Should I pay the open-access fee?

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Cashmeous

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The journal I am planning to submit my manuscript to has an "open-access fee." In the best-case scenario, it will be accepted, and I will have to choose between having it either open-access or not. My institution provides $1,500 of financial assistance (this is their maximum per article), but the journal's fee is $3,000 per article.

This will be a single-authored paper, so the only other "mom" I can beg is my department.

Any idea on how I should proceed? I've heard there are other sources of funding, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Thank you all.

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That's pretty steep. Some alternatives:
(1) If any part of your support can be tied to NIH funding, the federal Public Access Policy will take care of the open access issue
(2) You can keep a private copy on ResearchGate, etc. and send a copy of your paper privately to anyone who asks for it
(3) Find a journal with lower fees (IIRC PLoS One charges around $1500)
 
That's pretty steep. Some alternatives:
(1) If any part of your support can be tied to NIH funding, the federal Public Access Policy will take care of the open access issue
(2) You can keep a private copy on ResearchGate, etc. and send a copy of your paper privately to anyone who asks for it
(3) Find a journal with lower fees (IIRC PLoS One charges around $1500)

Thank you for the input.

Question about PLoS ONE in particular: what are your thoughts on some people's opinions that publishing there is "career suicide?" Sure, it's peer-reviewed, but I've heard the process is so easy that it's lost some respect over the few years that it's existed. Have you had any experience publishing there?
 
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That's totally absurd. You do realize most people would NEVER be able to afford that kind of fee? Surely, you are doing research under some guidance and this 'journal' is not their only suggestion...
 
Question about PLoS ONE in particular: what are your thoughts on some people's opinions that publishing there is "career suicide?"

That's a bit overstated. What stage are you at in your training/professional development?

Anyway, why not just publish in a mainstream journal? Why the push for open access?
 
That's a bit overstated. What stage are you at in your training/professional development?

Anyway, why not just publish in a mainstream journal? Why the push for open access?

I'm an undergrad.

I'm only really considering this journal because it's probably the best fit for the paper - like a match meant to be.

And I just really believe in open access. My alma matter does too.
 
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First things first, just see if you can get the thing published. It is up to the journal to decide whether the paper is a good fit. Maybe they'll agree with you, or maybe you'll find a home for the paper elsewhere. You might be able to convert it to open access later if you come up with the money.

When it comes to asking for someone else to subsidize your publication costs, you'll need to make a strong case that the information is important enough to make it widely available. There is a finite amount of money to go around.
 
I agree with MamaPhD, I would seriously consider a more traditional setting. There are some "ok" open access journals, but I tend to agree with another poster that you will likely be taking a hit to prestige. When I publish, I don't think I've ever cited an open access article in my research. And, fairly biased or not, when I review applications for internship and postdoc, I do look at the rigor of where students are publishing, and this would knock down publications a few ladder rungs for me in my review of that individual.
 
Great, thank you for all your advice!
 
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