Re: Suggested Action to promote OA: Reviewing boycott

From: Stevan Harnad <harnad_at_ecs.soton.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:46:31 +0100

              Forwarded from Peter Suber

At 12:46 PM 10/11/2007, Peter Suber wrote:

I second Stevan's advice and would add the following specifically about a
referee boycott. Yes, some researchers have refused to serve as referees
for journals that don't adopt good access policies. Ted Bergstrom, an
economist at the University of California - Santa Barbara, has followed
this practice for years and recommends it to others. But I doubt that it
will ever catch on widely enough to exert real pressure on journals. Even
if it doesn't catch on widely, however, it makes perfect sense for you, as
an individual, to refuse to referee more papers for journals with weak
access policies, and to explain your decision to the editor and
publisher. This will let them know that the weakness of their access
policy is a matter of growing concern, and it will free your time for
other, higher priorities.

You should decide this question: if you won't referee for Blackwell
journals, will you also refuse to submit work to them? If so, say that to
the editor and publisher as well. But if not, realize that you will be
helping the journal with one hand while refusing to help it with the other.

Meantime, to exert real pressure, work for OA mandates from your university
(as Stevan outlined) and from the research funding agencies (worldwide)
that pay for the research published in Blackwell journals.

      Best,
      Peter
Received on Thu Oct 11 2007 - 20:12:27 BST