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Open access and global participation in science.
1Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. jevans@uchicago.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|February 21, 2009
Summary
Open access journals see a modest citation boost, with larger initial gains from commercial access. Free access significantly increases citations in developing nations, expanding research reach.
Area of Science:
- Bibliometrics
- Scholarly Communication
- Information Science
Background:
- Previous studies conflated open and electronic access, failing to track availability over time.
- The impact of journal access models on citation rates requires nuanced investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate the citation effects of open access versus electronic access.
- To analyze how journal availability over time influences citation counts.
- To examine the differential impact of access models on citations in various economic contexts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized new data to separate the effects of open and electronic access.
- Tracked journal availability and citation data over extended periods.
- Compared citation patterns for journals with different access models and geographic regions.
Main Results:
- Journals experience a modest citation increase upon becoming freely available online.
- Initial citation increases are larger when journals first become available through commercial platforms.
- Free access articles are cited significantly more often in lower-income countries.
Conclusions:
- Free internet access broadens the readership and utilization of scientific research.
- The economic context significantly influences the impact of open access on citation rates.
- Distinguishing between open and electronic access is crucial for understanding scholarly impact.
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