6 ms·

It’s truly horrific that as an interested layman I am completely UNABLE to read most scientific papers. And to think about what they did to Aaron Schwartz…

by sprafa 5y ago

chrisseaton 5y ago
> It’s truly horrific that as an interested layman I am completely UNABLE to read most scientific papers. You can usually find a pre-print by Googling the title. Or ask the author for a copy. (You shouldn't have to do this, but you can until all papers are open access anyway.)
- andi999 5y ago
  Why is it legal for the author to send you a copy (asking as an author)
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - chrisseaton 5y ago
    They usually send you a 'pre-print' which (in their opinion - I'm not a lawyer) is not subject to the same copyright as the final reversion which was sent to review.
    - andi999 5y ago
      Thanks. Any sources for their opinion? Probably I shd read the copyright release form in more detail, but if you think terms of copyright this won't fly.
      - chrisseaton 5y ago
        > but if you think terms of copyright this won't fly Wooah there I'm not giving any legal advice. Ask a lawyer.
      - gmueckl 5y ago
        Even if it is potentially technically illegal, I don't know about anyone who tried to stop it. Note that some release forms explicitly allow author's versions of the covered work for download on the author's website. There's usually a stipulation that they need to be different in some way, for example by not using the same formatting template as the journal/conference version of the paper.
        aurizon 5y ago
        The journals always want their 'pound of flesh' as Shakespeare spins in his grave.... Some insights:- https://www.editage.com/insights/what-are-the-differences-between-open-access-and-standard-subscription-based-publication https://www.editage.com/insights/what-are-the-differences-be...
        gmueckl 5y ago
        I don't see any new insights on the page that you linked. I personally signed copyright transfer forms that allowed for author's versions. There were some conditions that I don't remember in detail. But the gist is that a commercial publisher still allowed me to have a version of the article text online.
        aurizon 5y ago
        They make you go through hoops and remember you - after a few requests the paywall emerges. In this modern day, with publishing costs steadily falling, their demands for payment have become ever more demanding
      - Someone 5y ago
        With at least some of the major publishers, it nowadays is even legal to put the final paper on a public web site or the Archiv. https://www.springernature.com/gp/authors/how-to-share https://www.springernature.com/gp/authors/how-to-share: “Authors publishing via subscription models may also self-archive a copy of the accepted version of their manuscript (post-peer review, but prior to copy-editing and typesetting) in an institutional or subject repository, where it can be made openly accessible after an embargo period, in accordance with the relevant Springer Nature self-archiving policy (Nature, Springer, or Palgrave Macmillan)” (More info at https://www.nature.com/nature-portfolio/editorial-policies/self-archiving-and-license-to-publish https://www.nature.com/nature-portfolio/editorial-policies/s...) https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/sharing https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/sharing: “Accepted Manuscript Authors can share their accepted manuscript: Immediately - via their non-commercial personal homepage or blog - by updating a preprint in arXiv or RePEc with the accepted manuscript - via their research institute or institutional repository for internal institutional uses or as part of an invitation-only research collaboration work-group - directly by providing copies to their students or to research collaborators for their personal use - for private scholarly sharing as part of an invitation-only work group on commercial sites with which Elsevier has an agreement After the embargo period - via non-commercial hosting platforms such as their institutional repository - via commercial sites with which Elsevier has an agreement“* (Seems a bit less constrained than SpringerNature)
bidirectional 5y ago
Well you are, if you're willing to pay. Or just use Sci-Hub as it seems even many professional researchers do.
- CraftingLinks 5y ago
  Each article priced as much as a textbook...
baltoo 5y ago
think you can email most researchers and get a copy. doesn't count as publishing
jszymborski 5y ago
It is truly awful that publishers do this, however there is a certain website-that-shalt-not-be-named that is papering over that gap while we researchers get our shit together.
- Vinnl 5y ago
  It's called Sci-Hub.

It’s truly horrific that as an interested layman I am completely UNABLE to read most scientific papers. And to think about what they did to Aaron Schwartz…

by sprafa 5y ago

It’s truly horrific that as an interested layman I am completely UNABLE to read most scientific papers. And to think about what they did to Aaron Schwartz…

chrisseaton 5y ago

> It’s truly horrific that as an interested layman I am completely UNABLE to read most scientific papers. You can usually find a pre-print by Googling the title. Or ask the author for a copy. (You shouldn't have to do this, but you can until all papers are open access anyway.)

andi999 5y ago
Why is it legal for the author to send you a copy (asking as an author)
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  They usually send you a 'pre-print' which (in their opinion - I'm not a lawyer) is not subject to the same copyright as the final reversion which was sent to review.
  - andi999 5y ago
    Thanks. Any sources for their opinion? Probably I shd read the copyright release form in more detail, but if you think terms of copyright this won't fly.
    - chrisseaton 5y ago
      > but if you think terms of copyright this won't fly Wooah there I'm not giving any legal advice. Ask a lawyer.
    - gmueckl 5y ago
      Even if it is potentially technically illegal, I don't know about anyone who tried to stop it. Note that some release forms explicitly allow author's versions of the covered work for download on the author's website. There's usually a stipulation that they need to be different in some way, for example by not using the same formatting template as the journal/conference version of the paper.
      - aurizon 5y ago
        The journals always want their 'pound of flesh' as Shakespeare spins in his grave.... Some insights:- https://www.editage.com/insights/what-are-the-differences-between-open-access-and-standard-subscription-based-publication https://www.editage.com/insights/what-are-the-differences-be...
        gmueckl 5y ago
        I don't see any new insights on the page that you linked. I personally signed copyright transfer forms that allowed for author's versions. There were some conditions that I don't remember in detail. But the gist is that a commercial publisher still allowed me to have a version of the article text online.
        aurizon 5y ago
        They make you go through hoops and remember you - after a few requests the paywall emerges. In this modern day, with publishing costs steadily falling, their demands for payment have become ever more demanding
    - Someone 5y ago
      With at least some of the major publishers, it nowadays is even legal to put the final paper on a public web site or the Archiv. https://www.springernature.com/gp/authors/how-to-share https://www.springernature.com/gp/authors/how-to-share: “Authors publishing via subscription models may also self-archive a copy of the accepted version of their manuscript (post-peer review, but prior to copy-editing and typesetting) in an institutional or subject repository, where it can be made openly accessible after an embargo period, in accordance with the relevant Springer Nature self-archiving policy (Nature, Springer, or Palgrave Macmillan)” (More info at https://www.nature.com/nature-portfolio/editorial-policies/self-archiving-and-license-to-publish https://www.nature.com/nature-portfolio/editorial-policies/s...) https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/sharing https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/sharing: “Accepted Manuscript Authors can share their accepted manuscript: Immediately - via their non-commercial personal homepage or blog - by updating a preprint in arXiv or RePEc with the accepted manuscript - via their research institute or institutional repository for internal institutional uses or as part of an invitation-only research collaboration work-group - directly by providing copies to their students or to research collaborators for their personal use - for private scholarly sharing as part of an invitation-only work group on commercial sites with which Elsevier has an agreement After the embargo period - via non-commercial hosting platforms such as their institutional repository - via commercial sites with which Elsevier has an agreement“* (Seems a bit less constrained than SpringerNature)

bidirectional 5y ago

Well you are, if you're willing to pay. Or just use Sci-Hub as it seems even many professional researchers do.

CraftingLinks 5y ago
Each article priced as much as a textbook...

baltoo 5y ago

think you can email most researchers and get a copy. doesn't count as publishing

jszymborski 5y ago

It is truly awful that publishers do this, however there is a certain website-that-shalt-not-be-named that is papering over that gap while we researchers get our shit together.

Vinnl 5y ago
It's called Sci-Hub.