Experiences of returning authors

David Torgerson Director York Trials Unit

University of York

BioMed Central Colloquium

Thursday 8th February 2007, The Royal College of Physicians, London, UK

Why do I publish with open publishing?

• Speed

• Easily accessible by others

• Retention of copyright (means copies can be held on your own website).

Why not more?

• Perceived poor academic impact for some open access journals.

» Important when joint authors are junior academics and need to ‘beef’ up their CVs.

• Expense.» My University will no longer subscribe to an

open publisher. Consequently the cost deters me from publishing more.

First BMC paper - speed

• Torgerson DJ, Bell-Syer SEM. Hormone replacement therapy and prevention of vertebral fractures: a meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2001, 2:7. » Total Downloads since publication approx

4400

Last BMC paper

• Petherick ES, O'Meara S, Spilsbury K, Iglesias CP, Nelson EA, Torgerson DJ. Patient acceptability of larval therapy for leg ulcer treatment: a randomised survey to inform the sample size calculation of a randomised trial. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2006, 6:43. » Downloads 1318

Where now?

• Must improve academic impact and reduce cost.

• Cost – perhaps liaise with funding bodies so that papers/protocols associated with a grant from a funding body is offered free publication.

Summary

• My experiences with open publishing have been excellent.

• I recommend it to colleagues.

• Some reluctance due to lower impact factors than some ordinary journals.

• Cost can be a deterrent.