Opening the AcademyWhy Research Results Should be

Accessible

Town PetersonUniversity of Kansas

What is Science?• Curious people with questions about

how the world works• A framework about how to ask and

answer those questions• Careful attention to what evidence

does and does not say

How Do Scientists Communicate?

Conceive

Research

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Science Communication

• 8500 physicians publishing on hepatitis C

• Each dot is a scientist, each line is a collaboration

• http://social-physics.net/tag/science/

Science Communication II

Major Trends in Scholarly Communication• Society-published, low-cost journals

are rare• Commercial entities own most

journals• Costs of journals rise ~12% PER

YEAR• E.g., KU spends $4.5M yearly on

journals• An entirely unsustainable system …

Conceive

Research

Idea

Submit Paper

Write Paper

Do Resear

ch

Secure Resear

ch Fundin

g

Paper Publish

ed

Editor Accept

s

Reviewers

Consider

Editor Receiv

es

Subscription Fees

Access Charge

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Charges

IS Access a Problem?• Journal costs tax library resources• High costs exclude academics based

at smaller institutions and developing-world institutions

• The general public is excluded almost entirely

What Does It Feel Like?

What Does It Feel Like?

What Does It Feel Like?

What Does It Feel Like?• A relative in the hospital with an odd

problem• A new insect or fungus in your

garden• Curiosity about the origin of life• Why do scientists keep changing the

message about whether coffee is good for you?

Is There Hope?• Open access movement – raising awareness• Open access journals• Change the rules of the game• Open access institutional policies• Open access activism: Elsevier Boycott• Making it political: Obama’s important steps

Is There Hope?• Open access movement – raising awareness• Open access journals• Change the rules of the game• Open access institutional policies• Open access activism: Elsevier Boycott• Making it political: Obama’s important steps

Is There Hope?• Open access movement – raising awareness• Open access journals• Change the rules of the game• Open access institutional policies• Open access activism: Elsevier Boycott• Making it political: Obama’s important steps

Is There Hope?• Open access movement – raising awareness• Open access journals• Change the rules of the game• Open access institutional policies• Open access activism: Elsevier Boycott• Making it political: Obama’s important steps

Is There Hope?• Open access movement – raising awareness• Open access journals• Change the rules of the game• Open access institutional policies• Open access activism: Elsevier Boycott• Making it political: Obama’s important steps

Is There Hope?• Open access movement – raising awareness• Open access journals• Change the rules of the game• Open access institutional policies• Open access activism: Elsevier Boycott• Making it political: Obama’s important steps

Where Are We Going?• Slowly, academia is waking up to its

problems• Diverse solutions are emerging to

openness• Many challenges remain• 5-10 yr from now? An open scholarly

literature

TOWN@KU.EDU