In these times of inflation, it is not surprising to see that research is also affected. But increases break all records. Spending on scientific publications increased by 48% between 2018 and 2020 in France, according to a study carried out by the Datactivist cooperative, which specializes in the study of public data, and commissioned by the Ministry of Research. Thus, in 2020, the amount for publication costs reached 30.1 million euros. If we add the price of subscriptions to scientific journals, the sum reaches 117.6 million euros, or the equivalent of approximately 2,300 positions for young researchers for one year!
To understand these figures, definitions are necessary. The researchers publish their results in journals, after evaluation by their peers. Until the 2000s, the dominant model was that authors did not pay to publish (except for a supplement for certain figures), but that the reading of articles was reserved for subscribers. The regular and sharp increase in the cost of subscriptions has been criticized for limiting access to scientific information, and therefore to innovation.
Several alternative models, known as “open access” or open access, have appeared. Many consist of charging authors a publication fee (APC in English, for article processing charges), in exchange for which reading is free. According to the study, these costs are approximately 2,000 euros per article on average, or even more than double. Within this framework, there are “gold” journals, entirely financed by the APCs, or other “hybrids”, which keep the subscription and make the texts free with APC. There are also “diamond” newspapers, without APC and supported by states or foundations. The cost per article is estimated at around 400 euros by the French study. Finally, there is the “green” model, which consists in depositing free of charge on so-called “archive” sites, often supported there also by public funds, versions before publication, but also after publication, respecting certain legal rules . In France, 62% of articles published in 2020 were in open access (compared to just over 40% of articles in 2012).
An “unsustainable” economic model in the long term
These models should not only lower the barriers to access, but also lower the overall cost. The French study confirms that this is not the case. The authors studied a million articles co-authored by French people between 2013 and 2020, to identify which had paid for APCs, at what price and in which model. Hence the 30.1 million euros in 2020, for almost 80% on the “golden” track, which cannot be explained by the growth in the volume of publications. Added to this sum are the subscription expenses negotiated by the Couperin consortium with the publishers: 87.5 million in 2020.
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