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Mapping the journal publishing landscape: how much do we know?
Author(s) -
MORRIS Sally
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.1087/095315107x239654
Subject(s) - publishing , association (psychology) , quality (philosophy) , library science , political science , public relations , law , psychology , computer science , philosophy , epistemology , psychotherapist
ABSTRACT In debates about journals, their publishers and the future of both, it is important to be clear about what we are discussing. In this article, the sparse existing literature is surveyed, and original sources examined to provide further detail. The membership lists of six leading publishing associations, and the websites of their members, were also studied. More than half of all peer‐reviewed journals in Ulrich's are published by or on behalf of/in association with nonprofit organizations. Other than the top few commercial publishers, there is little difference in size between the two types; the ‘long tail’ of publishers are small and therefore vulnerable, and yet most are not represented by any trade association. The majority of journals come from the USA or the UK. Nonprofits launch fewer new journals, but are also less likely to close journals. The quality advantage of nonprofit journals may be reducing, but nonprofit journals still predominate among the most highly cited journals.