Abstract
The Internet is rapidly changing the way the results of academic research are communicated within communities and with the wider public. In a push to accelerate change and make the results of research immediately and freely available online for all to read and use, the European Commission, with support from a group of high-profile funders, has proposed a plan to influence the way academic research is published. Here, we discuss the likely impact of this plan on the publishing landscape, the potential benefits, and some possible unintended consequences.
Highlights
There are problems with peer review [1]: multiple rounds of revision, biased or ignorant editors and/or reviewers who may be unfairly drawn from sub-sections of the community [2], established academics who by acting as peer reviewers can gain access to the latest research before their more junior peers; problems with plagiarism, fraud, and lack of statistical rigour and reproducibility; problems with presentation: papers that are impenetrable or badly organized; and problems with the way publications are used: journal titles or impact factors being used in isolation as proxies for excellence or lack thereof
The plan focuses on broad accessibility, driven by the view that “free access to all scientific publications from publicly funded research is a moral right of citizens” [10]
Does the speed of change risk an unnecessary loss of long-standing editorial experience and journal know-how? Plan S avows commitment to quality [10], but how can we ensure that a rapid change doesn’t inadvertently compromise high-quality peer review, rigour, clarity, diversity, and impartiality? Will the notion of elite journals and impact factors disappear? Or, given that academics compete for visibility, prestige, and funding, will these journals be replaced with a new elite set of high impact open access journals or platforms? How long will this take, and will the new top journals be any better at selecting the most impactful science than the current ones?. Another possibility is that some funders follow Plan S and others do not, creating a split in the community, with different groups of academics being constrained to submit to different journals [15]
Summary
If someone else publishes similar work first or in a “high impact journal” that reaches a wider audience, it hurts. Such events can determine whether an academic is hired and their research funded. Peer-reviewed papers and their associated data are the main outcome of most funded research. They are a major source of reliable public knowledge that is used to advance technology and to inform future funding and rational policy decisions. This knowledge is a precious commodity in a world that is awash with falsehoods
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