Eysenbach G. "Citation advantage of open access articles " PLOS Biology 4(5): 692-698, May 2006.

[Eugene Garfield]

Gunther Eysenbach : E-mail Addresses: geysenba at uhnres.utoronto.ca


Title: Citation advantage of open access articles

Author(s): Eysenbach G

Source: PLOS BIOLOGY 4 (5): 692-698 MAY 2006

Article No.: e157
Document Type: Article
Language: English
Cited References: 17      Times Cited: 0

Abstract:
Open access (OA) to the research literature has the potential to accelerate
recognition and dissemination of research findings, but its actual effects
are controversial. This was a longitudinal bibliometric analysis of a
cohort of OA and non-OA articles published between June 8, 2004, and
December 20, 2004, in the same journal (PNAS: Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences). Article characteristics were extracted, and citation
data were compared between the two groups at three different points in
time: at "quasi-baseline" (December 2004,0-6 mo after publication), in
April 2005 (410 mo after publication), and in October 2005 (10-16 mo after
publication). Potentially confounding variables, including number of
authors, authors' lifetime publication count and impact, submission track,
country of corresponding author, funding organization, and discipline, were
adjusted for in logistic and linear multiple regression models. A total of
1,492 original research articles were analyzed: 212 (14.2% of all articles)
were OA articles paid by the author, and 1,280 (85.8%) were non-OA
articles. In April 2005 (mean 206 d after publication), 627 (49.0%) of the
non-OA articles versus 78 (36.8%) of the OA articles were not cited
(relative risk = 1.3 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.1-1.6]; p = 0.001). 6 mo
later (mean 288 d after publication), non-OA articles were still more
likely to be uncited (non-OA: 172 [13.6%], OA: 11 [5.2%]; relative risk =
2.6 [1.4-4.7]; p < 0.001). The average number of citations of OA articles
was higher compared to non-OA articles (April 2005: 1.5 [SD = 2.5] versus
1.2 [SD =2.0]; Z = 3.123; p = 0.002; October 2005: 6.4 [SD = 10.4] versus
4.5 [SD = 4.9]; Z = 4.058; p < 0.001). In a logistic regression model,
controlling for potential confounders, OA articles compared to non-OA
articles remained twice as likely to be cited (odds ratio = 2.1 [1.5-2.9])
in the first 4-10 mo after publication (April 2005), with the odds ratio
increasing to 2.9 (1.5-5.5) 10-16 mo after publication (October 2005).
Articles published as an immediate OA article on the journal site have
higher impact than self-archived or otherwise openly accessible CIA
articles. We found strong evidence that, even in a journal that is widely
available in research libraries, OA articles are more immediately
recognized and cited by peers than non-OA articles published in the same
journal. OA is likely to benefit science by accelerating dissemination and
uptake of research findings.


Addresses: Eysenbach G (reprint author), Univ Hlth Network, Ctr Global
eHealth Innovat, Toronto, ON Canada
Univ Hlth Network, Ctr Global eHealth Innovat, Toronto, ON Canada
Univ Toronto, Dept Hlth Policy Management & Evaluat, Toronto, ON Canada

E-mail Addresses: geysenba at uhnres.utoronto.ca

Publisher: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE, 185 BERRY ST, STE 1300, SAN FRANCISCO,
CA 94107 USA
Subject Category: BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; BIOLOGY
IDS Number: 048SN

ISSN: 1544-9173

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