An Exploration of Faculty Experiences With Open Access Journal Publishing at Two Canadian Comprehensive Universities
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This exploratory study was intended to shed light on Canadian academics’ participation in, knowledge of and attitudes towards Open Access (OA) journal publishing. The primary aim of the study was to inform the authors’ schools’ educational and outreach efforts to faculty regarding OA publishing. The survey was conducted at two Canadian comprehensive universities: Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario) and Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario) in 2014. METHODS: A Web-based survey was distributed to faculty at each university. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. LIMITATIONS: Despite the excellent response rates, the results are not generalizable beyond these two institutions. RESULTS: The Brock response rate was 38 percent; the Laurier response rate was 23 percent from full-time faculty and five percent from part-time faculty. Brock and Laurier faculty members share common characteristics in both their publishing practices and attitudes towards OA. Science/health science researchers were the most positive about OA journal publishing; arts and humanities and social sciences respondents were more mixed in their perceptions; business participants were the least positive. Their concerns focused on OA journal quality and associated costs. CONCLUSION: While most survey respondents agreed that publicly available research is generally a good thing, this study has clearly identified obstacles that prevent faculty’s positive attitudes towards OA from translating into open publishing practices.
INTRODUCTION : Cette étude exploratoire tente de mieux comprendre la participation, les connaissances et les attitudes des universitaires canadiens envers la publication en libre accès. Le but premier de cette étude est d’éclairer les campagnes éducatives et de sensibilisation concernant la publication en libre accès auprès des institutions des auteurs. Un sondage a été mené en 2014 à deux universités à vocation générale canadiennes : Brock University (St. Catherine, Ontario) et Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario). MÉTHODES : Un sondage en ligne a été envoyé au corps professoral de chaque université. Les données ont été analysées à l’aide de statistiques descriptives. LIMITES : Malgré l’excellent taux de réponse, les résultats ne peuvent être généralisés au-delà des deux universités. RÉSULTATS : Le taux de réponse de Brock était de 38%; celui de Laurier était de 23% pour les professeurs à temps plein et 5% pour les professeurs à temps partiel. Les professeurs des deux universités partagent quelques caractéristiques quant à leurs pratiques et attitudes envers le libre accès. Les chercheurs en médecine et en sciences de la santé étaient les plus positifs envers la publication dans des revues en libre accès; les répondants des arts, sciences humaines et sciences sociales avaient des opinions mixtes; les participants en gestion étaient les moins positifs. Leurs inquiétudes portaient sur la qualité des revues en libre accès et les coûts associés. CONCLUSION : Malgré le fait que la plupart des répondants croient qu’il est bon que la recherche soit disponible au grand public, cette étude identifie clairement des obstacles qui empêchent les professeurs de passer d’attitudes positives envers le libre accès à des pratiques concrètes de publication ouverte.
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