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Identifying The Effect Of Open Access On Citations Using A Panel Of Science Journals

Author

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  • Mark J Mccabe

    (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UniCA - Université Côte d'Azur, SKEMA Business School - SKEMA Business School)

  • Christopher M Snyder

Abstract

type="main" xml:lang="en"> An open-access journal allows free online access to its articles, obtaining revenue from fees charged to submitting authors or from institutional support. Using panel data on science journals, we are able to circumvent problems plaguing previous studies of the impact of open access on citations. In contrast to the huge effects found in these previous studies, we find a more modest effect: moving from paid to open access increases cites by 8% on average in our sample. The benefit is concentrated among top-ranked journals. In fact, open access causes a statistically significant reduction in cites to the bottom-ranked journals in our sample, leading us to conjecture that open access may intensify competition among articles for readers' attention, generating losers as well as winners. (JEL L17, O33)
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Mark J Mccabe & Christopher M Snyder, 2014. "Identifying The Effect Of Open Access On Citations Using A Panel Of Science Journals," Post-Print halshs-01948343, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01948343
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12064
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01948343
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L17 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Open Source Products and Markets
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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