How do Scholarly journals work? This presentation covers business models, open access, subscriptions, sales models, XML-based production, new launches and OA challenges for the human and social sciences.

1. image copyrights Moyan Brenn https://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/6365101775 CC-BY
How journals work
Publishing Academic Journals

2. What does a publisher do?
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3. …apparently 102 different things!
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https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2018/02/06/
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4. Publishers can be organized in many different ways:
Publishing models affect many aspects:
• Who is the customer? The owner?
• Why publish?
• How to make money -> business models
• Content distribution
How do publishers do this?
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Subscription
For profit
Privately Owned
All disciplines
Print
Open Access
Not-for-profit
Society-owned
Specialized
Digital

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Academic journals

6. Journal models
Why publish the journal?
– Commercial journals
– Society journals
Bigger is better?
– Large journals
– Small journals
Who are the customers?
– Open access
– Subscription model
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7. Journal sales models
Big Deals:
• Large publishers
• Bespoke platform
• Revenue determined by market share, not quality
• Serials crisis
Title list subscriptions:
• Small publishers
• Pick-and-choose
• Limited network for sales and distribution
Spin-offs and services
• Charities and societies
• Advertising, courses, software
Open Access
http://thecostofknowledge.com/

8. Publisher
- IT systems &
infrastructure
- Editorial assistance
- Marketing
- Production
- Publication
- Distribution
How jourals work
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Journal
Editor-in-chief
Editorial board
Authors
Reviewers
✓

9. Production
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Pipeline: manuscripts in >> ------------ >> publications out
Enter: Manuscript (Word, LaTeX) + metadata
Exit: PDF + XML + Print + metadata
Purpose:
– Registration & Certification
– Brand recognition
– Quality and authority
– Reader expectations
Challenges: Time, Costs, Flexibility
http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Tube-Pipeline-Pressure-Water-Line-Guide-Water-509870

10. XML-based distribution
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XML
META
DATA

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Open Access

12. Open Access
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1. Free online access for all readers
2. Distribution and reuse are allowed
Different licenses are possible:
No restrictions on reuse: CC-zero
Only non-commercial reuse
No changing allowed
Green Open Access
DIY: Manuscript on repository or social network
Sometimes after delay (embargo)
No costs
Gold Open Access
The official PDF
Immediate Open Access with publisher
Sometimes after payment
Source: The OA effect: How does open access affect the
usage of scholarly books? 11-2017 Springer-Nature

13. Journals: OA vs Subscriptions
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New Subscription journal:
Annual fixed costs : €10.000
+5 subscribers YOY, € 500 each
Break-even at 20 subscribers: year 4
Total investment until B-E: €40.000
New Open Access journal:
Platform costs fixed: €2.000
Production costs scale with articles
+5 articles YOY, APC: € 500 realized
Break-even at 8 articles: year 2
Total investment until B-E: €5.000
€-
€5.000,00
€10.000,00
€15.000,00
€20.000,00
€25.000,00
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
revenue
costs
€-
€5.000,00
€10.000,00
€15.000,00
€20.000,00
€25.000,00
€30.000,00
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
revenue
costs

14. Impossible OA?
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In some disciplines OA works very well
- Science
- Medicine
- Technology
In other disciplines less so:
- Social Science
- Humanities
- Arts
“Monitoring the transition to open access” 2017 report Universities UK.

15. Open Access in HSS
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Why OA is difficult in HSS:
- Less funding
- Small, specialized journals
- Less articles per author per year
- Less focus on quick data publishing
- Journal editors actively acquire submissions
- Less external funding = less mandates
- More university presses and societies
How to make OA journals work in HSS?
- (Green Open Access)
- Alternative business models (without APC)
https://www.careerguide.com/blog/various-type-of-social-sciences-and-
humanities-offered-in-canada-ug-level

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Thank you!
m.haring@aup.nl