The Closed Nature of the “Open-Access” SSRN

Abstract

The Social Science Research Network (SSRN) offers online posting of papers on the SSRN web site. The system of posting is advertised by the SSRN as open access. Nevertheless, the SSRN hinders access to posted papers. This hindrance arises from the gatekeeper function of the SSRN system. Specifically, subjective determinations are made by the SSRN site administrators about whether posted papers should or should not be searchable by the SSRN search engine. It is difficult, sometimes impossible, to find posted papers on SSRN when a posted paper is not connected with the SSRN search engine. A posted paper which is not searchable is, in effect, not really posted, regardless of the nominal posting by the SSRN because it. Thus, the advertised open access feature of SSRN is essentially a misrepresentation by the SSRN of its true nature. The SSRN gatekeeper function is ill advised for another reason. It is doubtful that the SSRN site administrators are actually capable of distinguishing between posted papers which should benefit from the SSRN search engine, and posted papers which should not. The result: some poorly written or researched papers could be located through the SSRN search engine, while some very good papers may not be discovered through an SSRN search. Given this situation, three solutions are offered for the negation, by the SSRN, of open access to posted papers.