Defining embargo periods by discipline?

[David Wojick]

The problem is I do not think we have usage or download data for entire 
disciplines. Citation data may be all we have.

David

At 04:02 PM 3/1/2013, you wrote:
>Adminstrative info for SIGMETRICS (for example unsubscribe):
>http://web.utk.edu/~gwhitney/sigmetrics.html
>
>Citation half-life is one measure that has been suggested, but clearly 
>that doesn't optimize access. I think any citation-based measure will lag 
>too far - particularly in areas where it can take a year for the "early 
>view" to become officially "published." Perhaps downloads or usage would 
>be a better thing to look at. Look at the shape of the curve and see where 
>the bump is and draw a line there? The bump would shift if there's 
>significant media coverage, too.  I was looking in some of MJ Kurtz' 
>papers because I think he had a graph that would illustrate what I'm 
>saying, but I'm not finding it immediately.
>
>Physics and astro publishers have not experienced significant 
>cancellations based on arXiv and making backfiles freely available (AAS). 
>Biomedical publishers may not have had the same experience.
>
>Christina
>
>----
>Christina K Pikas
>Librarian
>The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
>Christina.Pikas at jhuapl.edu
>(240) 228 4812 (DC area)
>(443) 778 4812 (Baltimore area)
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ASIS&T Special Interest Group on Metrics 
>[mailto:SIGMETRICS at listserv.utk.edu] On Behalf Of David Wojick
>Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 3:11 PM
>To: SIGMETRICS at listserv.utk.edu
>Subject: Re: [SIGMETRICS] Defining embargo periods by discipline?
>
>Adminstrative info for SIGMETRICS (for example unsubscribe):
>http://web.utk.edu/~gwhitney/sigmetrics.html
>
>Thank you Loet; the NSF list is a very good candidate as NSF is one of the 
>lead agencies in this rulemaking.
>
>I cannot give you an example of a proper embargo period as I am looking 
>for an analytical way to find such, but I can explain the concept. 
>Abstractly the proper embargo period is the shortest one that does not 
>damage the journals in the discipline financially because of significant 
>subscription cancellations. The idea is that this period varies by 
>discipline due to differences in the rate of diffusion of research results.
>
>The evidence offered for embargo periods greater than the OSTP default 
>period of 12 months is usually that citations peak later than this, which 
>seems like a reasonable argument. It might also allow for periods shorter 
>than 12 months. Mind you this evidence is merely indirect but for 
>administrative purposes we need a simple formula. When citations peak 
>seems like a reasonable candidate but I wonder if anyone has really looked 
>at this issue? It is clearly scientometric in nature and the future of the 
>scholarly publishing industry may depend on it.
>
>All my best,
>
>David
>
>At 02:18 PM 3/1/2013, you wrote:
> >Adminstrative info for SIGMETRICS (for example unsubscribe):
> >http://web.utk.edu/~gwhitney/sigmetrics.html
> >
> >Dear David,
> >
> >1. for the disciplinary delineation, I would first look at the NSF-list
> >with
> >13 broad fields (as used for the S&E Indicators). The advantage is that
> >the list is seriously updated each two years by our colleague Ken
> >Hamilton and that there is investment in its quality. There are many
> >other classifications.
> >
> >2. Can you provide an example of "a proper embargo period"?
> >
> >Best,
> >Loet
> >
> >
> >Loet Leydesdorff
> >Professor, University of Amsterdam
> >Amsterdam School of Communications Research (ASCoR), Kloveniersburgwal
> >48, 1012 CX Amsterdam.
> >Tel.: +31-20- 525 6598; fax: +31-842239111 loet at leydesdorff.net ;
> >http://www.leydesdorff.net/ ;
> >http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ych9gNYAAAAJ&hl=en
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: ASIS&T Special Interest Group on Metrics
> >[mailto:SIGMETRICS at LISTSERV.UTK.EDU] On Behalf Of David Wojick
> >Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 5:44 PM
> >To: SIGMETRICS at LISTSERV.UTK.EDU
> >Subject: [SIGMETRICS] Defining embargo periods by discipline?
> >
> >Adminstrative info for SIGMETRICS (for example unsubscribe):
> >http://web.utk.edu/~gwhitney/sigmetrics.html
> >
> >Dear Group,
> >
> >I have begun to work on the design issues for a new federal green OA
> >system as raised by the recent U.S. OSTP Memo. See
> >http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2013/02/25/confusions-in-the-ostp-oa
> >-poli
> >cy-memo-three-monsters-and-a-gorilla/.
> >
> >One of the most interesting issues is defining different embargo
> >periods for different disciplines. There is a clear scientometrics 
> component to this.
> >Therefore I am asking if anyone knows of any research that speaks to
> >this issue? My first impression is that the citation pattern over time
> >is the only analytical framework that has been explored but I may be
> >wrong. In any case we seem to be breaking new ground with this policy issue.
> >
> >There are actually two distinct issues. First how do we define a
> >discipline for regulatory purposes? Second how do we determine the
> >proper embargo period for each discipline? The latter is perhaps the
> >harder question. Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
> >
> >My best regards to all,
> >
> >David