Academic publishing

Academic publishing

Scientific publications per million inhabitants in 2020

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Shares of the top five STM publishers in 2022

Academic publishing is the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in academic journal articles, books, or theses. The part of academic written output that is not formally published but merely printed up or posted on the Internet is often called "grey literature". Most scientific and scholarly journals, and many academic and scholarly books, though not all, are based on some form of peer review or editorial refereeing to qualify texts for publication.

History

The history of academic publishing dates back to the establishment of the first scientific journal, the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, in 1665. The process of peer review was introduced to ensure the quality and integrity of published research. Over time, academic publishing has evolved with the advent of digital technologies, leading to the rise of open access publishing and the proliferation of online journals.

Types of publications

Academic publishing encompasses a variety of publication types, including:

• Journal articles: These are the most common form of academic publication, often peer-reviewed and published in academic journals.
• Books: Academic books can be monographs or edited volumes, often published by university presses or commercial academic publishers.
• Conference proceedings: Collections of papers presented at academic conferences, often peer-reviewed and published as a volume.
• Theses and dissertations: These are extensive research projects completed as part of a graduate or doctoral degree.

Peer review

Peer review is a critical component of academic publishing, serving as a quality control mechanism. In this process, experts in the field evaluate a manuscript's methodology, significance, and originality before it is accepted for publication. Peer review can be single-blind, double-blind, or open, depending on the journal's policies.

Open access

Open access refers to the practice of providing unrestricted access to peer-reviewed scholarly research. Open access can be achieved through various models, including:

• Gold open access: Articles are freely available immediately upon publication, often funded by article processing charges (APCs).
• Green open access: Authors self-archive a version of their work in a repository, making it freely accessible after an embargo period.
• Hybrid open access: Subscription journals offer an open access option for individual articles upon payment of an APC.

Challenges and controversies

Academic publishing faces several challenges and controversies, including:

• Cost of publishing: The high cost of journal subscriptions and APCs can limit access to research.
• Predatory publishing: Some publishers exploit the open access model by charging fees without providing legitimate peer review.
• Publication bias: The tendency to publish positive results over negative or inconclusive findings.
• Authorship disputes: Issues related to the attribution of credit and responsibility for published work.

Related pages

• Scientific journal
• Peer review
• Open access
• Grey literature

Academic publishing

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  Scientific publications per million people in 2020

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  Shares of the top five STM publishers in 2022