The sting of RG platform in terms of benefits will be simply gone ...I think, downloading many of the PDFs directly from authors profile was one of the gifts from RG, unfortunately this is distinctively missing...

I also don't understand that behaviour. If we don't have access to the full texts it makes no difference if it is not shared at all. Sometimes even publications which are freely available (for example via arxiv) are sometimes not fully available on RG.

If the papers are published in journals which are not for free I assume that it is due to legal reasons that the full-texts are unavailable on RG since the Journal fees could be 'bypassed' by downloading from RG.

Best Regards

Andreas

The sting of RG platform in terms of benefits will be simply gone ...I think, downloading many of the PDFs directly from authors profile was one of the gifts from RG, unfortunately this is distinctively missing...

Dear Olutosin Ademola Otekunrin

What you said is totally true,

Frankly, I faced a similar problem, when the paper reached after three months to in my inbox, at that time no need even to reading it, because the reasons for requesting has become run out.

That's exactly how I felt. I think if you are not going to make your papers/ any research items accessible by the RG members, you can simply put the title and not to say we should request for full text when you know that anyone that requested may not receive any time soon or even never receive it. Thank you so much dear Dr. Muhammed Elsheikh

Olutosin

Thank you dear respected RG members, dear Andreas Mampel and Dr. Anoop Kumar for your contributions to this discussion.

Olutosin

There are many reasons for this. Most researchers may not use RG or thier email regularly, thus, may not see your request on time. Some may be afraid of copyright infringement. This is my experience. I requested for a paper but the author told me that he is not sure about copyright. Another reason is that some authors are stingy or unwilling to share thier work.

Thank you Dr. Emeka Dumbili for sharing your thought on this discussion.

Olutosin

While fear of infringing copyright is a real issue, and it isn't always clear what the rights for an individual journal are and journal publication is essential still, it does seem strange that researchers don't upload full texts of published work whenever they legitimately can. If we want our work to be cited then we need to make it available, we should also be proud of what we have achieved and pleased when it contributes to new knowledge being developed.

However as someone who reviews quite a lot I have become aware that an increasing amount of work submitted to journals is rejected as plagiarised so I wonder if there is a link here to texts which are not available

Thank you dear Caroline Ritchie and Charles Ogunbode for sharing your views on this topic of discussion. I think it is a real issue as you've said, if research papers are not available how can it be cited and improve the quality of research output.

Olutosin

As a researcher, one should always be worried for wider sharing of ones research credentials . RG platform will loose its utility, sooner or later , this benefit has to be retrieved..

Dear Sir, you can still explain further what you mean by saying "RG platform will lose its utility sooner or later".

Olutosin

Professor Anoop Kumar Srivastava

Please do not worry about the spreading of knowledge via research gate and in my opinion the RG platform will never lose its utility, maybe if he stops may be other new ideas will be appearing and may brilliant ideas and more advanced, some website imitate research gate but in low quality and in initial steps , think the research gate now is top and we cannot imagine the future hidden for us, this is the era of explosive knowledge and the open access research is worldwide accepted and increase rapidly .

Thank you dear Dr. Mohammed for your view on this discussion. There are lots of advocacy for research on open access, open data and even open education around the world now. Clamouring for accessible of information in every domain.

Olutosin

I would advocate that accessible research increases its impact.

Thank you dear Dr. Gehan Selim for your contribution.

Dr Mohammad and Dr Olutosin, for a hardcore researcher, having PDF by none other than researchers themselves is like a icing on the cake. And , without an iota of doubt, RG is a wonderful platform , but sharing of PDFs voluntarily should never be restricted . Thats my candid expression , regardless of what or what not, RG brings for RG users....Time is very precious in any profession...

Thank you dear Dr. Anoop Kumar for sharing your thought on this discussion.

Olutosin

Openness is the key. Why do research that you cannot readily make available your findings to assist others working on similar area. Once proper referencing is accredited to the owner, there shouldn't be any issue. One other reason why full text might not be available sometimes is if the paper has been accepted and not published and the author is in a hurry to showcase what has been done. I had a paper accepted and was not published until 10 months after even though I had all the necessary info to upload, I never did until published. Other reasons outside this are not tenable. It is better not to upload anything at all than to upload and keep the major part.

Thank you dear Dr. Jumoke Soyemi for your candid view on this discussion. "It is better not to upload anything at all than to upload and keep the major part".

Olutosin

Copyright issues. Terms and condition!

Thanks Dr. Olusola T Bolaji for your valuable contribution.

Olutosin

I realise the issue of copyright. Thanks @Dr.Olusola T Bolaji. I believe there are other salient reasons behind this issue.

Many thanks dear Dr. Polina Lemenkova for your candid and valuable views points on this discussion.

Copyright problems. I think there should be no limitations. Once the paper is published the author should have full right to make it available on research gate.