I've recently received multiple emails from Elsevier asking me to remove the public version of my research articles from ResearchGate, quoting" Following numerous unsuccessful attempts to agree an approach with ResearchGate to facilitate the sharing of articles in ways that respect the publishing agreements between journals and authors, in accordance with the STM Association’s Voluntary Principles for Article Sharing on Scholarly Collaboration Networks, ResearchGate has requested that publishers issue take down notices (TDNs) for articles which it should not be hosting."
I then received email from ResearchGate with similar contents with a warning at the end, quoting "otherwise, my account will be permanently locked."
Now my questions are:
(1) I have substantial research articles published by Elsevier. Am I supposed to removed all of them from ResearchGate?
(2) Why is Elsevier the only publisher with such demand? I have many papers published by various publishers and yet non of them have requested me to take my papers down.
(3) Has any member on ResearchGate received similar emails?
Thank you so much and I am looking forward to having a constructive discussion here.
I Haven’t received any such email however in one of the Elsevier’s journal, I read the similar thing in their terms and conditions before publication, so yes, quite possible
Elsevier explicitly allows you to share your preprints, at least for the majority of its journals. Those are accepted manuscripts (you may or may not include the suggested revisions by reviewers) that have not yet been copy-edited into the journal-specific format (e.g. the two-column format, journal logo, corrections made by copy editor etc.).
On your RG page, you are sharing the final version of your articles as they appear behind the paywall in your journals (including all Elsevier and Journal logos on your paper). This is why Elsevier is contacting you because you publish the copy-edited, proofed version of your paper before the embargo period ends.
Just upload the preprint with all changes made throughout the review process but not your downloaded and published journal version. Elsevier journals are supporting this way of spreading your research as it further increases the reach of your paper (you have to sign exactly this when you make a submission and when you return the rights and access form).
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