science Editors: OA ETDs are OK “A peer-reviewed publication that comes out of a dissertation or thesis should not only be encouraged but is crucially important for the scholar's development and advancement of scientific knowledge. ” “It is our job to archive and publish the best research. Thus we are quite happy to publish material which otherwise would sit languishing on an online archive. ”
Science Editors: OA ETDs are OK “Our journal has essentially ignored any potential conflict arising from publication of ETDs, because the situation is really not different from the days of hard copy thesis holdings by University libraries. They … are simply more easily available now… thesis without peer review in an open access format will never be considered “double publishing. ””
Science Editors Advice for ETD Authors and their Faculty Advisors “While we recognise theses as legitimate and citeable publications, they are considered gray literature because they do not go through blind external peer review and are not published in a recognized peer reviewed outlet. They are not considered prepublication. . . ” “Work which has not been published in archival peer reviewed journals is considered appropriate for submission, even if it is accessible elsewhere. ”
Questions and Comments about the 2012 Survey of Science Editors Gail Mc. Millan Marisa L. Ramirez Joan Dalton Ann Hanlon Chelsea Kern Heather Smith gailmac@vt. edu mramir 14@calpoly. edu jdalton@uwindsor. ca hanlon@uwm. edu crkern@calpoly. edu hsmith@calpoly. edu
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