PhysMath Central Blog

SCOAP3: Towards Open Access Publishing in High Energy Physics

 

The international working party behind the SCOAP³ initiative recently published the result of their survey into the viability of turning all journals in high-energy physics into open access titles. For those of you unaware of the Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics, they are a global network of funding agencies, research labs and libraries, aiming to [from the report] convert high-quality HEP journals to OA, pursuing two goals:

• to provide open and unrestricted access to all HEP research literature in its final, peer-reviewed form
• to contain the overall cost of journal publishing by increasing competition while assuring sustainability 

The report notes that - despite widespread use of preprints - journals will continue to fulfil important functions in the future such as:

• to guide researchers to the most important publications in their field through the editorial scope of journals and their – perceived or established –importance and prestige;
• to provide quality control through peer review;
• to provide a platform for the evaluation and career evolution of scientists – most importantly, young scientists – for which publications in refereed journals will remain an important criterion;
• to provide a measure of the quality and productivity of research groups and institutes, often used as an important criterion in decisions about future funding.

The report goes into some detail about how funding for converting journals to Open Access will be realized. One of the more heartening aspects is that it will not be limited to authors from major institutions or SCOAP³ member countries - thus ensuring that open access will be an option for all active researchers e.g. theorists from small institutions or emerging nations.

Although 5 or 6 journals are mentioned specifically by name as being candidates for SCOAP³ funding, there is good news for PMC Physics A. SCOAP³ is "open to all existing and future high-quality journals carrying HEP content, within budgetary limits" and in tendering for the program, new journals will be evaluated by "criteria such as the profile of the editorial board". [The editorial board for PMC Physics A can be seen here].

This is a very ambitious project which is tantalizingly near fruition. This is clearly a win-win-win situation for publishers, libraries and authors/readers. As noted in the report, if it can be done for HEP, it can be done for related fields. If it can be done for related fields, then there must be the opportunity to convert all research to an open access model. The vision of the SCOAP³ working party is to be applauded. I have a feeling this is the first step of a journey to something much greater.

Posted by Chris Leonard at 13:14    Comments (0)