New Knowledge Exchange report about the promise of alternative publishing platforms
6 alternative publishing practices
The international Knowledge Exchange partnership, in which SURF also participates, explores these and other related questions in the recently published report. Supported by an international group of experts, 6 distinct alternative publishing practices are identified:
- Preprint posting
- Open peer review
- Preregistration
- Versioning
- Review and curation after publication
- Modular publications
Chances and barriers
Alternative publication practices address specific limitations in conventional publishing workflows, offer benefits around research integrity and shifts power dynamics towards greater equity and access. However, the barriers to migrate to these alternative publishing practices are deeply embedded in how scholarly communication operates. Researchers face hard choices between experimentation and career advancement, the report states.
Solutions
The report of Knowledge Exchange identifies the critical enablers for successful adoption of new publication processes: critical collective action and coordination, reform of research assessment, investment in infrastructure and capacity and representation in digital infrastructure. It needs action from key stakeholders like research funders, research institutions, conventional and alternative publishing platforms, and infrastructure providers.