I am using "Research Publishing" divide as analogous to "Digital Divide", that is, the observation of inequalities or a gap between researchers' potential to publish in class A journals, who live in the southern hemisphere versus those of the north hemisphere.
Many researchers who do not teach in elite universities across the globe (as divided above) have hard times to enter the circle of the A-Journals although researched topics are highly more practical to 80% of the world communities versus the 5% of elite publications and read by less than 20% of the world communities!
What do you think?
Open access has the potential to reduce the research divide.
I was never happy with the term "digital divide", as if it is the digitalization causing the divide! I do concede that there are poorer hemispheres, poorer countries, poorer universities, and poorer journals. In all four cases the Matthew Principle inescapably applies.
(Living in a poor hemisphere => living in a poor country => going to a poor university => publishing in poor journals => Living in a poor hemisphere!)
For further reading see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient
Hi Ian
Not to undermine the strong will of those who live in poor conditions but excel and produce better than their counterparts.
... Or conversely, those who live in rich spheres, but whose poor willpower produces only sub-mediocre outputs!
I will add to the existing argument to look at Research-Divide rather than Research Publishing divide. Meaning the strong feelings with or against Open Access Journals.
Hussin, Ian: thanks for speaking up on my behalf and for the benefit of others in a similar situation. Many people in US, UK and Europe do not understand the problem at all. There are also those who make fun of us, because they cannot understand and cannot empathize.
Dear Miranda
Unfortunately, people are of different natures and biases exist. But what is sad is the situation where scientists are biased!
Recently a colleague of mine, finishing his PhD, decided to write a journal paper on a very interesting topic with innovative model and sent it to an elite journal, I guess you know the result. No shining name accompanying his name led to rejection! Knowing that his adviser recommended the journal.
Another anecdote. I made a research match search for best journal to publish a recent article of mine, and I got three 100% matches with 3 journals. After going through their rules for publishing beside the blind refereeing process the charges for publication were between 1500 up to 2,500 Am Dls.
You know my decision for sure.
Dear Ale
Thank you for your comment although I would have liked to hear from you about a case from your area.
Dear Prof Hejase, I agree that research work may be great but could not get published in A graded journals, no doubt situations of developed and developing / underdeveloped world may influence this matter, but what i feel that a well awareness, confidence, a good presentation and hard works as well as patience supported with very dedicated hard works, sincerity and able guidance / lead of a able researcher having high writing and analysis skills along with enough experience can adds flags and success and by this way Research Divide gap can be atleast lessened and may be alleviated to some extent, this is my experience and have gone through this whole process and finally success is with me and not facing any Research Divide or biased attitude of anybody
Kuldeep and Ruchi, you are very right in what you are saying. We may try to close that gap to a certain extent where it stops depending on the egos of the people working in a specific journal.
How about east-west research publishing divide dear @Husein!? Do You think that such divide exist? Angela Merkel thinks it exists even in Germany!!! East-west divide cause for concern is fine alert about and a good reading!
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20071206162824606
Dear Prof Ljubomir and all, indeed there is an 'east-west research publishing divide'. How many education journals in US would be really interested in what is going on in a small developing country like mine? They put priority on their own issues that seem so relevant to them; but the research problems I discuss may not seem important to them at all, although they list areas like 'Language of science, achievement, motivation, SDL'.
Excellent points Ljubomir and Miranda. When sending local research to US journals, I feel that if there is no american involved your chances are less!
Many times, I feel that an article that matches the journal objectives is sent, and there are articles of similar calibre, and the outcome is rejection ?
However, let us look at this issue from a different perspective. There are many open source journals whose readership is hundreds of folds more than traditional journals whose readership are those who pay the high journal subscription fees. Publishing quality papers therefore may be read and most possibly cited in the near future, bringing back good satisfaction for researchers who are serious about their work.
So, let us flip the publishing divide and encourage the journals read in India and China beside other nationals who form more than two thirds of the earth population. Let us honor such readership and disseminate knowledge where it is needed.
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