Researchers are strongly interested in the prestige and visibility of the journals in which their work is published. This is partly driven by the impact factor, which measures a journal’s importance. The dominant commercial and scientific publishing firms have adapted to technological and other changes while maintaining a profitable business model that relies on subscription revenues. This has been accomplished by bundling multiple journals to increase overall revenues and cross-subsidizing lesser journals.
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Marketing
Science, Technology and Medical publishers record and disseminate research that can profoundly affect society. Their publications are a source of tested theories and ideas that form the foundations for scientific discovery and medical breakthroughs. They also provide insights into new trends and developments in the research community. For instance, Bentham Science is a leading global publisher of scientific, technical and medical journals and books. Its peer-reviewed scholarly content is widely used by academic and industrial researchers worldwide. Its publishing platforms connect readers to knowledge with ease and speed. Through various online resources, they provide global industry information and insight into the science, tech, and medical publishing market. These include global publishing metrics, market forecasts, and exclusive data points that help top executives stay ahead of the competition. In addition, it conducts research and consults on technology, policy, and funding issues that impact the future of STM publishing.
Copyright
Copyright gives intellectual works some of the attributes of private property, allowing creators to control how and when they are used. It also allows the owner to make money from the work if others are willing to pay. This balance between two conflicting goals is the heart of copyright law. Scientific societies such as Bentham Open have historically used a business model. This model has allowed them to generate a surplus that they can use for other activities, such as education programs and meetings. Some societies have partnered with for-profit companies, which perform non-editorial functions and include the society’s journals in their subscription bundles, paying the club a fee in return. However, the profit-maximizing motives of commercial publishers are a challenge to the sustainability of academic and research libraries. Universities, for example, purchase journals for their faculty and students at prices that are increasing faster than inflation. This results from increased competition from commercial publishers and pressures to publish more articles for a higher impact factor.
Peer review
The peer review process (also known as refereeing) is a crucial component of every scholarly article. It involves a draft version of an academic paper being evaluated by experts in the field. This evaluation is often anonymous, and the resulting feedback helps the journal editor decide whether to publish the article. Peer review is not infallible, however. For example, if a researcher works in statistics, every peer reviewer is unlikely to spot mistakes in their data analysis. They will also be unlikely to re-run calculations, except if a glaring error appears.
Furthermore, the peer review process can take a long time. This can cause some authors to withhold criticism for fear of damaging their relationship with the editors. This can lead to articles that need to be revised but which are then published anyway. However, if peer review is improved, it can be a vital part of the scientific community.
Open access
Open access allows anyone to read academic articles. This can include teachers, students and researchers outside the research community. It also opens up new opportunities for collaboration. The more eyes on a report, the better it is.
Scholars have found that freely available articles receive more citations than those behind a paywall. However, other factors, such as journal quality and a researcher’s reputation, can influence citation rates. In addition to increasing readership, open access makes articles more easily shared on social media. This can positively affect an article’s altmetrics, which measure social media mentions and downloads. It can also create an article easier to find in databases and platforms that index academic journals. Open access can also be useful for developing countries, where high journal subscription costs may prevent them from making scientific advancements.