The Impact of Gold Open Access on Interdisciplinary and Within-Discipline Citations in Natural Science Fields

מושגי ליבה

Gold open access (OA) fosters knowledge transfer across disciplines by increasing both interdisciplinary and within-discipline citations in many natural science fields, with a particularly strong effect on interdisciplinary citations in clinical medicine.

תקציר

• Bibliographic Information: Nishikawa, K., & Murakami, A. (2024). Does Open Access Foster Interdisciplinary Citation? Decomposing Open Access Citation Advantage.
• Research Objective: This study investigates whether gold open access (OA) leads to increased interdisciplinary citations in various natural science fields.
• Methodology: The researchers analyzed a dataset of gold OA and non-OA papers published in 2017 from the Web of Science (WoS) core collection, tracking citations from papers published between 2017 and 2022. They categorized citations as interdisciplinary or within-discipline based on the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) field classifications. The study calculated the Open Access Citation Advantage (OACA), Interdisciplinary Open Access Citation Advantage (IOACA), and Within-Discipline Open Access Citation Advantage (WOACA) to measure the impact of OA on citation counts.
• Key Findings: The study found that gold OA increased both interdisciplinary and within-discipline citations in many fields. Notably, chemistry, clinical medicine, and computer science showed a significant increase in interdisciplinary citations for gold OA papers. Clinical medicine, in particular, exhibited a consistent trend of higher interdisciplinary citations for OA papers across different journals and topics, suggesting a field-specific effect rather than influence from specific journals or highly cited papers.
• Main Conclusions: The authors conclude that gold OA fosters knowledge transfer across disciplines, particularly in clinical medicine. The increased accessibility of gold OA papers contributes to their higher citation rates in other fields.
• Significance: This research provides evidence for the positive impact of gold OA on knowledge dissemination and interdisciplinary research.
• Limitations and Future Research: The study acknowledges limitations in using a mutually exclusive field classification system and focusing solely on gold OA. Future research could explore the impact of other OA types and utilize more granular classification systems.

סטטיסטיקה

Gold OA papers in clinical medicine had a lower percentage of within-discipline citations compared to non-OA papers.
Gold OA papers in clinical medicine had more citations from close fields, such as biology and biochemistry, immunology, and microbiology.
The cosine similarity between the citation topics of both OA and non-OA papers cited from close fields was 0.93, indicating similar topics regardless of OA status.
In chemistry, the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Sensors, and Molecules had a high percentage of interdisciplinary citations.
In computer science, the Journal of Statistical Software and BMC Bioinformatics accounted for a large share of interdisciplinary citations.

ציטוטים

"This study aims to clarify the effects of OA, particularly gold OA, on knowledge transfer across fields."
"By focusing on interdisciplinary citations, this study introduces a novel perspective to previous OA citation advantage studies."
"The findings demonstrate how OA may enhance knowledge transfer across fields and provide OA practitioners, including policymakers, research funders, university libraries, and researchers, with evidence of the significance of their activities."

תובנות מפתח מזוקקות מ:

Does Open Access Foster Interdisciplinary Citation? Decomposing Open Access Citation Advantage

by Kai Nishikaw... ב- arxiv.org 11-25-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2411.14653.pdf

שאלות מעמיקות

How might the increasing prevalence of open access publishing reshape the landscape of academic journals and traditional publishing models?

The increasing prevalence of open access (OA) publishing is driving a significant transformation in the landscape of academic journals and traditional publishing models. Here's how:

Shift from Subscription to Open Access Models: Traditional subscription-based models, where readers pay for access, are facing challenges as OA gains momentum. Funding models are evolving, with Article Processing Charges (APCs) becoming more common, although concerns about affordability for researchers, particularly in low-income countries, remain.
Rise of Open Access Journals: The number of fully OA journals, like those listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), is steadily increasing. This provides authors with more platforms to publish their work openly and reach a wider audience.
Pressure on Traditional Publishers: Established publishers are adapting by offering OA options, often through hybrid models where authors can choose to make their articles OA for a fee. However, this has led to concerns about "double-dipping," where publishers receive revenue from both subscriptions and APCs.
Innovation in Publishing Platforms: OA has fostered innovation in publishing platforms and technologies. Open source publishing platforms and preprint servers are gaining traction, offering alternatives to traditional publishing models.
Focus on Open Science Practices: OA is often embedded within a broader open science framework that promotes transparency and accessibility in research. This includes data sharing, open peer review, and the use of persistent identifiers, further influencing publishing practices.
The transition to OA is not without its challenges. Issues like quality control, the sustainability of funding models, and the potential for predatory publishing practices need to be addressed. However, the increasing prevalence of OA is undeniably reshaping the academic publishing landscape, pushing for greater accessibility and potentially changing how research is disseminated and consumed.

Could the focus on interdisciplinary citations disadvantage specialized research within specific fields by diverting attention from highly specialized knowledge?

While open access and the emphasis on interdisciplinary research offer numerous benefits, there's a valid concern that an excessive focus on interdisciplinary citations could potentially disadvantage highly specialized research within specific fields. Here's why:

Narrowing of Citation Networks: If interdisciplinary citations are overly prioritized, it might lead researchers to primarily cite works from related fields, potentially overlooking highly specialized research within their own discipline. This could result in a narrowing of citation networks within specific fields.
Undervaluing Specialized Expertise: Specialized research often addresses niche topics with limited interdisciplinary appeal. An overemphasis on interdisciplinary citations might undervalue the contributions of such research, even if it holds significant value within its specific field.
Barrier to Funding and Recognition: Researchers, particularly early career researchers, often rely on citation counts as a metric for success in grant applications and career progression. If interdisciplinary citations are disproportionately rewarded, it could create a disadvantage for those engaged in highly specialized research, potentially impacting funding opportunities and career advancement.
Homogenization of Research: An excessive focus on interdisciplinary trends might discourage researchers from pursuing highly specialized topics that may not fit neatly into broader interdisciplinary themes, potentially leading to a homogenization of research interests.
It's crucial to strike a balance. While interdisciplinary research is essential for addressing complex challenges and fostering innovation, it's equally important to recognize and value the contributions of specialized research within specific disciplines. Metrics for evaluating research impact should consider both interdisciplinary and disciplinary citations, ensuring that specialized expertise is not overlooked.

What are the ethical considerations of making scientific research freely accessible, particularly in fields with potential for misuse or sensitive information?

Making scientific research freely accessible through open access is a noble goal, but it comes with ethical considerations, especially in fields with potential for misuse or involving sensitive information. Here are some key concerns:

Dual-Use Research: Research in fields like biotechnology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence has the potential for both beneficial and harmful applications. Openly publishing findings in these areas could be misused by malicious actors, posing risks to security or public health.
Protection of Sensitive Data: Research involving human subjects often collects sensitive personal data. Making such data openly accessible raises concerns about privacy and confidentiality, even if anonymized. Strict data management and ethical review processes are crucial.
Misinterpretation and Misuse by Non-Experts: Open access makes research accessible to a wider audience, including those without specialized scientific training. This increases the risk of misinterpretation or misuse of findings, potentially leading to harmful consequences.
Equity and Access in Global Context: While open access aims to democratize knowledge, disparities in resources and infrastructure can create inequities. Researchers in low-income countries might face challenges in accessing and utilizing openly available research due to limited internet connectivity or language barriers.
Commercialization and Intellectual Property: Open access models need to carefully consider intellectual property rights. Balancing free access with the potential for commercialization of research findings, particularly in fields with direct applications, is crucial.
Addressing these ethical considerations requires a multi-faceted approach:

Responsible Research and Publication Practices: Researchers should be mindful of the potential implications of their work and consider the ethical aspects of open access publishing.
Data Management and Anonymization: Robust data management plans and anonymization techniques are essential to protect sensitive information while maximizing data sharing.
Ethical Review and Oversight: Ethical review boards should carefully assess the potential risks and benefits of open access for research involving sensitive information or dual-use technologies.
Public Engagement and Education: Promoting scientific literacy and engaging the public in discussions about the ethical implications of open science is crucial.
Open access offers tremendous potential for advancing science and addressing global challenges. However, navigating the ethical considerations, particularly in sensitive fields, requires careful consideration, robust safeguards, and ongoing dialogue among stakeholders.