We Think Open Access To Research Is Important... But The Reasons Why Are Behind This Paywall

from the wait,-what? dept

Tue, Jan 26th 2010 7:55am — Mike Masnick

Via James Boyle, we're pointed to an editorial that supposedly is all about improving access to research via open access policies for the public -- and just so happens to be locked up behind a paywall itself. Apparently, the publisher doesn't necessarily agree with the authors' conclusions.

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Filed Under: open access, paywalls

11 Comments

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Dementia (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 8:02am

So I just tried to access the article and was prevented by doing so. I did take the time to look things over and noticed there is a free option. Admittedly, I would then have to wait for a year before I could read this particular paper, but at least there is a free option.
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- Dementia (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 8:03am
  
  Re:
  Correction: So I just tried to access this article and was prevented from doing so by their registration/subscription page.
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Esahc (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 8:25am

Digging
Lead Author's Blog: Paul Courant http://paulcourant.net/ (seems like a worthy read)
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- Derek Bredensteiner (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 9:00am
  
  Re: Digging
  That's much better! Seriously, not only can I actually get to that one but it's lost the "science majors only need apply" tone and the "designed in 1999" feel.
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jjmsan (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 8:38am

Scientific Literacy
It would seem that with all the concern about how we are falling behind other countries in science and technology increased access would be priority. The editorial does have one great idea though. "Thus, for instance, an agency might choose to work with its stakeholder communities to provide robust public access to journal articles on publisher Web sites, rather than constructing and paying for a centrally operated repository." Put articles online rather than in a building, what an idea.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2010 @ 8:52am

They seem to have gotten a wake-up call
There's now a "Read the full text" link which opens up the full article without any fol-de-rol.
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- Derek Bredensteiner (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 9:05am
  
  Re: They seem to have gotten a wake-up call
  That link still goes to a "give us money" page for me.
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  - Rasmus, 26 Jan 2010 @ 9:55am
    
    Re: Re: They seem to have gotten a wake-up call
    I managed to register for free and access the article.
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ColonelPanik, 26 Jan 2010 @ 9:03am

Open Access To Research
So maybe these bright scholars should think
about not publishing in any closed journals?
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joseph franklin (profile), 26 Jan 2010 @ 9:12am

paywalls
Alas, the same is true of Boyle's column at FT.com--shades of the dark (?) future of the NYTimes.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2010 @ 9:21am

http://science.house.gov/press/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=2710
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