JISC

Final report now available (Full and Summary versions)

This multi-stage research project seeks to further understanding of the nature and implications of the three major emerging models for scholarly publishing (i.e. subscription publishing, self-archiving, and open access publishing).

Aims and objectives

The aim of the project is to inform policy discussion and enable stakeholders to better understand the institutional, budgetary and wider economic and social implications of the three emerging models of scholarly publication, and thereby enable them to respond to the opportunities and challenges presented in the rapidly evolving research and scholarly communication environment.

The project seeks to build upon and extend recent work on the costs and benefits associated with alternative scholarly publishing models,  and respond to some of the gaps and challenges identified in the recent UK Scholarly Journals 2006 Baseline Report (particularly in Areas 6 and 2), and elsewhere.

This will involve two major project elements:

Part I: Identification of costs and benefits

• Will describe in detail the three models of scholarly communication (i.e. subscription publishing, self-archiving, and open access publishing)
• Identify all possible dimensions of cost and benefit for each of these three models
• Identify which of the main players in the scholarly communication system would be affected, and how they would be affected, by each of the costs and benefits noted

Part II: Quantification of costs and benefits:

• Will, as far as possible, quantify the costs and benefits of the three models (identified in Part I)
• Identify, and where possible quantify, the cost and benefit impacts for each of the main players in the scholarly communication system
• Where possible, compare the costs and benefits of each of the three models for the main players in the scholarly communication system

While wide-ranging in scope, one important focus of the work will be on the implications of the three models for UK universities and for journal publishing. In particular, Part II will examine in detail and compare the costs and benefits of each of the three models for UK universities, and explore their budgetary implications for individual universities and for the university sector as a whole. Emphasis will be on scholarly journal publishing, but other forms of research output will also be considered.