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ESEP
Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics

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ESEP 18:37-48 (2018)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00184

OPINION PIECE
Open access publishing: a service or a detriment to science?

Graham J. Pierce1,2,3,*, Ioannis Theodossiou4

1Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (CSIC), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain
2CESAM & Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
3Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Main Street, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire AB41 6AA, UK
4Centre for European Labour Market Research (CELMR), Business School, University of Aberdeen, Dunbar Street, Aberdeen AB24 3QY, UK
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: The unintended negative consequences of the drive towards open access publishing are becoming increasingly apparent. This paper examines the nature of open access publishing from the perspectives of authors and readers, considering issues of payment and ownership, and the question of open access for data. It discusses the origins of open access, its costs and the extent to which delivers on its aims, and reviews its advantages and disadvantages, including economic restrictions on access to publishing, the rise in predatory journals and degradation of quality control, and the consequent potential of open access to damage the standing of science in society. Given the recognised importance of ‘crafting the message’, i.e. communicating scientific results to each category of end-users in the most appropriate way, it should also be asked why the ‘one size fits all’ solution of publishing results in open access journal papers (which usually follow the standard format of scientific papers, which remains off-putting to the casual reader) is considered necessary. There is a need for greater rigour in choice of publication outlets, avoiding predatory journals and promoting benign open access options, and ensuring that funding bodies and policymakers are aware of the unexpected negative impacts of unregulated open access publishing.


KEY WORDS: Open access · Perception · Reputation · Costs


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Cite this article as: Pierce GJ, Theodossiou I (2018) Open access publishing: a service or a detriment to science? Ethics Sci Environ Polit 18:37-48. https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00184

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