Access & Dissemination

In our most recent Editors' Forum, we asked you for your opinion about the best way of broadening access to peer-reviewed scientific material. The question, and your responses, are listed here.

Broadening access to scientific and medical research is an important issue in scientific publishing. Regardless of the funding source or access model, the approach for effective dissemination of peer-reviewed research should:

A. Focus on the journal as the portal to scientific literature, which will, in turn, provide
the best support for ongoing research. Branding, community building and marketing
are essential.

B. Focus on further developing electronic publisher platforms (like ScienceDirect,
Scopus, and others). Adding value to enhance research speed and productivity is
essential.

C. Focus on supporting institute libraries, which have been and will continue to be the first port of call for targeted scientific literature research.

At the time of writing we had received 18 responses.

The clear majority (72%) felt that efforts should be focused on further developing electronic publisher platforms as this was seen as "the best opportunity for effective dissemination [with regard} to speed, effectiveness, completeness, access from anywhere, support to developing countries, etc." One respondent referred to a future where the journal no longer exists and all articles are simply part of a large online database.

Four respondents (22%) supported focusing on the journal as the key portal to scientific literature this is thought to "work well at the present time and for future development...a gradual evolution incorporating the best elements of the other two options [i.e. libraries and electronic platforms].” One of the supporters of journals as the key way forward suggested a need to highlight specific journals, articles and collections at specific times.

One respondent felt that institutional libraries have been neglected and more support is required, for example for the up-keep of reading-rooms, if students are to be sufficiently broadly informed around their area of specific interest.

Please send responses to: EditorsUpdate@elsevier.com