this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2023
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Emailing the author and asking for the paper
Yup. Researchers will gladly send you the study for free, because they don’t make anything when you pay for it through a journal. For the unaware, the fee charged by research journals goes completely to the journal; The author/researchers don’t get anything for it. In fact, they have to pay the journal to get published. And that shit isn’t cheap! The more prestigious journals can charge upwards of $8-10k.
The research journal scheme is a giant scam, designed to double-dip and extract profit from both ends. And it only works because scientific communities tend to look at certain journals as prestigious. So they want to be published in those journals, even if they have to pay. But I can almost guarantee that the researchers resent the journals, because they’ve been roped into paying for research for their entire professional lives. And that’s why they’re usually happy to send you a free copy of their paper if you just email and ask nicely.
Journals are also bad because they frequently privatize research that public funds paid for. For instance, let’s say the government pays for a study to be done. Then the researchers need to get that published, so they pay the journal to publish it. Then the journal paywalls the study, even though it was already paid for with tax dollars. It’s shit that sounds like it should be illegal, but is commonly accepted for some reason.
I'm pretty sure the reason they're happy to send it is because they want other researchers to read it and cite it.
I didn't know that, thanks.
Shouldn't research stand on its own? Like, if you have something that is legitimately worth looking at, wouldn't people be interested in it regardless of where its 'published'?
The issue is visibility. Just like self-publishing a book, you’re in an uphill battle to even get your work seen. If you ever want to be cited by future publications, your research needs to be easy for future researchers to find and access. And traditionally, that has been done by consolidating studies via scientific journals.
Sure, you could try to start your own FOSS version of a journal. But that will require web developers, hosting costs, and the enthusiastic support from (and adoption by) other researchers. Because if nobody uses your system, it’s worthless for it’s intended purpose.
Google docs, or any of its many alternatives.
That system is called the Internet, good sir. If people want to see the results of a study, locking it behind paywalls isn't going to make it easier. Lol.
Universities usually have contracts with many journals to provide access for their students/employees. The paywall to access research does not necessarily get paid by the individual.
In my old Uni, as long as you were connected to the internet from inside the Uni or via proxy from outside, it would automatically give free access to the web versions of lots of (although far from all) journals.
Surprisingly effective and 100% legal
If the author of a paper isn't excited at the idea of sharing their work with an interested party, I'd honestly immediately question the value of their academic contributions anyway.
Me too. In my experience even super successful "star" ones are happy to share.
This is the way. Also they sometimes go the extra mile and send you preprints of stuff that's not out yet.
Most researchers are into sharing their work.
Email sent. Thanks.