Research study of learned journal authors

["ALPSP" <alpsp@morris-assocs.demon.co.uk>]

Liblicense readers may be interested in this study, carried out by the 
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers.   From what 
I've heard so far, the results are absolutely fascinating and will be 
enormously helpful to our industry in deciding how to move journals 
forward in the best and most author-friendly way.   Please spread the 
word!

WHAT AUTHORS WANT:

the ALPSP research study on the motivations and concerns of contributors 
to learned journals

Alma Swan & Sheridan Brown, Key Perspectives Ltd

The Association of Learned and Society Publishers has recently carried 
out a large-scale survey of contributors to learned journals.   The aim
was to discover what motivated researchers to publish in journals, and 
how they decided where to publish, as well as their concerns about the 
current system, and what changes they wanted or expected to see in the 
future.  

With the help of many publishers, questionnaires were sent to 
approximately 11,500 contributors to learned journals published in the 
UK, the USA and elsewhere.  The titles were selected to give a 
comprehensive spread of subjects, and the recipients were chosen to give 
a representative worldwide geographical coverage.   With a response rate 
of nearly 30%, the results provide a substantial body of evidence of 
what the authors of research articles really think and want.  

Authors are continuing to publish in learned journals primarily to
communicate their findings and advance their careers. Direct
financial reward is not an important issue. Their main aim is to reach
the widest possible audience, with the quality of peer review
and the impact factor of the journal the main factors of importance in
achieving their overall publishing objectives. In deciding where
to submit their work, the perceived reputation of the journal, its 
impact factor, subject area, international reach and coverage by
abstracting and indexing services are extremely important.

Offprints continue to be the main way in which authors disseminate their 
findings after publication, though 84% also claim to announce their 
results at conferences pre-publication.

Copyright does not appear to be an area of major concern at the moment, 
though a significant number of authors think that copyright should be 
retained by the author rather than being relinquished to the publisher. 
Around 30% of authors express dissatisfaction with the peer review 
system, primarily because of the delays incurred in the process. 
Publication delays in general are a source of concern, especially 
because of the  anxiety that someone else will publish the work first.

More than half of authors agree that the purpose of scholarly publishing 
is changing and increased electronic publishing activities
are looked forward to in the future by a large body of authors.

Publication:    May 1999

Price:
ALPSP members:        First copy A350/$100, second and subsequent 
copies A325/$50, inclusive of postage and packing

Non-members:          First copy A3100/$200, second and subsequent
copies A375/$150, inclusive of postage and packing

ORDER FORM

Please send me ....... copies of the report WHAT AUTHORS WANT
Name..............................................................
Organisation......................................................
.......    ALPSP member yes/no
Address......................
...................................
..................................
           Number                Price 
Members' copies        First copy at A350/$100                  

                                Additional copies at =A325/$50           

Non-members' copies    First copy at A3100/$200            
.............        ...............
                                Additional copies at A375/$150   
..............        ...............

Total                                                                    
    ................        ...............

I enclose a cheque payable to ALPSP    [tick box]            Please send
a proforma invoice    [tick box]

Please return this order form to :  John Morris, South House, The
Street, Clapham, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 3UU, UK