Updated version of the "How Equitable Is It?" tool for assessing equity in scholarly communication models
Following feedback the revamped tool offers enhanced guidance for users and clearer definitions of equity indicators.
The “How Equitable Is It?” tool, designed to assess the equity of scholarly communication models, has been officially launched today in its updated version following a comprehensive review of community feedback.
Originally introduced as a beta version in September 2024 at the OASPA conference, this refined version of the tool incorporates significant improvements based on input from across the scholarly publishing ecosystem.
Developed by a multi-stakeholder working group, comprising librarians, library consortia representatives, funders and publishers, and convened by cOAlition S, Jisc and PLOS, the tool aims to provide a framework for evaluating scholarly communication models and arrangements on the axis of equity.
Key enhancements
The revised tool offers enhanced guidance for users and clearer definitions of equity indicators, across the seven core assessment criteria:
- Access to Read
- Publishing immediate Open Access
- Maximizing participation
- Re-use rights
- Pricing and fee transparency
- Promoting and encouraging open research practices: data and code
- Promoting and encouraging open research practices: preprints and open peer review
Community-driven improvements
From September 2024 through January 2025, the working group collected extensive feedback from stakeholders who tested the beta version. This collaborative approach ensured that the tool's updated version addresses practical challenges faced by institutions, library consortia, funders, and publishers in evaluating equity within scholarly communication models and arrangements.
The tool, which was inspired by the “How Open Is It?” framework, is targeted at institutions, library consortia, funders and publishers, i.e. the stakeholders either investing or receiving funds for publishing services. It offers users the opportunity to rate scholarly communication models and arrangements across seven criteria.
Robert Kiley, head of strategy at cOAlition S and co-chair of the working group, stated:
“We are grateful to everyone who provided feedback during the testing period. Their insights have been instrumental in refining this tool to better serve stakeholders in making informed decisions when investing or receiving funds for publishing services while seeking equity”.
Roheena Anand, executive director of global publishing development and sales at PLOS, added:
"With this updated release, we're delivering on our promise to create a practical tool that reflects diverse stakeholder perspectives. The refinements made based on community feedback have strengthened the tool's ability to assess equity across different publishing models and arrangements."
Anna Vernon, head of research licensing at Jisc, commented:
"We've been using the “How Equitable Is It?” tool to understand how agreements can broaden participation in scholarly publishing. The clearer framework of the updated version will further allow institutions to make more nuanced assessments of how their resources can best support equitable knowledge dissemination."
How the tool works
Based on the above-mentioned criteria, the “How Equitable Is It?” tool prompts users to consider to what extent the model (and associated funding flow) they are assessing facilitates (or restricts) equitable participation in knowledge sharing. Users score each criterion on a scale from "least equitable" to "most equitable," receiving an overall equity score upon completion, along with a summary of their responses.
Rather than prescribing outcomes, the tool empowers users to exercise their judgment in rating models against equitable criteria, with no pre-populated data shaping evaluations.
Read a detailed description of the revised criteria and their definitions in the framework criteria definitions document (.pdf).
Future development
The working group remains committed to the ongoing development of the tool, with plans to gather implementation case studies and establish a community of practice around equity assessment in scholarly communication. Users of the tool are encouraged to share their experiences at info@coalition-s.org. The group will review this feedback and publish annual updates as appropriate.