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Evolution of the scholarly mega-journal, 2006-2017
1Information Systems Science, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland.
Peerj
|February 15, 2018
Summary
Mega-journals, a type of open access scholarly publishing, have seen slowed growth in article volume. Chinese authors now significantly contribute, and Scientific Reports has become the largest journal.
Area of Science:
- Scholarly publishing
- Open access initiatives
- Bibliometrics
Background:
- Mega-journals emerged with electronic publishing, offering open access (OA) and author-funded models.
- Their core distinguishing feature is a peer review process focused solely on scientific validity, enabling high publication volumes.
- Unlike traditional journals, mega-journals are not constrained by limited publishing slots.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an updated longitudinal analysis of mega-journal evolution and publication trends.
- To assess shifts in market share and author demographics within the mega-journal landscape.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study analyzing publication data from mega-journals.
- Tracking article volumes and author origins over time.
- Comparative analysis of market share shifts among leading mega-journals.
Main Results:
- After rapid expansion from 2010-2013, the overall growth rate of article volumes in mega-journals has decelerated.
- Mega-journals exhibit increasing reliance on Chinese authors for sustained growth, now accounting for 25% of submissions.
- Internal market dynamics show a shift: PLOS ONE's dominance has decreased to about one-third of articles, while Scientific Reports has emerged as the largest journal since 2014.
Conclusions:
- The mega-journal model continues to evolve, with growth rates moderating.
- Author demographics are shifting, with a significant increase in contributions from China.
- Market leadership within the mega-journal space has changed, with Scientific Reports surpassing PLOS ONE.
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