Critique of the gold open access model: promoting diamond open access as an equitable alternative
From FOLEC-CLACSO, we recommend reading the article "The golden route of scientific publishing: from journal business to journals as business" de Delgado-López-Cózar y Martín-MartínPublished in 2024. This work offers a critical analysis of the evolution of the scientific publishing system, highlighting how it has gone from being a service for the academic community to becoming a highly lucrative business for large publishers.
The article explores the paradigm shift in the publishing economic model, highlighting the transition from the traditional subscription system (where you paid to read) to gold open access (where you pay to publish). This transformation has had a significant impact on the dynamics of global science, favoring the proliferation of mega-journals and the increase in article processing fees (APCs). article processing charge) and the emergence of questionable editorial practices.
One of the most relevant contributions of the article is the typology of "the routes of the publishing business", which describes three key strategies used by publishers to maximize their profits: the business through reputation (creation of magazines derived from prestigious brands), the business through efficiency (massive publication in mega-journals with less demanding review criteria), and the business through deception (expansion of predatory journals and editorial fraud).
We recommend reading this article because it offers a critical and well-founded perspective on the current challenges of scientific communication, contributing to a reflection on how market forces are shaping knowledge production. Its analysis is especially relevant for those working in science and technology policy, scientific and academic evaluation, and the management of scientific journals.
In the current context, where scientific publishing has become a lucrative business that prioritizes profit over the communication of scientific knowledge, it is imperative to explore and strengthen alternative models that promote more equitable and accessible science. open access diamond model It is presented as a viable and sustainable solution to the dominant corporate publishing model.
Unlike the gold open access model, which imposes article processing fees on authors, the diamond model offers free access to both readers and authors, eliminating economic barriers to publishing and accessing research. This approach is prevalent in Latin America, where more than 70% of scientific journals operate under this model, reflecting a commitment to the democratization of knowledge.
From the Latin American Forum on Scientific Evaluation de CLACSOFOLEC actively promotes the strengthening of the Diamond model as an alternative to the corporate publishing system. It advocates for evaluation practices that incentivize open access in Diamond journals, recognizing their crucial role in building a more inclusive science oriented towards the common good.
Strengthening the diamond model not only challenges the market logic of scientific publishing, but also promotes a wider and more equitable circulation of knowledge, aligned with the principles of open science and the social commitment of research.
For those who wish to delve deeper into this topic, The full article is available by clicking here.We invite the academic and scientific community to read it, as it provides essential elements for understanding the tensions between science, the market, and academic evaluation in the current context.
