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Free electronic refereed journals: getting past the arc of enthusiasm
Author(s) -
Crawford Walt
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
learned publishing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.06
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-4857
pISSN - 0953-1513
DOI - 10.1087/09531510252848881
Subject(s) - enthusiasm , directory , sign (mathematics) , publishing , electronic journal , library science , world wide web , political science , computer science , psychology , free access , law , mathematics , social psychology , operating system , mathematical analysis
Do free electronic refereed journals represent one viable alternative to overpriced commercial journals? This informal study looked at 104 titles listed in the 1995 Directory of Electronic Journals, Newsletters and Academic Discussion Lists (published by the Association of Research Libraries) as being free, journals, and refereed. Taking five years of continuing publication as an initial sign of reasonable longevity (later raised to six years), the record shows reasonable promise. While quite a few early journals succumbed to the ‘arc of enthusiasm’, more than half are still publishing.