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University of Groningen Library
University of Groningen Library Open access Open Science Newsletter

Open access publication opportunities: extended & consolidated

Editorial

In recent months new open access deals between major publishers and VSNU (the Association of Dutch Universities) have been closed, and existing deals renewed. This brings the total number of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in which Groningen researchers can publish cost-free to 7,800, with another 700 journals offering significant cost discounts – amazing numbers indeed. However, sometimes the negotiations fail, too, as in the case of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

As we discussed in our previous newsletter, these many open access publication opportunities are not automatically taken. The manuscript submission workflow can be confusing with regard to APC discounts, and publishers are not always willing to 'repair' a missed opportunity. But things are improving: publisher Wiley has become much more 'clement', and ever more researchers find their way to
openaccess rug.nl for advice and support in dealing with a publisher.

In December, Web of Science added an indication of the open access status (gold or green) of all articles to the database. As an analysis in this newsletter shows, our University's proportion of peer-reviewed articles is now at some 50%, with peaks in the life sciences, and much lower numbers in the humanities. So there is some work to be done to reach the 100% target set nationally for 2020.

The newly launched University of Groningen Press is set up to make modest contribution to open access publishing, especially in the humanities and social sciences. The press already hosts some 15 journals, with more under consideration, and book publishing is started up in the wings.

A new facility in the University research database Pure is the addition of research datasets. Pure stores the metadata of the dataset (the data are hosted elsewhere), with links to publications based on the dataset, and vice versa. Some 175 datasets have already been added, including the famous Maddison Project Database providing information on comparative economic growth and income levels since 1800.

Finally, in our series of interviews about the 'open' practices of Groningen researchers, we spoke to psychometrician Casper Albers about open peer review. He is much in favour of this practice, which he has chosen for in a PeerJ article. It makes the process of peer review more transparent and accountable, but he also realizes that for both the reviewing and reviewed researcher risks may be involved, like for early career researchers.

Last modified:12 April 2018 06.17 a.m.