Pros and Cons of Access

1. OPEN ACCESS
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Image retrieved from:
https://www.griffith.edu.au/library/open-acce

2. 1)
Advantage: More people are likely to read it
o Its more discoverable online
o More readers can ultimately lead to more citations
Disadvantage: Encourages journals to publish more articles but
of a lower quality
o Because journals have to cover their costs, some people argue that in
publishing more free access articles, they publish more to compensate not
receiving fees

3. 2)
Advantage: Free for all
o No fees for an individual article or journal subscription for readers, libraries,
institutions etc.
Disadvantage: Publication fees
o Even though the reader doesn't’t need to pay, someone else does
o Often this will be the author or publication grant, which can therefore discourage
the researcher from going open access

4. 3)
Advantage: Access for researchers in developing countries
o The opportunity for researchers from these countries to be involved in
international research communities online
o Some open access publishers, lower their subscription fees for such countries
Disadvantage: Sustainability - are publishers paid enough?
o Does open access have the ability to sustainably support publishers in the long
term?

5. SUMMARY OF ADVANTAGES OF OPEN ACCESS
(Kingsley and Brown, 2015)

6. WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACTS OF OPEN ACCESS
FOR EDUCATION?
• Open Access is also often seen as a solution to the 'serials crisis,' a situation where many libraries
have been forced to cut journal subscriptions because of price increases.
• Open access is argued to be economically unstainable
• Open Access does not allow for sufficient investment in technology. Publishers who generate
profits by making readers pay for their articles, generate sufficient money that can be reinvested
into new technologies.
• The income lost by selling subscriptions is difficult to replace. Often the only way is to increase
membership fees.
• (Worlock, 2004)

7. REFERENCES
• Geib, A. (2013) ‘Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Access’
https://www.edanzediting.com/blogs/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-open-
access [Accessed 3/5/16]
• Worlock, K. (2004) ‘The Pro’s and Con’s of Open Access’ Nature.
http://www.nature.com/nature/focus/accessdebate/34.html [Accessed 3/5/16]
• Kingsley D, Brown S. (2015) What are the benefits of open access? Australian
Open Access Support Group. Available from: http://aoasg.org.au/ [Accessed
3/5/2016].